ORANGE ANNIVERSARY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1376, 13 July 1878, Page 3

ORANGE ANNIVERSARY.

The brethren of the city lodges of Orangemen celebrated the anniversary of the 12th July by a dinner last evening at the Terminus Hotel. About fifty sat down to a very excellently provided repast, Mr Wearing's catering being all that could be desired. The chair was occupied by the R.W. District G-.M. of the Middle Island, Bro. E.Revell, who was supported on the right by the Rev. C. Fraeer and Dr. Turnbull, and on the left by the Rev. H. C. M. Watson. The vice-chair was occupied by D. District G-.M. Bro. D. H. Christie. The room was very nicely decorated, conspicuous amongst others being the handsome banners of No. 3. Lodge. After due justice had been done to the dinner— The R.W.G-.M., Bro. Revell, said that that day they met to celebrate the birth of religious freedom in Ireland. They all knew that the Orangemen of the world were loyal, and therefore he would ask them to drink the health of her Majesty the Queen. If the brethren acted up to the qualifications laid down for an Orangeman it would be one of the moßt Christian societies in the world. If Orangemen only stuck together and worked they might yet see the Bible in their schools. In hie own district he had received very great assistance from the brethren of the Lodge in the fight against ritualism, which, he took it, was only a mild form of Popery. He might Bay that since he last met the officers of the Grand Lodge there had been an application to him as to the opening of a Lodge at Waimate, so that there was every chance of another lodge being opened in the Southern district. The great principle, and the one guiding star of the iOrange institutions, was loyalty, and so now he asked the brethren to drink the health of "Her Majesty the Queen." [Cheers.] The toast was drunk with enthusiasm.

Bro. D. H. Christie, D.G-.M., rose to propose the charter toast, which was drank with enthusiasm and Kentish fire.

The R.W.G.M. then rose and gave the Governor and General Assembly, speaking in high terms of the progress made in the Province of Canterbury during the past few years. He would couple the toast with the name of Dr. Turnbull.

Dr. Turnbull said he was very proud to respond to the toast as one who had taken great interest in politics. It might be that by and bye he would bo enabled to return thanks as a representative of the people. As regarded the toast, he thought that they had cause to be thankful that they had at tho head of affairs a gentleman who was so firm an upholder of tho constitution as the Governor. They had he thought at the heul of affairs a Governmont who, though they had principles in accord with constitutionalism, rt quired to bo looked after. Now every man's hand was against Canterbury, while Canterbury raised her hand against no man. She was content to go on with her prosperity, but a time would come when she would say, "Thus far shall the Government go, and no farther." He for ono would always raiso his voice against any Government who would attempt by chicanery and subterfuge to do harm to a province which had made the name of New Ztaland known throughout the w. rid. When New Zealand was mentioned it was Canterbury that was meant, and his advice to all engaged in politics was to play a waiting game. He trusted that the nut session oi the Adorably

would bo productive of great good to the country. [Cheers.] The R. W.G.M. then gave " The Imperial Grand Master of the Order, the Earl of Enniskillen." [Cheers.] The R W.G.M. then gave the next toast, "Tho Protestant Clergy," coupled with the names of the Eovs. C. Fraser and H. C. M. Watson.

Rev. C. Fraser said that he felt in the midst of friends, from the kindly way in which the toast had been drunk. Ho might say that Mr Watson and himself had been laying their heads together whether they could not become Orangemen. [Cheers.] There was one point which he was glad to say ho saw was brought prominently forward, and that was the reverence for the Bible which he not iced in their insignia, and therefore he was very glad to hear the chairman say that the Orangemen were in favor of having the Bible in the schools. [Cheers.] They were met that day to celebrate the 188th anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne. Now he saw that Professor Pearson of Melbourne had expressed an opinion that it was useless to begin to teach history before that time when the lossons then taught would tend to make men better. This was due to the reverence for the Bible which he had referred to, and so soon as the Bible came then the light came. It was only when the Bible got into Spain and into Romo that these countries became free. It was not creditable to them as a Christian country not to have the Bible in their schools or the Lord's Prayer read there. Ho thought that the excellent aims of the institution might be intensified by seeing that the Orange households were all in favour of having the Biblo teaching in their midst. He begged to thank them for the hearty manner in which the toast had been received.

Rev. Mr Watson said that he thought the Orangemen had a very important work to do. The Orange Lodges had much to answer for in the present state of things in New Zealand as regarded education. It was prohibited to teach their children that there was a life hereafter. This was the result of the action of the Roman Catholic party, who protested against the introduction of a Protestant Bible into the schools. Now what he wanted the Orangemen to do was to raise their political influence to have education made cheap, compulsory, and christian. Let the Orangemen make their voice heard in the forthcoming election, and let them so use their organisation as to secure for New Zealand a system of education such as he had sketched out. If they did this they might hope to elect three members —of whom he trusted Dr Turnbull might be one—who would support the introduction of the Bible into their system of education. [Cheers.] The D.G.M. Bro. Christie then proposed the health of the R.W.G.M. Bro. Kevell, paying a high compliment to him for the manner in which he had fulfilled the duties of his office.

The toast was drunk with musical honors, and the chairman responded. The other toasts given were as follows : 'Brother Johnston,of Ballykillbeg ;" " Prentice Boys of Derry ;" " Orangemen all round the world ;" " Prince Bismarck, the Prime Minister of Protestant Germany;" "Protestant Alliance ;" '■' Free and Accepted Masons;" "Kindred Friendly Societies;" " The Press," and " The Host."