THE TWELFTH OF JULY CELEBRATION.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1992, 13 July 1880, Page 3

THE TWELFTH OF JULY CELEBRATION.

THE BANQUET. In the evening the brethren of the several Orange lodges mat in the Oddfellows’ Hall, when a banquet was held to celebrate the anniversary of the.’day. There was a very large attendance, about two hundred sitting down to dinner. Two of the Bodge banners were displayed in the Hall, on the right and loft of the chair, and the tables were also decorated with pot plants, &o. The chair was occupied by Bro. Revell, B.W.G.M. of the Middle Island, having on his right the Eev. C. Fraser, the grand secretary, Bro. Boresford, Bro. Stapleton, W.M. No. 2, and other Lodge officers. The vicechairs were filled by Bro. W. Clifford, W.M. No. 3 (who was supported by Bro. Toneycliffe, W.M. No. 24) ; Bro. District Master Mills, of Timaru; and P. M. Bro. T. Anderson. Grace was said by the Bev. O. Fraser, and the spread provided by the caterer was then discussed. The Grand Secretary, Bro. Boresford, then read apologies for non-attendance from His Worship the Mayor, the Bevs. Oroe, Smalley, Hill, Cairns, and Beid, who regretted that prior engagements prevented their being present on the occasion. The B.W.G.M. said that he must congratulate the brethren upon the way in which the procession of that day had been carried out. So long as they asserted their rights in a way which in no wise could be objected to, ha felt sure that they would receive as they had that day the countenance and support of the citizens of Christchurch, fApplause.j Ho might say that from the way in which the Christchurch people bad turned out that day he felt sure the old Protestant leaven still pitemained intact here. [Cheers.] He would now ask them to drink the health of the Queen. [Cheers.] The toast was drank amid applause and the National Anthem was sung by the whole company. Bro. District Master Mills (Timaru) then rose to give the Charter toast. The B.W.G.M. then proposed the health of the Imperial Grand Master, the Earl of Enniskillen. He supposed that in a year or so they would be asked to send a representative to the Triennial Grand Council. He saw from the reports of the proceedings of that Council that they wore recognised, so that ere long he trusted they would also bo represented. The toast was drunk with musical honors. The B.W.G.M. then gave the “Triennial Grand Council,” coupled with the name of Bro. P.M. John Anderson, of Prebbleton, who, he was sorry to say, was unable to be present that night owing to illness. The toast was drunk amid enthusiasm. The toast of the “ Emperor of Germany ” was next proposed and drunk amid cheers. The B.W.G.M. then gave “The health of Bro. Johnston, of Ballykillbeg, and the -Grand Black Chapter of Ireland.”

Bro. Carnahan responded, giving a history of the efforts of Bro. Johnston in the cause of Orangeism. The K.W.G.M. then gave the next toast, “The Protestant clergy,” coupled with the names of the Bevs. C. Fraser and H. O. M. Watson, The toast was drank with enthusiasm. The Bev. O. Fraser said that he had much

pleasure in being present that evening, as he | felt it to he a duty to be present there, because it was a thorough guarantee of the peaceful intentions of that day’s festivities that they had invited Mr Watson and himself to be present. [Cheers.J He felt that the country was indebted both to the Protestant clergy and the Orange order in particular, for freedom to worship God according to their conscience. He regarded it as the special work of their Order to inculcate the great principles of the Beformation. The result of that day was something they ought to be proud of, inasmuch as they had vindicated their right to walk peaceably and quietly through the streets, and to assort their opinions. [Cheers.J He felt sure that they required no law to stop processions such as that of to-day, because law was meant for the lawless and the ungodly. If such a law were passed, he feared that his Sunday-school children could not go through the streets with their St. Andrew’s cross on their blue flags. He understood that it was not intended to repeat the procession of that day year year, but they had simply stated their intention to show that they were able, after the dastardly attempt to put them down, to assert their right to go through the streets quietly. [Cheers.] He thought, therefore, that they had done a good thing that day in vindicating their principles. [Cheers.] The Bev. H. 0. M. Watson said that |he was glad to bo able to congratulate them on the successful termination of their day’s proceedings. He was perfectly satisfied that everyone had a right to hold a procession, and he congratulated them on having asserted a principle of liberty. He know that some persons were of opinion that the Orange Society should be put down; but he would point out to such persons that if they had their way they would be losing one of their greatest bulwarks of liberty. [Cheers ] They had a perfect right to think, speak, and do what they liked within Joertain restrictions. These being complied with, he said he should stand forth to speak against one iota of their liberties being taken from them. England was the most peaceable nation to-day, the centre of religious activity, because she was free. For these reasons he looked upon the result of that day as a triumph, because it was in the cause of liberty. With regard to those who differed with them, he thought they should give them credit for having exercised considerable restraint over themselves, not from laying hands on the procession—for it was too strong for them—[cheers]—but from making any demonstration whatever. He urged upon them to cultivate the feeling which their own Order inculcated upon them, viz., to remember that though they differed with them they were still their brethren. [Cheers.] He would also ask them now that they had asserted their rights that unless there was special occasion—though he saw no reason why they should not —these processions should cease. He would urge also upon them that they could not better honor the memory of the greatest king who ever sat on nn English throne—King William lll.—than to exercise tolerance. He was glad to find that the Bible was one of the symbols of the Order, and he trusted they would all square their lives by its precepts. [Cheers.] The other toasts given were “The District Lodges of the Universe,” “The Free and Accepted Masons,” “ The Visitors,”