New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-18
AN OLD PAST MASTER.
MASONIC CHARITY IN THE LONG AGO
AN OLD-TJME WAY.

process or an eviction" Did you witness
eviction In this great city, or, as expressed here.
dispossess? We are not In poor, poverty stricken
Ireland where heartless landlord lives a thou
sand miles away and neither nor cares for his
poor tenant, but right here in this great city. the
rich and prosperous metropolis Of America. and
yet evictions quite frequent here. Did you ever
witness one? II you did, and have any heart any
feeling for your feow-msn. you will never wish to
witness another. To see the sacrilegious hand Of
the ofncer Of the law and his mnions rudely take
down the few cheap pictures from the walls take
down and almost break tear the ancient motto
God bless home" worked In cheap worsted
perhaps by some dear hand. may be dead now and
at rest. out of harms way, out Of the Of want
and poverty. And there! Now ne takes down the
picture Of mother, and handles II with his cold and
ruthless hand. not knowing how tendery. how care
fully the picture was always kept by the poor
sobbing inmates Of this little home. And the ole
chntz-covered chair that had been brought here
from the original home In the country. and had
been moved and removed to every apartment they
had occupied in the city. because every one OF the
children had been rocked to sleep In this old chair
1t had belonged to mother and 1t WAS brought down
here with her-she would not part with II. even
when they well off and comfortably situated
And now the few books the good old family Bible
we'll thumbed and worn. which contains the record
and history Of three generations: Bun! ans Pill
grim's Progress" THE Lives Of the Wcsleys." and
n few more books Of like nature: and at last came
ono which at once attracted my attention, THE
Masonic Chart and IIieroglyphc Monitor" by
Jeremy l.. Cross
As was looking at this book the officer brought
out very old man. so feeble and emaciated that
he could scarcely stand alone. and he babe the old
to sit In the old rocking chair until the others
ready to down. I accosted the poor old
man, and, pointing to Cross's chart. asked him to
whom II belonged. | could that the question
deeply touched him. Whether from old associations.
the memory Of which this book recalled, or from
other motives probably from the surrounding
circumstances. he could scarcely answer me,
but managed 10 give me to understand
that the old guide book" belonged to him. I then
asked his name. when with trembling hand. he
opened the book, and there the fly leaf showed
m written in large. bold hand. "Wor-
shipfu Isaiah b. Sherwood Master OF Blank Lodge
No 800 Ammo Lucs. 5S29-30" Year after year
was added 3l-32 to 1894 When 1 again asked
him II this was his name and whether he had been
Master of his lodge six consecutive years-and such
years. in the midst of the Ant-Masonic storm--he
nodded assent. and finally mustered strength to tell
me that the years of his life were spent in the
service OF the craft. He seemed 10 warm up
with the subject and to grow stronger as the
scenes Of his younger days were brought up to
pass in review before his mind and memory Yes.
sir | was a Mason when II was almost disgrace
to be called one and kept my lodge together in
Blanktown until only five members came together
on our meeting nights After long and
hard struggle We finally gave up meeting regularly
and / kept the charter and the books working
tools and the aprons and all the paraphernalia |
until the Wild storm had blown over and then -. |
Here I interrupted the old man. and, glancing |
around was forcbly reminded that this was neither
time nor Mace to learn discuss Masonic history
from this poor old man who had just been thrust
out Of his little home into the street. tod MIN |
to sit still where he was; that l would come PACK
soon and bring help. and that would call upon |
some brethren and bring them to his aid and see
what could be done for him. A doubling look was
his only answer Probably the mans disappoint- !
ments and the many idle promises he had received
made him doubtful Of my sincerity. But had my |
mind made up while listening to his story that
something ought and should be done for this poor |
old man.
A brothe. of my lodge kept grocery store a snort
distance from the scene just described To MIN
hurried and related the story Of the eviction. i
kot him" said this kindhearted brother. German.
in broken and very poor English. but with a very
rich vein of charity running through his compost
zion and taking a key from his pocket he brought
me around the corner where he had just portoned
off a small store from his own quite extensive estao-
lishment ito reduce expenses" for he had always
an eve TO sound business. Here. my boy we VIII
mt dis DIT mon in wit his whole family. The
store is to let from the first of the next month. and
this gives us moren week to work nit. and by
that time we will more further" And rolling
out his grocery wagon. he sent for horse and mar
ness and with the help Of his clerks. who came with
us. we soon had everything in readiness for the re-
moval.
Irpon returning TO the old Past Master found
that during my short absence the rest Of the family
had been put out in the street 1t consisted of
feeble old woman, lame woman youngest daugh-
ter OF the aged couple and small boy Uheir
grandson) whose father had been killed in the war
and whose mother had died Of broken heart at
the Joss Of her husband: and found later on that
the only means OF subsistence the whole family had
was the small pttance allowed by the Government |
generously called pension. and what few pennies
MA rn1ild a ha ef-Tna trad
they had learned In their youth in the old home
stead on the family farm. Tears to the eyes
of both the old people as they spoke Of the old
home I'VE will never see 1t again." sighed the
old woman, scarcely able TO suppress her sobs mo.
mo Their" answered the octogenarian, but next
home will be permanent. We will be there |
and no landlord will put into the street."
During this conversation the little furniture and
few things belonging 10 our old brother had been
placed in the grocery wagon. and we now helped
the lame girl and the old dame into It, The brother
himself thought that with the aid OF his stout
cane he could manage to walk with US. and so the
procession started toward the little store which
to be asE be- sde Tor em until other "
on arriving at the house. found that the wife
with evident surprise and relish H. as We are
t is indeed supreme pleasure 10 see worthy and
family sit do dGTn nr item e % .o and
German brother. however could not stand 4. With
sf he holy %ked ana sha1y
made me go init" him around the corner !or to his
store There he brought out bottle. This makes
me feel bad Brother l.. feels weak, don't you?"
We then returned TO the old man, and taking him
which proved entirely satisfactory. He also
showed us several old letters and documents. dating
a way back to those story times when Masonry and
nt-Masonry were important political factors In
this and other States Of the Union. When We were
satisfied on this point we started out TO visit
en- al brethren In the immediate netghborhood. MEM
hers OF different lodges and soon interested
enough OF them in this affair to enable us TO form
quite a large committee, and we also collected
money enough to enable to hire suitable apart
ments TO put the old people into, and all this be
fore any Of our lodges had met. On this point
The committee came very having a row, for
myself and my German brother claimed pre-emp-