The collection
At the end of the work he holds the collection among the brothers and accounts for the proceeds.
Office of the lodge · Dutch Freemasonry
Aalmoezenier
Almoner
The open hand of the lodge: help that does not humiliate.
- Place in the lodge
- Among the brothers
- Jewel of the office
- A purse
- In particular care of
- Charity and mutual support
The Aalmoezenier takes care of charity and mutual support. He collects the alms at the end of the work, manages the charity fund, and sees to it that brothers and their families in need receive help, quietly and without fuss.
Relief is one of the three great principles of Freemasonry, alongside brotherly love and truth. The Almoner gives that principle a face. He visits the sick, keeps in touch with the widows of deceased brothers and notices when a brother falls silent. His work is rarely seen, and that is how it should be.
Origins
History of the office
Mutual support is older than Freemasonry itself. The medieval guilds of the building trades had funds for members who were sick or injured, and for the widows and orphans of those who died. The lodges took over that tradition, and charity has been part of every lodge meeting from the beginning.
At the end of the work a collection is held for the poor. In continental lodges the box is traditionally associated with the widow, recalling , the widow's son of the legend of the third degree. Every brother gives what he can, unseen by the others.
In the Netherlands, lodges were from the eighteenth century onward involved in charitable work, from the support of the poor and the education of children to the founding of institutions. Today, besides the help given within the lodge, many lodges support social causes in their own town or region.
Aalmoezenier
What the office involves
The charity fund
He manages the charity fund of the lodge, separate from the general accounts, and decides with the Master on its use.
Help to brothers in need
He sees to it that brothers and their families who get into difficulties receive help, financial or otherwise, discreetly and without humiliation.
Visiting the sick
He visits sick brothers, or sees that others do, and keeps the lodge informed as far as the brother wishes.
Care for widows
He keeps in touch with the widows and families of deceased brothers, so that they do not lose their bond with the lodge.
Causes outside the lodge
He proposes good causes outside the lodge that the brothers can support together.
In practice
How it works in a Dutch lodge
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Appointment
He is elected or appointed according to the custom of the lodge. Lodges choose a brother who is trusted by everyone and can keep a confidence.
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Confidentiality
Often only the Almoner, and if necessary the Master, knows who receives help. That confidentiality protects the dignity of those who are helped.
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Attention
Much of his work consists of paying attention: to who is missing, who has fallen silent, who might need a visit.
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Cooperation
He works with the Treasurer on the accounts and with the Master on decisions, but keeps the charity fund strictly separate.
What the office asks
- Compassion
- Discretion
- Attentiveness
- Practical sense
- Respect for the dignity of others
The lesson for every brotherTrue help leaves the other person's dignity intact. The Almoner teaches every brother that charity is not a gesture of superiority, but an act between equals: today I give, tomorrow I may need to receive.
To reflect on
- Who around you has fallen silent, and could use a visit?
- Can you give without being seen, and receive without being ashamed?
- Which cause outside your own circle deserves your support?
Whether or not you hold this office, each office mirrors a task that every Freemason carries within himself.