The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-05-12
THE MASONIC HOME
MINISTER'S UNITE IN ENDORSE
 MENT OF PROJECT.
Dr. Dickinson and Dr. Mccoy Declare That There Would Not Be Con- hict With Church In-
 RtifutiOns

I For some time many of the Masons ing as to whether or not the establish ing of the Masonic Widows and Or l phans' Home would interfere with the orphan homes which have been estab- lished by the different denominations throughout the State.
 | Rev. A. J. Dickinson, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Birming ham, and one of the largest churches of that denomination of the South, answers this question. Dr. Dickinson Is known far and wide as one of the strongest pastors in the State.
 Rev. J. H. Mccoy. pastor of the Five Points Methodist Church, and President of Birmingham College, the Methodist college for young men, also answers the question.
 I Dr. Dickinson writes as follows to 1 the Grand Master:.
 1 Your letter concerning the proposed 1 Widows and Orphans Home has been received. I note that some of the craft object to the home on the ground that 1 1t may conflict with the existing sev- l eral denominational orphans homes, | where the children are reared under the influence of the churches conduct | ing them. I note also that some are | inclined to think these denominational institutions sufficient to meet all de- l mands in the near future. I am sure l that more adequate vestigation of | the statistics will show that the church homes are not only inadequate to meet the demands at present, sbut are going 1 to be more and more inadequate as our population grows in the near future.
 q have this day received a letter from the Baptist home at Evergreen | stating that the number already in that institution is beyond that which it's present income can maintain, and | calling for larger donations from the l Baptist churches for its support. The l four religious bodies at present main taining homes in this State have a con stituency which extends to not more | than one-third of the~present white | population, and 1t is neither equitable nor reasonable for us to look to this l third of our people to bear the char ities which we all owe to the orphaned | among us The two thirds, not in- cluding the constituencies of these de- nominations, should take their part in | this gracious work. There Is a great need for more homes for the father- | less than the churches can maintain, and what other institution in society Is obliged to help in this work more than our craft? The time has come when we will deliberately neglect the widow and the orphan, and show our selves immune to the call Of charity if we do not provide some real help in caring for them. And when Ma sorry can thus stand by, unmoved by | the call for help from the helpless, it has forgotten the lesson it learned in it's march to the East and degenerated to a mummery of rites and secret signs and handshakes.
 Instead of the excellent homes TOW being conducted by the several church societies being an excuse for with hold trr I,n1a I1,, s,, fo which we are pledged by the very la ture of our views as Masons, 1t should rather send the blush of shame 70 our cheeks that we have so long left them to struggle alone with the unequal situation. Besides these churches hay ing their work for the furtheranoe of religion in the lifes of all society at home and abroad. which makes sueh heavy drafts on their means, have rot been able to provide at all for the sup port of the dependent old man and widow: and hence children committed to their care must be at least legally separated from their widowed mothers and adopted by the Home. There is crying need in our State for just such home as Masons are peculiarly fitted to operate for the care of the depend ent and aged widows with children.
 While Masonry is not in any sense a usurper of religious functions in so- | manities and charities of life. or it is nothing No man can withhold the | hand of charity without annulling his vows as Mason, and helping to make the craft cease longer to have any ex- cuse for its existence in the world. If the Masonic lodges in this State are going to shirk their duty to render in a practical and feasible way help to the widowed and orphaned, they would serve the reputation of the order by surrendering their charters, and cease to degrade that craft which in other States and in all history has done so much to alleviate human suffering and distress.
 "As I see the situation the widows and orphans are in sore need of the proposed home, the churches who have so faithfully strivcn to meet an un- equal situation for so long deserve our help in meeting this need, and the Ma sons need to effect it that their VOWS may not be mere empty words playing false with the truth
 Yours fraternallv
 "A. J. Dickinson"
 Mir. Mccoy writes to the Grand Mas ter as follows:
 Your letter of recent date asking my opinion as to whether or not the proposed Masonic Widows and Or | phans' Home in Alabama will in any way interfere or conflict with the work that is being done bv the several Chris | tian churches of the State in main taining orphanage. has been received.
 "Without the least hesitancy I re- ply that there will be no such con fict or interference, as some seem to fear There are four denominational orphanages in Alabama, I believe. and all of them are taxed to their utmost capacity to care for the homeless lit- tie ones who are being taken up by the good Christian people who are in | charge of these noble institutions. But no one will say that these four denominations are able to cover the whole field and care for every possible case of orphaned distress If they could do so. it would be the shame of other charitable organizations if they should fail to claim a short in this noble undertaking of housing the home less children of misfortune
 "T note that your Masonic project cm- bodies a feature that is not included in inc scope of the charitable work of the Christian institutions referred to above. viz: the care of indiEont Ma sons and their widows This in itself will give the craft a good field of char itahle effort. where there will be no competition. at least in an institutional way.
 JAS minister of the Gospel and a an ardent friend of our Methodist Or