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

Mason. The rule, as well as the principles by which it is to be
regulated,
is laid down in that fundamental law of Masonry, the Old Charges, in
the
following explicit words, under the head of "Behavior towards a strange
Brother:"
"You are cautiously to examine him, in such a method as prudence shall
direct you, that you may not be imposed upon by an ignorant, false
pretender, whom you are to reject with contempt and derision, and
beware
of giving him any hints of knowledge.
"But if you discover him to be a true and genuine Brother, you are to
respect him accordingly; and if he is in want, you must relieve him if
you
can, or else direct him how he may be relieved. You must employ him
some
days, or else recommend him to be employed. But you are not charged to
do
beyond your ability, only to prefer a poor Brother, that is a good man
and
true, before any other people in the same circumstances."
This law thus laid down, includes, it will be perceived, as two
important
prerequisites, on which to found a claim for relief, that the person
applying shall be in distress, and that he shall be worthy of
assistance.
He must be in distress. Ours is not an insurance company, a joint stock
association, in which, for a certain premium paid, an equivalent may be
demanded. No Mason, or no lodge, is bound to give pecuniary or other
aid
to a Brother, unless he really needs. The word " benefit," as usually
used
in the modern friendly societies, has no place in the vocabulary of
Freemasonry. If a wealthy Brother is afflicted with sorrow or sickness,
we
are to strive to comfort him with our sympathy, our kindness, and our
attention, but we are to bestow our eleemosynary aid only on the
indigent
or the destitute.
He must also be worthy. There is no obligation on a Mason to relieve
the
distresses, however real they may be, of an unworthy Brother. The
claimant
must be, in the language of the Charge, "true and genuine." True here
is
used in its good old Saxon meaning, of "faithful" or "trusty." A true
Mason is one who is mindful of his obligations, and who faithfully
observes and practices all his duties. Such a man, alone, can
rightfully
claim the assistance of his Brethren.
But a third provision is made in the fundamental law; namely, that the