Page 79 - Cornelius Hedges Story

For This And Succeeding Generations Gardiner 66

Judge Hedges’ ideas on the value of personal acts of charity as
compared to the operations of massive, often impersonal, charity
Organizations were very definite. He cautioned against the possibility
in a large charity that the things that are everybody’s concern often
suddenly become nobody’s concern. In his meaningful style, his
own words express his ideas best:

“What we need most to cultivate is the spirit of private, personal
beneficence. Let every Masonic heart become an asylum,
warmed, lighted, and expanded from internal, connecting with
infinite and eternal, sources of supply. We want even more than
our organized, concentrated systems of charity, fed by tithes,
perhaps grudgingly paid, a diffusive system in which each
individual member shall strike out and pursue his independent
career of beneficence continuously, intelligently, energetically,
and as a necessary consequence, profitably and successfully.”236
He went on to clarify his position:
“We do not mean to say that organizations to dispense charity
are not good institutions, or that it is not desirable to have funds
raised by general assessment to answer the most pressing,
extraordinary calls, but we are very clear that it is unwise to
make this the only or principal channel through which to
bestow charity. It neither promotes liberality in the soul of
the giver, nor gratitude in the recipient.”237
And finally he leaves us in no doubt concerning his beliefs about
large, organized charities:
“We would not for anything discourage any effort in any
direction, however bungling, expensive and ineffective the
machinery; but if it is thought that these and any other substitute
that can be devised will take the place of individual exertion,
it is an error that cannot too soon be exploded and our train
switched on to the right track.”238
Hedges also warned against those who might unworthily apply
for charity.239 The need to be inconspicuous in giving and the need
to promote usefulness among recipients of charity were common
themes in Hedges’ writing.