THE ARCANE SCHOOLS - Fort Myers Beach Masonic Lodge No. 362

Freemasonry done for general education in any part of the world? Let them tell
us. Again, what has Freemasonry done for the general poor? Nothing. What have
they done for their own poor, as a matter of charity and benevolence? Absolutely
nothing. They have not even disbursed the funds which have been paid in for that
purpose. Let them show, if they can, that on the principle of a mutual insurance
society they have faithfully paid out to their own poor that fund which has been
paid in by Masons for the purpose of securing to themselves and families, in case
they should be reduced to poverty, what would meet their absolute necessities.
We challenge them to show any such thing. We challenge them to show that, on
the principle of benevolence and charity, they have really done anything for either
the general poor or their own poor. They compare themselves with the Church of
Christ in this respect! What have they done for the Southern poor during our great
struggle, and during the long period of starvation and distress that has reigned in
the South? What have Freemasons, as such, done for the freedmen? And what are
they now doing? What have they done in any age of the world, as Freemasons, for
Christian missions, for the conversion of the world, for the salvation of the souls
of men? What! compare themselves boastfully with the Church of God, as being
more benevolent than Christians?
The fact is, the Church of Christ has done ten thousand times as much for
humanity as they have ever done. And she has not done it on the principle of a
mutual insurance company, but as a matter of true benevolence; including in her
charities the poor, the lowly, the halt and the blind, the old and the young, the
black and the white.
The Church of Christ has done more for the bodies of men, ten thousand times
more, than Freemasonry has ever done or ever will do.
Besides, the Church of Christ has poured out its treasure like a flood to enlighten
mankind generally, to save their souls, and to do them good both for time and
eternity. But what has Freemasonry done in this respect? Their boasted
benevolence is a sham. I admit that they do sometimes afford relief to an indigent
brother Mason, and to the families of such. I admit that they have often done this.
But I maintain that this is not done as an act of Christian charity, but only as an
act of Masonic charity; and that Masonic charity is only the part payment of a
debt. Masons pay in their money to the Masonic fund; and this fund is that out of
which their poor are helped, when they are helped at all.
What individuals do for individuals, on rare occasions, is but a trifle. Indeed, it is
seldom that they are called on as individuals. The help granted to the poor is
almost always taken from the funds of the lodges. And I seriously doubt whether
there is a lodge in the United States that has ever paid as much for the support of
their own poor as has been paid in to their funds by those who have joined the
lodge. Let it be understood, then, that their boast of benevolence and of Christian
morality is utterly false. Their oaths do not pledge them at all to the performance
of any truly Christian morality; but to a Masonic benevolence, which is the
opposite of true Christian morality.
Instead, therefore, of Masonry's inculcating really sound morality, instead of its
being almost or quite true religion, the very perfection of that morality which their