History
From humble beginnings, St. John’s Mite has for more than a century been a valuable arm of Masonic charity in Washington, D.C.
A society “sprung up from the spirit of charity”
According to the historical record of the Grand Lodge, St. John’s Mite was established in 1871 by a number of the District’s constituent Lodges. It was first noted in the Grand Lodge proceedings of 1872 as a society that had “sprung up from the spirit of charity” — formed by Brethren who wished to pool small, regular gifts to relieve distress among Masons, their widows, and their orphans.
The early years
By 1872 the society counted some 355 members, each paying an initiation fee and monthly dues. In that first full year it expended relief on behalf of the sick and the poor — supported by physicians who gave their professional services freely and druggists who furnished medicines at no cost or at cost. Beneficiaries received not only money but coal, flour, and groceries to carry them through hardship.
The Craft’s charity reached beyond the District, too. In the autumn of 1872, answering an appeal from the Grand Master, the D.C. Lodges gathered a substantial sum to relieve the Masonic victims of the Great Chicago Fire. In the years that followed, the Mite assisted dozens of families — in one instance providing sewing machines to widows so that they might earn their own living.
Endowment and endurance
The association’s ability to give was strengthened over the years by the generosity of individual Brethren. A significant bequest from the estate of a former Grand Treasurer near the close of the nineteenth century helped seed the endowment, and later gifts from Lodges, Masonic clubs, and individual Masons allowed the Mite to continue its work through changing times.
Every Mason a partner in relief
In time, the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia joined every constituent Lodge in the Mite’s support, directing a per-member assessment to the fund so that every D.C. Mason shares in the work of relief. What began as the free-will offering of a few has become a duty carried by the whole Craft — quiet, confidential support for Brothers and their families in time of need.