# Do we focus too much on charity?



## Blake Bowden (Dec 15, 2009)

As Freemasons, do we focus too much on fundraising and charity vs. being a Brotherhood of men? We invest so much time and effort on giving, but very little on ourselves. While commendable,  I don't care about our Lodge handing out bikes, scholarships, etc because that's what Church and CHARITABLE organizations are for. Charity doesn't bring in the numbers, it's the friendship and Brotherly love that attract men to our Craft. It's time that we invest in our biggest asset....ourselves. Instead of brainstorming ideas that benefit your community, why not focus on what will bring old members back? What does YOUR Lodge offer to it's members? The majority of men are not attracted to Freemasonry because of charity, but our Brotherhood. It's about time we invest in that.


----------



## Zack (Dec 15, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*

Amen! And thank you.
I've been saying this for a number of years but it falls on deaf ears.  Those who are attracted to Masonry only because of charitable efforts only perpetuate the idea.


----------



## Chris_Ryland (Dec 15, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*

I don't think that our Fraternity can be too charitable.  Should we focus on things that make us better men and brothers?  That is something that we have to push forward in our respective lodges.  I think that without our charitable deeds, we don't attract very many men at all.  We need to be charitable to attract members, but we need to strive to make men better to retain those members coming to our lodges.


----------



## rhitland (Dec 15, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*

It seems to me we should expect more from our dues than just scholarships and light bills paid.  I wonder why a lodge would not buy a projector and popcorn machine for family movie nights or bring a friend movie night at Lodge projected on the wall.  Why would a lodge not have an annual BBQ cook off that had free entries and free entry to be a judge (free meal where the lodge bought enough meat for all the Brothers to show off their sauce with a Grand prize also bought by the lodge of a HUGE trophy and gift certificate to Strickland Propane.  The ideas are endless for a lodge to invest in the well being of the Brethren and give them avenues to sit in the shade and chat with good men we call Brothers. This is the most important charity we can do in my mind and we are leaving it out.


----------



## Wingnut (Dec 15, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*

If you research the changing of the word CHARITY you will see that the definition has changed greatly since it was added to our rituals.  Like many things in masonry however, you will have to research it yourself.    It means more when you discover on your own!  

:21:


----------



## drapetomaniac (Dec 15, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*



blake said:


> The majority of men are not attracted to Freemasonry because of charity, but our Brotherhood. It's about time we invest in that.



I guess in my mind I wonder what the result of that Brotherhood is?  What are the natural results of building better men?

It seems like charity is one answer.

If we are going to cut back, we should stop putting the founding fathers and other community leaders who build up institutions of value when we explain the fraternity to people.


----------



## RedTemplar (Dec 15, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*

IMHO, Blue Lodge Freemasonry is not a charitable organization. It is an order in which its individual brothers practice charity. In theory, we accept men from all walks of life. As a result, this makes us a pretty diverse group with generically common goals. Our practice of charity is not limited to lodge functions. So, if you want to help children, join the Shrine, St. Judes, or the March of Dimes. If your hometown needs help, support someone to run for public office or run yourself. If eradicating cancer, heart disease, or diabetes is your calling become a volunteer.  The list goes on and on..... The main function of a Blue Lodge is to make Master Masons. Master Masons support Master Masons by helping them be the men they ought to be. Before we can be of help to others, we must first take care of ourselves. Freemasonry teaches us to look after one another. What better way to practice charity?


----------



## drapetomaniac (Dec 15, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*

My wife always repeats the airline phrase "Put the oxygen mask over your own face before helping someone else".  I'm not sure I'd describe that as charity, but it allows your future charity to continue existing.


----------



## Zack (Dec 15, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*



Wingnut said:


> If you research the changing of the word CHARITY you will see that the definition has changed greatly since it was added to our rituals.  Like many things in masonry however, you will have to research it yourself.    It means more when you discover on your own!
> 
> :21:


Excellent post. IMO this definition is what was meant by Masonic charity in its original form.  In this form it is all-encompassing.

Masonic charity at the blue lodge level means..c t t r o w d B M Ms t ws a os.


----------



## Wingnut (Dec 15, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*

I looked up CHARITY in an old (1982 oldest I have at work) Monitor of the Lodge Grand Lodge of Texas, A.F. & A.M. and it says:

CHAR-i-ty -- universal love or goodwill; forgiving


----------



## Bill Lins (Dec 15, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*



drapetomaniac said:


> My wife always repeats the airline phrase "Put the oxygen mask over your own face before helping someone else".



"And if you have more children than masks, pick your favorites!"- SWA flight attendant


----------



## owls84 (Dec 16, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*



RedTemplar said:


> IMHO, Blue Lodge Freemasonry is not a charitable organization.




This brought a laugh to me. I actually said this at a secretary school because two Grand Lodge officers kept calling us a Non-Profit Org. and a Charitable Org. Needles to say when I said "According to the IRS we are neither. We are an organization that is tax exempt that performes charitable work. No where in the tax code for a 501(c)10 does it say we are Non-Profit" the GL officers acted as if I peed on the bible and proceeded to inform me I was wrong and one got a Law book and slamed it on the table in front of me instructing me I should read it. Good times. Tom was there to witness the whole thing and it would have been a big deal but he is sitting there laughing the whole time.. ! I am cracking up thinking about it now. Whew, good times.


----------



## Sirius (Dec 16, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*



owls84 said:


> This brought a laugh to me. I actually said this at a secretary school because two Grand Lodge officers kept calling us a Non-Profit Org. and a Charitable Org. Needles to say when I said "According to the IRS we are neither. We are an organization that is tax exempt that performes charitable work. No where in the tax code for a 501(c)10 does it say we are Non-Profit" the GL officers acted as if I peed on the bible and proceeded to inform me I was wrong and one got a Law book and slamed it on the table in front of me instructing me I should read it. Good times. Tom was there to witness the whole thing and it would have been a big deal but he is sitting there laughing the whole time.. ! I am cracking up thinking about it now. Whew, good times.



Good times. This mind-set that we are a charity makes me insane. The emphasis on charitable work a direct result of the Morgan Affair. Masonry needed to rehabilitate its image, and used charity as the vehicle to do so. 

It is the individual act of charity that is done in secret that is the lesson to the Mason. It is the act of doing for another without any need for any reward, including praise, that is the lesson each Mason must come to truely understand. Writing a check does not necessarily fit the lesson, doing so public explicitly does not.


----------



## drapetomaniac (Dec 16, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*



Sirius said:


> It is the individual act of charity that is done in secret that is the lesson to the Mason. It is the act of doing for another without any need for any reward, including praise, that is the lesson each Mason must come to truely understand. Writing a check does not necessarily fit the lesson, doing so public explicitly does not.



I don't necessarily disagree, but what is the purpose of the massive  George Washington Masonic Memorial?

Is the memorial for his masonic achievements or his outside achievements?  (I consider patriotism a form of charity/giving to others)

How many "famous masons" do we cite who gave as much to masonry as they did the outside world?  I know many did, but I also know many famous ones have seemingly un-masonic histories that get ignored.


----------



## Sirius (Dec 16, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*



drapetomaniac said:


> I don't necessarily disagree, but what is the purpose of the massive  George Washington Masonic Memorial?
> 
> Is the memorial for his masonic achievements or his outside achievements?  (I consider patriotism a form of charity/giving to others)
> 
> How many "famous masons" do we cite who gave as much to masonry as they did the outside world?  I know many did, but I also know many famous ones have seemingly un-masonic histories that get ignored.



I believe the purpose is to recognize the achievements of a Mason. As a fraternity we recognized a great man and Freemason with a beautiful monument. I don't think everyone needs to be recognized. Thats why MWSA meetings last 2 hours, the first hour is recognizing people. The Freemason must check there ego if they are to be paid Masters wages. There can be no 'need' to be recognized.


----------



## Nate Riley (Dec 16, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*



Sirius said:


> Good times. This mind-set that we are a charity makes me insane. The emphasis on charitable work a direct result of the Morgan Affair. Masonry needed to rehabilitate its image, and used charity as the vehicle to do so.
> 
> *It is the individual act of charity that is done in secret that is the lesson to the Mason. It is the act of doing for another without any need for any reward, including praise, that is the lesson each Mason must come to truely understand. *Writing a check does not necessarily fit the lesson, doing so public explicitly does not.



I do not like that we use our charitable works as advertising.  I think that masons should be charitable. But not necessarily the lodge, at least not to the degree we like to claim.  If a mason heres of a need (say needy children needing coats or help with a dentist appointment), he should attempt to meet that need with the help of other brothers if necessary.  But it should be done in secret, not as publicity.

I don't know how true it is (although it seems reasonable), but I heard once that the lion's share of the "million's" masons give every day is actually money given by Shriners to their charities.  True, Shriners are Masons, but there seems to be some "cross contamination" if we are using this for our own PR.


----------



## Sirius (Dec 16, 2009)

*Re: Too Charitable?*



Nate Riley said:


> I don't know how true it is (although it seems reasonable), but I heard once that the lion's share of the "million's" masons give every day is actually money given by Shriners to their charities.  True, Shriners are Masons, but their seems to be some "cross contamination" if we are using this for our own PR.



This is completely true. I agree. I'm not sure it not a little misleading since much of that money comes from trust funds. The way its presented makes it sound like we're all out busting our hump raising money for childrens hospitals.


----------



## owls84 (Dec 16, 2009)

The problem with this is that in order for our ad volerum exemption to work we will be forced to document ALL charity we do and present it to a Apprasial District in "x" number of years to continue our exemption. There will be a cost to this and the question of "Did you do this to get the exemption or because it is what we do" becomes apparent. How do you justify your organization as being charitable when we act anoynomusly or just the simple act of helping each other become better by offering an ear to listen is charity.


----------



## Sirius (Dec 16, 2009)

owls84 said:


> The problem with this is that in order for our ad volerum exemption to work we will be forced to document ALL charity we do and present it to a Apprasial District in "x" number of years to continue our exemption. There will be a cost to this and the question of "Did you do this to get the exemption or because it is what we do" becomes apparent. How do you justify your organization as being charitable when we act anoynomusly or just the simple act of helping each other become better by offering an ear to listen is charity.



The Leg drew a way around this for us. It includes in it's description of charitable as 'Lodge type' organizations. But I agree the whole thing does make me wanna go take a shower.


----------



## LRG (Dec 16, 2009)

What have you/we done for hospitals for children? Everything that i have done-which is penniless-and would do for the rest of my life, has no monetary value to the cost of one childs 18 yrs worth of operations and care.
If this help does not come from us Master Masons, Scottish Rite, York Rite or Shriners, then who is going to help out OUR children-foreign and domestic-?

While we are doing chartiable work whether its for a scholorships,bikes,clothes,glasses,operations and care, we are not only helping others but ourselves-Bond.
In a current newspaper, a Santas wishlist was available from 1-3 graders. One little girl was asking Santa for glasses. I was ready to fly to her relief with a smile. This is our nature. We have been taught lessons that have been engraved within us.

At a past Shriners meeting, I had the honor of sitting next to a brother/noble. He told that his children were all grown up and went through life with little to know problems. This drew him to the Scottish Rite and Shriner bodies-to help those less fortunate.

Helping those who need help is apart of our work. This strenghtens our bonds and exposes our work. which speaks volumes and to me this is Our Lords Work through us.


----------



## rhitland (Dec 16, 2009)

owls84 said:


> The problem with this is that in order for our ad volerum exemption to work we will be forced to document ALL charity we do and present it to a Apprasial District in "x" number of years to continue our exemption. There will be a cost to this and the question of "Did you do this to get the exemption or because it is what we do" becomes apparent. How do you justify your organization as being charitable when we act anoynomusly or just the simple act of helping each other become better by offering an ear to listen is charity.



Dude do not make me moderate you.  This is not what was said at GL.  The bill that passed states us as charitable and prior to this passing they had the option to exempt us, now with this bill the city has to relief the taxes all we have to do is file the form every 3 or 4 years I forgot which we at the Temple have lawyers do.  The state did not even know how they where going to handle this until recently.. !  

Did you hear the law book slam.. !  (insert old man voice) READ IT.. !


----------



## owls84 (Dec 17, 2009)

Sorry Brother, Just reporting what was said from the GM at Wardens Retreat. HE did say details were fuzzy but so far no one has stated how it will be done. But he did say we would have to prove we were doing charitable work with a majority of the funds. As a matter of fact he said if 40% of the amount saved was not going to charity don't expect to keep the exemption. He also said this is where the charitable action report comes in that we CAN be doing right now and sending to GL every quarter.

By the way, I had a flashback just now and I did soil myself a little.


----------



## Blake Bowden (Dec 18, 2009)

Men are attracted to Freemasonry because they have a desire to learn the Craft, not flipping pancakes to keep the lights on. I can donate my time and money to thousands of non-profits, but I can only learn the Craft within a Masonic Lodge. The Scottish Rite and Shrine and wonderful bodies....but you don't have to be a Mason to donate $ to them. Charity should be the result of Freemasonry, not the cause.


----------



## JTM (Dec 18, 2009)

the kind of charity i like is when someone announces in lodge that so and so needs glasses and can't read, and then next stated, it's not brought up because it's no longer a problem.

not necessarily someone needing glasses per se, just the "disappearance of need" that is the cool part.


----------



## tom268 (Dec 18, 2009)

Well, I hope I won't offend anyone with my posting. It is not my intent, please put it on my lack of finesse in language skill if it does.

This may add some additional thoughts, as what is completely normal for you, is somewhat strange for me. I want to tell you my experiences and thoughts with and about american masonry.

For me, your charitable projects look great. Large ammounts of money, each appendant body with its large-scale health projects, smaller neighborhood projects for the lodges and on and on. Then I was amazed by the incredible number of brothers you have and the scale of social omnipresence you have. Here where I am from, social projects are small scale, sometimes the money is even given anonymous. People don't know us, not even the taxi drivers know the lodge building in their town. There is no need to hide actively, but we are just not on the "social radar screen" of the public.

My next experience was with one day classes. I chatted to a brother, a 32nd degree mason, who couldn't even name his craft lodge because he was not aware that he should have one. After a while I got the picture and he explained that he was a mason for 2 weeks and has absolutely no idea of the craft. The comparable degree in my rite is the 10th degree, and it takes you at least 12 years to get there, if you are an active officer, 15 years if not.

At another occasion I talked to a different brother. He told me that je just returned from lodge and had a wonderful, almost perfect meeting. I asked him, what he did take home from the meeting, but he didn't understand what I was talking about. I put it to the language barrier, talking about such a specialized topic like masonry goes way over my school-english. I asked him, what has touched him inside, what was the special moment in the ritual, that moved him so much that his spirit surely still nourish from. The only answer I got was "the ritual was performed flawless".

I was not able to comprehend, because I know the ritual as a deeply moving, spiritual and meditative moment. There is so much more in the ritual than pleasure of the audience and cameradery. Then some US brothers explained me, that the great chatity projects are a double edged sword. The projects have to be financed and that means a large membership is vital. With a contemplative and meditative system, your lodges would have a maximum of 100 members, even in the larger cities. Fees would be rising for membership, donations for charity would be dropping by the same ammount, so that the brothers can still afford masonry, and the charity projects would either fall or have to be financed with outside sources, no longer be masonic charity.

Well, that's the situation here in Germany. I guess our fees are higher, but after all, I pay as much as anyone of you, because my charity donations are surely much smaller. The question is, why did we join masonry. If I wanted to do good in form of charity, I would have joined one of the countless other charity organizations. I won't have to dress up for them, I don't have to spend time in meetings unless I want to and I can do good with my money. I could even give donations without being a member, and with most organizations here I would get a tax refund with my donation, which I do not get in lodge as lodges are usually not registered non-profit organizations.

I joined masonry because I was searching for a way of western spirituality. An addition to my faith and church service, where I can meet others of different ways of life and ways of faith, to grow spiritually more than I could do in my self-given borders. Charity is a part of spiritual growth, but it is the fruit, not the seed.

You see, I have 12 years of experience in "my" kind of masonry, and as you see it is very different from yours. I prefer mine, but I don't want to judge what is better or worse, it is just different. I hear US brothers complaining about your kind of masonry, and I hear German brothers complaining about ours, because they want it to be like yours. For me, my kind ist the best and I would not wish it any different. But maybe my thoughts give you an outside-view of "your" masonry, and that is sometimes a good addition to evaluate what one has.


----------



## rhitland (Dec 18, 2009)

tom268 said:


> I joined masonry because I was searching for a way of western spirituality. An addition to my faith and church service, where I can meet others of different ways of life and ways of faith, to grow spiritually more than I could do in my self-given borders. Charity is a part of spiritual growth, but it is the fruit, not the seed.



Perfectly said charity grows out of the Mason as a by-product of the teachings or seed Masonry provides us.


----------



## LRG (Dec 18, 2009)

rhitland said:


> Perfectly said charity grows out of the Mason as a by-product of the teachings or seed Masonry provides us.


 
Well said


The other chartiable groups pay their officers big bucks. our officers get paid with smiles


----------



## kcir (Jan 19, 2010)

I have to say that I really don't like what I am hearing.  For me, a good man or a good mason, gives of himself to others who are in need.


----------



## drapetomaniac (Jan 19, 2010)

I'm curious to know if anyone can point to something that indicates a ranking of internal charity as "primary."  We are especially called to help each other, but in our monitor under EA, covering of a symbolic lodge- Faith, Hope and Charity are not described or limited internally.  Faith and Charity are explicitly outward in the monitor and Charity as the greatest.  (page 27)

In the Scottish Rite, I think external charity is overwhelmingly called on.


----------



## owls84 (Jan 19, 2010)

Look at the IRS definition for a 501(c) 10. 

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/eotopicf04.pdf



> The Senate Committee on Finance explained the purpose of IRC 501(c)(10) as follows:
> [A] new category of exemption for fraternal beneficiary associations is set forth which applies to fraternal organizations operating under the lodge system where the fraternal activities are exclusively religious, *charitable*, or educational in nature and no insurance is provided for the members. The committee believes that it is appropriate to provide a separate exempt category for those fraternal beneficiary associations (such as the Masons) which do not provide insurance for their members. This more properly describes the different types of fraternal associations. S. Rep. No. 552, 91st Cong., 1st Sess. 72 (1969).



Also Article 1 of the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Texas or as in our Grand Lodge Law Book Division 2, Article 1, Section 2



> Section 2. â€“ Purposes.
> The purposes of this Grand Lodge are to control and regulate
> the practice of Freemasonry throughout its jurisdiction, in accordance
> with the immemorial usages of this ancient and honorable
> ...


----------



## Blake Bowden (Jan 20, 2010)

Hurm, I only see charity listed once. 

I prefer:

The purposes of this Grand Lodge are to control and regulate
the practice of Freemasonry throughout its jurisdiction, in accordance
with the immemorial usages of this ancient and honorable
Craft; to advance the moral and social interest of its membership; 
to foster good citizenship, honest industry and upright living; to
assist the widows and orphans of its deceased members; to stimulate
friendship, harmony and brotherly love, and generally to promote,
in its own way, the happiness of mankind – it is a Fraternity
of good men, linked together by honorable and indisoluble bonds,
to accomplish these noble purposes, eschewing all interest in factional
politics and sectarian religion and free from the dictation of
both.

IMO charity should be the result of Freemasonry, not the purpose.


----------



## drapetomaniac (Jan 21, 2010)

blake said:


> IMO charity should be the result of Freemasonry, not the purpose.


 
That's my thought - however, the third section of the EA seems to contradict that directly.


----------



## Zack (Jan 21, 2010)

My information may be wrong but as I understand it;  F, H and Charity came about after the Morgan incident when Gl's were starting to cater to public opinion.
Prior to that it was Liberty, Equality and Fraternity.
If this is true, it seems as though it can be changed as the situation warrants.

Charity in its original meaning was "love". there are numerous forms of "charity" other than $$$$, which is probably the easiest and most impersonal kind.


----------



## drapetomaniac (Jan 21, 2010)

Zack said:


> Charity in its original meaning was "love". there are numerous forms of "charity" other than $$$$, which is probably the easiest and most impersonal kind.



 Absolutely.  I have no problem not giving money because of how much time I spend with various groups.  I'm actually trying to figure out where to scale down this year.


----------



## drapetomaniac (Jan 21, 2010)

I was interested in the idea of the focus being a post-Morgan event.  (Which I'm suspicious of quite a few of our charges, but haven't compared rituals yet)

The Morgan Affair was around 1827.

Here is a citation of work from 1772 calling for outward facing charity.



> The duty of Masons to ‘give in the cause of charity’ was stressed by William Preston in his \"Illustrations of Masonry\" (1772) He laid it down as axiomatic that ‘To relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent on all men, but particularly on Freemasons, who are linked together by an indissoluble chain of sincere affection. To soothe the unhappy, to sympathise with their misfortunes, to compassionate their miseries, and to restore their troubled minds, is the great aim we have in view’ Since Preston’s time, Masonic charities have been active in the relief of human suffering in almost every country in the world
> 
> http://www.freemasons-freemasonry.com/masonic_charity.html



The other thing this search causes me to remember is that "Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth" as also called upon.  (pg 33 of the monitor discusses relief - again, in general terms, not just internal).  Relief of the distressed is another long standing value.

Later on, there seems to be more qualifiers and circumstances.  But looking at that, it's general in the beginning and is meant to be learned by the early candidate. Are the lessons of Relief and Charity meant to be reigned in or kept, but with an additional focus.

I wonder if the use of Brotherly Love at the beginning encourages the idea that all of the values have the word Brotherly in front of it and is meant to be internal.  But even the monitorial description of Brotherly Love is specifically outward and general.


----------



## Bro_Vick (Jan 29, 2010)

blake said:


> As Freemasons, do we focus too much on fundraising and charity vs. being a Brotherhood of men? We invest so much time and effort on giving, but very little on ourselves. While commendable,  I don't care about our Lodge handing out bikes, scholarships, etc because that's what Church and CHARITABLE organizations are for. Charity doesn't bring in the numbers, it's the friendship and Brotherly love that attract men to our Craft. It's time that we invest in our biggest asset....ourselves. Instead of brainstorming ideas that benefit your community, why not focus on what will bring old members back? What does YOUR Lodge offer to it's members? The majority of men are not attracted to Freemasonry because of charity, but our Brotherhood. It's about time we invest in that.


 
Freemasonry being active in the community is a good thing, I mean doing something to help beside fish frys, helping a school, community center ect.  Actual involvement instead of giving money as a Blue Lodge to a Shriner hosptial or something along those lines.  The Blue Lodge IMHO has a duty to improve it's community, even if the majority of it's brothers don't live there anymore.

-Bro Vick


----------



## MGM357 (Jan 30, 2010)

We are our brothers keeper. Everytime I go to Lodge and visiting with Brothers and enjoying the fellowship, it feels like charity. Sometimes I recieve it and sometimes I give it. 

When it comes to charity, are we helping Masons more than our communities?


----------



## RedTemplar (Jan 30, 2010)

IMHO, the primary purpose of a Blue Lodge is to make Master Masons. A Blue Lodge should come to the relief of all its worthily distressed Brothers along with the wives, widows, and orphans. Master Masons, as individuals, should decide which charities they should personally support. Now, I am not saying a lodge shouldn't support causes like Little League, scholarships, Red Cross, and etc. We should not, however, spend all our time and energy on projects that causes us to neglect our primary purpose. After all, a true Master Mason will practice charity.


----------

