The Universal Language of Freemasonry - ArchiMeD - Johannes ...

300
Chapter 5 - Technical Terminology
darkness, symbolical of the yet uninitiated, and the North-East corner accounts
for the newly initiated candidate, representing the cornerstone.
5.6 Finances
N° Word Meaning
1 Almoner
(cf. "Gabenpfleger,"
"Almosenier")
2 Alms-Box,
or Mason's Box
(cf. "Witwensack" or
"tronc de bienfaisance")
3 giving "to the broken
column" 890
2. Alms-Box
The Alms-Box is one of the oldest institutions in a Masonic lodge. It is
frequently mentioned in the minutes of old lodges in Scotland in the 17 th century,
which suggests that charity was once a main purpose of the order 891 : "Invariably
such references give the impression that the Box was one of the principal
concerns of the lodge, from which we may assume that it was in almost constant
employment as a means of relief for members and their families." 892 An example
for such an early mentioning of the Alms-Box is found in the Laws and Statutes
of the Lodge of Aberdeen, 1670, which read: "So ends the names of all who are
the Authoires off this Book and the Mason's box [...]." 893 An America, the Alms-
Box is only used in the Southern Jurisdiction of Scottish Rite Masonry, where it
is required by statute to be present at every lodge meeting.
890
Cf. Chapter 9.3 on Masonry in folk-art (jokes).
891
Cf. also Section 8.4.1 on charity.
892
CME, p. 28.
893
Ibid.
lodge officer collecting money
for charities
box in which money for
charities is collected
spending money on charities
4 wages symbolic reward for Masonic
work
5 increase of wages
(cf. "Lohnerhöhung" or
"augmentation de
salaire")
getting a higher degree