Friendly Societies

Southern Cross, Volume 2, Issue 15, 14 July 1894, Page 9

Friendly Societies

The first half-yearly meeting of th e members of the Juvenile Lodge established in connection with the Shamrock, Rose, and Thistle and St. George Lodges, 1.0.0.F.,M.U., was held on Friday week. The report subs mitted was highly satisfactory, showing, as it did, a membership of 69, with the finances in a good state. Bro. W. E. Mitchell is the N.G., Bro. J. Derbie is the V.G., and Bro. R. Galbraith the B.S. An entertainment will be given at their next gathering, to be held on Friday night It is understood that Dr Hunter resigns office as one of the local Friendly Societies’ medical staff at the end of September. At the last meeting of the Shamrock, Rose, and Thistle Lodge, Bro. John Ward was installed as IST.G. for the ensuing six months, |Bro. A. McFarlane as V.G., and Bro. A. McNaughton as E.S. The Annual Movable Committee, 1.0.0.F.,M.U., met in Northampton ’ on May 12th. The gathering was a brilliant one, and many admirable addresses were given. We make the following extracts from the speech of Grand Master Graham, who dealt with two questions of local interest; —Another great subject of interest to them was that to which Lord Spencer referred ; he meant the juvenile question. The transfusion of young blood in the adult lodges was to him one of the most important of solvents in connection with the future stability of the Order. Not only did he look to Juvenile Lodges proving the top-

stone in the success of their adult. Lodges, but he was glad to see that the clergy were taking a similar view j and he referred with approval to the splendid speech he heard Canon Bury make on his (the speaker’s) previous, visit to Northampton, both with reference to this subject and to theamalgamation of Country Clubs with Societies like theirs, a speech which he then said to Mr Randall, who was by his side at the time, deserved to be printed in letters of gold, and circulated throughout the Unity. (Applatise.) In this matter of Juvenile Lodges they in Northampton had done their duty to a considerable extent; bat they must allow him to say that they had not done it so fully as heshould have liked. He wanted to sea the time when no single Lodge in any district in the Unity should fail tofeel itself called upon to take charge of boys and girls, who, if properly attached to the Order, could and would so materially strengthen the adult Lodges. This would not only be good for the Order, but it would encourage habits of thrift, of prudence, of forethought, and of friendship, and it would help to transform this world of ours into a self-helping, as it was already a self-governing, race; and ensure not only that every 3 r outh but every man should grow up in the membership of their gieat and grand Unity. (Applause.) Their duty towards the women was not less important or pressing. (Hear, hear.) Lord Spencer, he believed, un-der-rated the numbers who could thus be affected, for he held the statistics showed there were some four millions of women dependent on some kind of industry amongst us, and that out of these four millions there were no less than three millions who applied for out-door relief as being unattached to any friendly society. This question had not been, taken up too soon. It bristled with difficulties,, but the Unity had never yet flinched from doing what it con ceived to be its duty, and he saw noreason for their being craven cowards now, and afraid of difficulties or flinching from them. (Applause.) On the contrary, he held they would stand by the ship until they saw hen safe and sound into port. (More applause.) Then there Avas the ques ■ tion of superannuation, upon which he had said something in his address.. I .' But few days passed on which he was not favoured by papers from members of the House of Commons, and he thought, also, in some rare cases of the House of Lords, brimfull of suggestions on the subject. He might be wrong, but his own impression was that, at all events, the juvenile question should not be delayed in order to deal Avith the old age question. If they could once get hold cf the juveniles there would be no difficulty in providing for their members from the cradle to the* grave—(hear, hear) —and no superannuation scheme would be effective which did not embrace the essential point as one of its bases. In conclusion, he thanked them all once again for their reception j of the toast,, and Lord Spencer for the splendid speech he had given them in proposing it. (Applause.) Each of them Avas in his little Avay, trying to do his utmost to serve his day and generation ; and for the 572 delegates attending the meeting, and representing 4,722 Lodges, he thought he might say, Avhether those Lodges had in the mass risen to their responsibilities or no, those delegates were individually trying to discharge the duty they were sent there to perform. The Corporation had cordially welcomed them ; the clergy had generously recognised, assisted and encouraged them; and all that he saw around him prompted him to the belief that they remembered We live in deeds, not words, In thoughts, not breaths, In feelings, not in figures on a dial. And he lives most, who thinks most, Teels noblest, and acts the best. (Loud and prolonged applause.)