Masons Helping Masons

Masons Helping Masons

In our first meeting, at our initiation, we are taught one of the most important tenets of Freemasonry, Charity. The importance of this has been recently highlighted in our District in the following example.

A brother has suffered from the deterioration of a couple of his leg joints to the extent that they needed replacing. He was suffering severe pain which steadily became more debilitating. This started to affect his ability to carry out his employment.

The health service agreed that he needed two joints replaced and he was put on the waiting list. As we are all aware these lists are always long and have become even longer following COVID-19. They were unable to give him a date but intimated that it would be many months. As a result of this he enquired about the cost of getting this done as a private patient. This was in excess of $20,000 which was far beyond his means, so he turned to the District for help.

A large sum of this nature is outside the scope of our local charity, so he submitted an application to the Masonic Charity Foundation in London. After studying this together with all of the supporting evidence the MCF agreed to pay the majority of this with a small contribution from himself.

This example emphasises the importance of our donations to charity. If we expect to be able to benefit from such assistance, we must ALL make donations within our means. Some can afford generous amounts whilst others on limited income can afford little. Like ourselves, if the charity had no income, it could not afford to spend.

I urge all brethren to look at their giving. If you are already making regular donations, when did you last assess this? Can you consider adjusting this amount? If you are not presently making a regular donation, please give serious consideration to do so. Even if your means are limited can you consider making a small sacrifice of a cup of coffee or a glass of beer a week?

Brother Charity Stewards I hope that you are going to be busy acceding to the requests for donation forms in the next few weeks.

Roger H Johnstone District Grand Almoner

TO DONATE TO THE DISTRICT CHARITABLE TRUST

SIMPLY MAKE AN ELECTONIC PAYMENT TO

03-0243-0167251-02

EITHER AS A ONE-OFF OR

REGUALARLY EACH WEEK OR MONTH

Periodical of the District Grand Lodge of North Island, New Zealand Page 15