THEN AND NOW by Nelson King, FPS

Some Masons say that Masonry today is not being practiced as it once was. Do we want to revert back to "the good old days?" Will it work in today's environment? Let me tell you of two Lodges 160 years apart, and how they practiced Masonry and what it accomplished.

In the early 1800's True Briton's Lodge in Perth Ontario voted to buy a cow for the benefit of the Widow Motherwell and her family, the cost not to exceed 10 pound sterling. Brother Motherwell had died earlier in the year clearing the land around his property. Of course the whole town knew what the Lodge had done, and the whole town knew who the Masons were. Yes most of the men in the town where members. One of the Motherwell sons grew up to be an important elected Member of the Canadian Government and both became Masons as did their sons and their sons. This is how Masonry was practiced. Not only was it a social gathering, it was taking care of each other. There are numerous notations in the minute books True Briton's of firewood being delivered to needy Masonic families and non-Masonic families. They practiced Masonry.

One hundred and sixty years later we look at a Confederation Lodge in the City of Toronto. They also lost a Member and the Member's widow was going to have to sell her home in order that she could make ends meet. There just was not enough money. The Lodge members got together and renovated her home, so that she would have a flat in the basement and then be able to rent the rest of the house. This was also done without fanfare. But the neighbors saw the Masons working on the house and they offered to help work on the house also. One thing lead to another and two of the neighbors joined the Lodge. Not only had the Lodge practiced Masonry but its membership increased because of it. This is practicing Freemasonry . . . Would it work in today's environment? I think it would. Don't you?

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