The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1907-05-25
MIR. JACOBS APPEAL
MASONIC GRAND MASTER ISSUES
AN ADDRESS.
Urges Subordinate Lodges Of Masons
To Vote Favorably ON the Prop
0sttt0n for q State
Home,

Grand Master Jacobs has issued his
hnal appeal to the subordinate lodges
In the State on the Masonic Home
movement. in the following letter to
the craft:
To the worshipful Masters. wardens,
and Brethren of all Subordinate
Lodges In the Grand Jurisdiction
of Alabama:
campaign of education. to show you
the urgent necessity for the Masonic
Widows and Orphans Home, and Home
for INDECENT Masons of Alabama, the
work Is finished. AS your Grand Mas
ter. have endeavored to fulfil nay full
duty to the craft. Within the limits of
my ability. l have done all that mortal
man could do, to present the urgency
OF the adoption of this amendment, to
the subordinate lodges of this Grand
jurisdiction. / have easily met every
objection that may have been present.
ed In opposition. and have even urged
position they might have. but / can
assume you that no such objection has
been offered to this day, that in my
mind. has not been easily met.
The greatest encouragement which
have received during my labors has
been in the fact that those who were
at first bitterly opposed to the move
ment. have been won over to seeing
the necessity of having the Home. and
can now, with pleasure point to
the most ardent supporters. 1 can
assure you. my dear brethren, moth
ing has been left undone. to give you
every information on the subject, and
cover every objection that any Master
Mason might entertain. The letters
OF the Grand Masters OF other Grand
jurisdictions, have shown how enthu-
siasi-c our dear brethren are over the
success Of these homes in their partic-
ular Jurisdictions. They show nearly
| IWGntv f..tI.
conducted and the vast benefits of a
thorough and religious training no
matter what creeds. In addition to
these, nearly ten other Grand Juris-
dictions have already made all pro-
vision for the establishment of these
homes, and why not Alabama? No
other State in this country can boast
OF truer or better brethren, in whose
bosoms beat the true Masonic spirit.
Another incentive for our undivided
the Eastern Star. in whose membership
are the women of Masonry This or
ganization by constitutional require
build a home for Masonic Widows and
Orphans. Now, my brethren, the plain
ana simple questions are, VIII we
permit our wives, daughters. mothers
and sisters to perform our Masonic du-
tiesr VIII we surrender to these gio-
rious and noble women the great privi-
~ = -
For some time a few of our conscien-
tious brethren thought that this work
done by the different church institu-
tons in the State, established along
the same lines. But l am proud to
ters of those Master Masons, Rev. A. j.
Dickson of the Baptist Church, and
Rev. James II. Mccoy of the Methodist
made Thorough study of the situation,
nave dispelled any doubts in the minds
OF our brethren, who were affected by
reasons set out in these two letters
show conclusively that instead of being
against the influences OF these Orphan
same purpose would help to relieve
the burdens of these homes The lodge
becoming. in fact, the help meet" to
the church. And then it is clearly
the children. separating mother from
child. We intend to take mother and
cnildren. and also the INDECENT brother
this kind be found?
And lastly. my dear brethren, on
this great question recall your obli-
believed there is a Supreme Grand Ar
chitect of the Universe, and that He is
the Father of all human beings? If
you saw the child OF friend in dis
tress, would you not relieve that dis
tress? Would you regard any man as
friend of yours who would stand by
and see your child suffer and die, and
refuse to do all that he could in its
behalf? What claim would such a man
have upon your friendship? What are
we doing for those Masonic orphan
girls and boys, the widows and indi-
gent brethren of our Grand Jurisdic-
ton, who are destitute and suffering
children of that God in whom we pro-
fess to believe and to whose service
we have pledged ourselves to dedicate
and devote our lives? What reply will
we have to make, when we stand in
His presence, and give an account of
our lives, and continue to show a for
getfulness of those solemn and bind
ing obligations? Now that the oppor-
tunity is yours, will you prove your
selves workmen upon the Temple? VIII
you earn the wages of a Mason, or
will you belong to that class to whom
no wages shall be paid, because none
are due them?
Let your answer, my dear brethren
to these questions be found in the ia
vorable vote, at this communication, on
the Widows and Orphans Home amend
ment. Remember that the test of a
mans sincerity and devotion to any
cause is to be found in what he does
for It, rather than what he says about
it. Love which does not prompt self
sacrifice, is not love at ALL"
This my brethren, is the last appeal
from your Grand Master to vote ia