THE ODDFELLOWS’ HALL.

Evening Star, Issue 4131, 24 May 1876, Page 2

THE ODDFELLOWS’ HALL.

The hall in which the Leith Lodge, 1.0.0. F., will in future locate itself, and which formsa substantial addition to the architecture of the northern end of •ho town, was dedica'ed to lodge purposes to-d-iy with the customary ceremonies. Before describing these, a few particulars regarding the hall itself may not bo out of place. The building is of two storeys, with entrance from Albany street, Ims a frontage of 64ft, with a d-‘pth of Sort. The main hall, which is on the ground floor, and to which entrance is gained almost immediately from the street, is 40ft x 28ft, and has a very roomy appearance. We should think it is capable of seating 300 people comfortably. It is well lighted by two gasaliers, and a number of small burners, and ventilation seems to have been properly studied. L ading from it to the back are small rooms. The ledge room is on the second floor, and will be found to answer its purpose admirably. On this fl or there are anti and retiring rooms. Tbo architects are Messrs Mason and Wales; and the builde/s Messrs Meikle and Campbell, whose contract was L 1,500.

Shortly before 12 o’clock tbe proceedings ccn- | ! i.-v ic«. ini. h«rv c ■ we> o commenced. The up;«- -i v , of tlia room was devoted to Ihe Order, tbe members of which, in 'nil tegalia, mustered strongly. The attendance of the public was very large j and among those present we noticed tj yor ’ Eev -Dra. Eoseby and Stuart, Mr Bathgate, RM. After a psalm had been mi ug by a choir (which included several well-known amateurs, and was led by Mr A. J. Towsey, who presided at the harmonium ), the officers of the Grand Lodge were duty announced and took their respective stations as followsP.G.M.. Bro- Braithw,-jte • D.G.M.. Bro, Russell; Q. Waiden, Bro. M'Nair; G. Chaplain. Bro R. T. Wheler; Hemiia, Bros. Michie, Teague. Boyd, and Ab-imder; P.G. Herald, Bro. Hannah; G. Marshal, Bro. Bracken. The G.M. having been handed the keys of the building from the N.Q. of the lodge (Bro. Mi£fen), addr< sso-l a few well-chosen words to the brethern, in the course of which he congratulated Leith Lodge on the possession of such a fine building. The customary proclamations and ceremony of consecration were next gore through, after which the G.M. calhd upon P.G.M. Bro. B. C. Haggitt, who slated that he was the first Oddfellow made in this Colony. He traced the rise and progress of the Order here. It originated, he said, with three old Victorians—Mr Hugh Gourlsy, Mr JohnM‘Qaw,Mr JohnFoy—and himself. Of course they had not even enough to fill the chairs, through which they had necessarily to be pushed very fast at the first. For example, he managed to get through the whole of them iu something like three month-*, while at present, it took a person eighteen mouths to get into tbe lowest of them. They must not, however, think from that that his experience had been slight; on the contrary, once they had got him there the brethren did not seem to care to let him out, and re-elected him time after time, until he began to find that he was imposed upon, because there were then in the Order men quite as competent for the chair as himself, bat who either from laziness or modesty kept themselves in tho background. Notably among these was the present Grand Master, who then shirked the chairs with a persistency that would have done credit to a better cause, but who was now one of the shining lights of Oddfellowship. and was doing much good for the Order —(Applause.) Oddfellowship had a very •-mall beginning here ; and the progress that it I had made showed that there must be sometiling in its principles. Their first lodge was held in tbe Queen’s Arms Hotel, but their real progress dated from their location in tbe Oriental Hotel, Mr H. Bastings being one of their most enthusiastic members. Then they shifted to the South Australian Hall, by which time tho lodge had become so numerous and the chance of getting to the chairs so slight, that branches were formed, five or six branches being formed in a single y* ar, and it was found that the more lodges they created the greater weie the accessions to the Order, That was the best move ever made in the cause of Oddfellowship. Leith Lodge was the youngest of the branches, and its action iu building a hall was not only a step in the right direction, bat an example worthy to be followed. (Cheers.) After dwelling on the principles of Oddfellowship, he proceeded to say that he had heard the Order spoken of despisiugly, and the lodges regarded os drinking and smoking clubs That opinion was, he thought, completely dissipated now; and certainly he did not think it was sh.irod in by any of the ladies present. If any lady held a contrary opinion, he hoped she w void get up and express it.— (Laughter.) The statement that lodges encouraged drinking, smoking, and similar habits was utterly untrue. He could say that from his own experience. During the time of business no smoking or drinking was allowed, nor did anything occur but in the most perfect decorum. If drinking was encouraged, why did Leith Lodge set this example of building itseif a bail? Not that he considered it an objectionable thing for lodges to meet in hotels. He was not one of theso weak-minded individuals who could not go into a lodge-room because it was iu a hotel. He attended lo< ge meetings regu'arly for the lost ten years, and nothing had ever come under his notice of excesses of anykind, neither were the rules of the lodge anything but prop-rly observed. He had said so much on this point simply because he had heard it said over and over again that lodges were mere drinking or smoking clubs. He repeated the statement was utterly and entirely nntrae; such practices were never indu ged in, and if they were, the persons indulging in them were not Oddfellows.—(Cheers.) Recurring to the progress of the Order, he mentioned that it bad a fresh storting- 1 >oint in 1869, when it decided to amalgamate with the American Order, and they had seen no reason to regret that action. In conclusion, he pointed out the advantages of Oddfellowship. Bro. Stout, in his remarks, presented his hearers with two aspects of Oddfellowship. Tie first was that it was a witness, so to speak, that men recognised all over the world that association was necessary for the promotion of a y useful work. Anythiug that tended to create good will among the citize s, to preserve good order, was a benefit and aided a community to progress and prosperity. Therefore as a power ah ogtt’.e", independent of its status as a benefit society, it did great good by encouraging habits of th'ift among it members. He impressed upon the lodges the necessity for placing themselves upon a proper basis. In this Colony, more than at Home, the societies were largely co nposed of strong young men, who did not require much from the lodge for sickness, and the < oaseqnence was that the contributions were fixed on a scale that seemed as if it was imagined the present prosperity would continue. He was glad to see that the M.U.1.0.0.F. had taken time by the forelock, and was seeing that its Order was put upon a proper basis—sufficient to overcome ndto meet any strain that might be put upon it in future. Once it got abroad that an Order hod not snfficient funds to meet any strain upon it not only would that particular Order suffer but tbe public confidence in all benefit societies would be sapped. He complained that the public supported these societies less than amusements. Did they do not so there would be no occasion for < ’arrivals. (Cheers ) P.G. Bro. Bracken then delivered the following address composed by him for the occasion:— Fades the dark shadow of the selfish past. Men cling together in a closer chain, Hnsh’d is the battle-cry, the war-tmmp’s blast 1 Peace reigns supreme, this temple is her fane. We boast no trophies here of human strife; We have no emblems here of jarring creeds; Our precept is the golden rule of life— The faith divine which proves itself in deeds. Outside our walls each may his path pursue. But here we mingle on one common road. To “ strive together,” os we journey through, And help a way wom brother with his loud. When bless’d with health and flush’d with worldly pride, Life’s voyage seems to us a pleasant tour, But when disease and death stalk by our side, Ah, Brothers! we are all but weak and poor. We need a kindly hand to help ns then. And soothe our pain; and more than this, we need The cheering sympathy of fellow men, To prove the world is not enslaved by greed. The puny selfish soul, in blindness, thinks That heaven and eaith were made for it alone,

Forcctful of the grander, brighter links Which bind Creation to its Author's throne North, South, Bust, West, our Father’s voice has gone, Proclaiming that the family of Han, Nathless clime, creed, or color, is but one.

Tho superstructure of His glorious plan. The lonely sapling bows its shivering form Unto the earth, when shrinking gusts assail, Whilst it tall kindred, clustering thick and warm. With leafy laughter mock the wintry gale. When angry frowns shroud Nature’s changeful face, The watchful cattle, scattered o’er the plain, Band close together in some sheltered place. To shield each other from the pelting rain. Shall men, the kings of earth, then stand apart f The poor and weak, unaided hy the strong? Or shall they hand in hand, and heart to heart, Move in the strength of Unity along ? Fraternity must rule, the day is near When smiling Friendship shall bind soul to soul. And tender Love shall dry affliction’s tear. And Truth, God’s breath, shall permeate the whole. Long in this temple may the Olivo bloom— Long ma;i it be a shelter to the DovMay Truth’s bright rays its friendly walls illume, Sacred to Independence and to Love 1

The proceedings terminated with more music and votes of thanks to the choir. To-night there is to be a concert and boll.