The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-02-25
MASONIC CHARITY.
Winona Times.

w mona LILIES
From the report of Grand Secretary
J. l.. Power to the Grand Lodge Masons
of Mississippi, we make the following
extracts, showing how this noble old
institution performs its blessed work OF
charity:
Immediately after adjournment of
last Grand Communication, forwarded
to Bro. John d. Caldwell, Grand Score
tary of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, the
sum of three hundred dollars, towards
the relief of sufferers by the great flood
in that section. OF this amount one
hundred dollars was taken from the
charity fund and two hundred from the
balance of special relief funds in my
hands. Bro Caldwell and the relief
committee made grateful acknowledg-
ment. The relief committee received
more help than was needed, and on 23rd
May l received draft for Si35.
PROTESTANT ORPHAN ASYLUM, AT
NATCHEZ.
On LIST March | forwarded to the
Treasurer of this institution the annual
appropriation of five hundred dollars
from charity fund. 81 am sure" wrote
the good lady to whom | sent the money,
sit is superhuous to say how acceptable
this grand charity is to the managers
and the needy recipients of it-for it is
indeed God-send-and brings with it
the solemn impressive assurance that
there is a special Providence who pro-
vides for the fatherless, and these chill
dren will remember their benefactors, the
Grand Lodge, in their Thanksgiving at
the Throne of Grace"
On the Goth of July received letter
from Bro. DeLap, in which he said: 81
am very much afraid that the Protestant
Orphan Asylum will have to close its
doors unless lrelief comes from some
where. There is not enough money in
the treasury to pay bills for another
month, and when that runs out what is
to become of the poor little ones? / am
at loss TO know what is to be done.
Can you suggest anything"
An earnestly worded appeal to the
people .of the State was at once issued
and the response was so prompt and
generous that Mrs. Fleming, the Treas
urer, in her letter of August 8, exclaimed
ooh that men would praise the Lord
for his goodness and for his wonderful
works to the children of men, for he ha.
saved us out of our distresses." The
sum of $1250.31 was received by me and
forwarded to the Asylum, and abou. one
thousand dollars additional was sent
direct to the Asylum.
When the fact became known in
Natchez that the Asylum was in such a
strait, the first to contribute to its relief
was the Roman Catholic Biship, JAMS
seps, who sent ten dollars to the treas
ury. This was a most catholic and gen.
erous ack and should be remembered
when contributions are solicited for the
two Asylums under the care of our
Catholicfriends at Natchez.
A very large portion of the funds con-
tributed for the relief of the Asylum
came from the children of the State-a
noble hearted little girl, George Lee
Welsh, of DeKalb, having proposed to
.'be one of one thousand little girls in
the.State or elsewhere to give two dollars
each to take care of the orphans"
In September Grand Master Patty
suggested the raising of an endowment
scribed $50; his Lodge, Macon No. 40,
the same amount; Bro. Jacob Holberg,
of Macon $50; Natchez Chapter No. l,
$50; and a gentleman of this city Mr..
Thomas E. Helm, offered to contribute
five hundred dollars toward an endow
nent fund sufficiently large to avoid the
necessity of annual appeals to the public.
| believe that from thirty to fifty thous-
and dollars could be raised for this pur-
pose within two years if the five hun
dred or more lodges of the Benevolent
Orders in the State were to so resolve,
so that the Asylum could not only be
perpetuated, but its sphere of usefulness
extended.
During the past year several instances
have come under my observation which
show the usefulness of and necessity for
this Asylum. The bright little girl sent
by Peach Creek Lodge spent one night
at my home on her way to Natehez, and
when she arrived there was met at the
depot by one of the lady managers. l
to the Asylum two little
girls whose mother died at Brookhaven;
and little girl whose mother died in
this city found home at the Asylum.
A publication made of the death of her
mother was seen by her uncle in Cali
fornia, who made application for her.
We addressed letter to Grand Secre-
tary Able to make inquiries as to his
character and ability to take care of the
child, and the reply being most favor
able, the uncle was notified to send for
her, when he sent ample means and
made suitable provision for her journey
to California.
Brethren, this Asylum, which was es-
tablished in the same year and in the
same place this Grand Lodge was organ
ized, and which has had continuous,
but oftentimes precarious existence is
worthy of all that we are able to do to
maintain it. / recommend not only the
usual appropriation by the Grand Lodge.
but the lodges severally make annual
contribution toward its support.
land the Grand Lodge voted five
hundred dollars to the Asylum, and
the institution to the tender
md generous regard of all the Lodges
n the State, and to the individual men,
,ers thereof.