ANNIVERSARY OF THE LOYAL ST. GEORGE LODGE OF ODDFELLOWS.

Southland Times, Issue 1174, 11 June 1869, Page 2

ANNIVERSARY OF THE LOYAL ST. GEORGE LODGE OF ODDFELLOWS.

On "Wednesday evening the 9th iast., the first anniversary of the Loyal St. George Lodge of Oddfellows, was celebrated by an entertainment, at the Eichange Hall, Dee-street. The proceedings commenced by a tea meeting, to which above one hundred ladies and gentlemen sat down; after the company had partaken of the good things provided for the occasion by Mr Tulloch. Bro. W. H. Hall, N.G-., opened the business of the meeting in a neat speech, as follows : — Ladies and gentlemen. Most of you are aware that we are now assembled to celebrate the first anniversary of the Loyal St. Q-eorge Lodge. It is usual for all lodges to give some public festival, such as ball, dinner, or supper, in commemoration of their inauguration. Generally speaking, neither of these methods alone have met with very great approval ; the objections urged against the first being the great expense envolved in a full dress affair, and there being many interested in this order who do not care about dancing. The chief objection against dinner or supper, is a decisive one, viz., that it excludes altogether the fair sex from participation in our social enjoyment on these occasions. For these very sufficient reasons, the St. George Lodge has adopted the happy, and, as it now appears to me, judging by the number of smiling faces I see around me, succesful plan of combining in a measure all three, with the further addition of something in the way of music. I will not enlarge upon the financial affairs of the Lodge, as our Secretary, Bro. Morton, will in due course give you full particulars on that fnbject, but I must congratulate the Lodge on the prosperity attending it during the first year of its existence. It is .just twelve months this evening since this Lodge was opened by twelve members, and already we number sixty-five. Such a rapid accession of members haa surpassed the most sanguine expectations of its promoters. Taking into consideration the limited population, the geneneral dulness pervading all classes since our establishment, and the fact of the co-existence of a large and wealthy Lodge of the same order, such success, I believe, is unprecedented in the history of Oddfellowship. This gratifying result is attributable, no doubt, principally to the unity and good feeling existing amongst the brotherhood, to the benefits conferred by the order, and to the social manner in which all our business is conducted. I have no hesitation in saying that if the management of ' its affairs is conducted a3 well in futufe as in the past, the Loyal St. Q-eorge Lodge will soon be the leading Lodge in the Province of Southland. Mr Clement Morton then read the following report of the position of the Lodge : — " Ladies and Gentlemen. It has been thought desirable that an account of the position of the Loyal St. George Lodge, the anniversary of which we have this evening met to commemorate, should be laid before you. It may not, however, be altogether interesting to those unconnected with the order, and for this reason it has been determined to be as brief as possible. Twelve months ago this Lodge was formally instituted by the initiation of 12 persons, since which time, it is gratifying to find, its progress has been steady and unceasing. It now numbers 65 members, showing an average increase of 2 members each Lodge night. I may also add that this number will in all probability be increased to 70, at our next meeting, 5 persons having been proposed last evening, to be admitted as members. Tou will doubtless be pleased to learn that an innovation, in the way of readings and recitations, has recently been introduced at our Lodge meetings, which not only serves to break the monotony of business, but is beneficial by infusing a social and friendly feeling amongst members. This, together with the many advantages to be derived from this organisation, will, ,it is thought, tend very materially to still further increase our numbers. The amount to the credit of the fund from which all benefit payments are made ia at present £159 2s being equal to £2 8a lid per member, which cannot but be satisfactory. There is also a balance of £10 Os lid, to the credit of the Management Fund. But after providing for certain liabilities, the exact amount of which cannot at present be readily ascertained, the balance to the credit of this fund may be said to be but trifling. It is not, however, usual or necessary that this, the management branch, should be possessed of surplus capital, inasmuch as the working expenses, the principle item of which is the providing of medical attendance for members and their families, varies but slightly, and consequently it is only necessary that this branch be kept in sufficient funds to meet the cost of working, which is always secured by a certain proportion of members contributions being set aside for this particular purpose. Next in order came a solo by Mr Patchetfc, entitled the " Angler," after which Messrs John and D. Kingsland, and a Lady Amateur, rendered the " Boating Song " in an excellent manner. Mr "W. P. Porter then delivered an address on friendship, of which the following is a condensed report. The speaker was repeatedly applauded during his oration. The presence of so many ladies in this gathering is to me an inducement to enjoy and join to make the top of recreation spin round, agreeing as I do, to so considerable an extent with the poet, when he says — There's nought but care on every han' , Tn every hour that passes, O, What signifies the life o' man, An' 'twere na for th' 1 lassies, O. Some men have written mournful dirges about the inconsistency of friendship, while others have embalmed its constancy with their genius. Individuals have entwined their hearts jn a friend-

ship that is abiding. Nations have had their patriots, and these have had their followers knit together in a national covenant, to carry out the purposes of their chief, and rather than betray or desert their leader, have dyed the heather with the purple of their blood. Communities too, have had their bands of willing workers, enrolled under the banner of love, for the destruction of evils that undermine, that tat into the very core, that suck all the vitality from the multitudinous avenues of our social system. Hence our association, whose motto is, Friendship, Love, and Truth; hence our desire that you should all swell our numbers in this virtuous warfare ; hence our present conviviality — i " Friendship mak's us a' raair happy, Friendship gie's us a' delight, Friendship consecrates the drappie, Friendship brings us here to-night. Happy we've been a' thegithar, j Happy we've been ane and a' ! Time will find us a 1 the blyther, When we rise to gang awa\" The principle of abnegation or selfdenial ought to run through the various ramifications of life to a greater or less extent. Can that man be happy who lives in the indulgence of his lußtful appetite, who will not forego one hour's thought or one hour's work from himself, to speak a kindly word or perform a kindly action, though the doing of either may relieve and comfort the destitute or the distressed ? " Breathes there a man with soul so dead, Who never to himself hath said,"— lam my brother's keeper. We are not to live to ourselves. If we have good health and well-merited reward for our industry, prudence, and foresight, let us not seek to cast a weir against the efflux of our affections, that friendship and friendliness may be confined to our own bosoms. Selfishness would crush all the manhood out of a man, and leave only a | sapless piece of mortality. If we have mounted the steps of comfort, or affluence, we must not forget our less successful brethren, who may be struggling against sickness and penury. Success in life may enable us to mount sunward, as on the pinions of the eagle, and scour the mountain-tops in our flights, but let us also dart our course to the valley, brushing as we pass the heather with our wings. An organisation which has for its object the amelioration of the condition of our race deserves our sympathy and support. Society suffers, because the principles which ought to guide us in our relation to one another, are not practised. It is our duty to do that which will add to the comfort and well-being of those around us. We are bold to say, the association which has brought us together this evening, strengthens the benign bonds of human kind, and practically spreads the feeling of friendship. We honor the man or woman who can go on errands of benevolence and love, alone and unaided. But, let not the thought of charity be impressed on the mind of the honest recipient of your kindness, for it will either destroy his independence to receive or rouse it to resist. G-enerally, good is done through combination, and here is an institution which meets for the mutual benefit of its members. In a new country like this, where we are all but strangers to each other — where friendship is newly acquired, social intercourse, and social gatherings for the interchange of feeling, and the expression of reciprocal duties, becomes a commendable thing. In the colonies, especially, where so many young men are free from parental supervision, and have not a place where they car call home, such a society as this, that meets for the spread and the fostering of fraternal and philanthropic principles, will help to save them from miserable loneliness, that knaws on the very spirit, as well as give them an interest in the comfort, well-being, and prosperity of the world. Its principles, its meetings, its convivial assemblies, all tend to destroy that narrow-mindedness which is engendered by isolation from our fellows, the overtaxing of both body and mind in the oneness ot purpose for advancement in the world, and the implanting of that grace or virtue — that bond of confidence — the sealing of goodwill on the hearts and affections, that we may meet each other in friendship, love, and truth. Let us earnestly labor in propagating this precious truth — the brotherhood of man —for the upbuilding of this glorious superstructure, in the ties of amity and peace ; for the rearing of this arch that shall yet span the globe, and whose keystone shall bear the inscription, " good will to men." " Then let us pray, that come it may, As come it will, for a' that, That man to man the warld o'er Shall brithera be, an' a' that." Afterwards a song " Widow Malone," by Mr Macrorie fairly brought down the house. Mr Twining and a lady amateur then rendered very expressively a duett on the piano, followed by a trio by the sane amateurs who gave the previous Glee and equally effectively rendered. Messrs A. Dean, Aldred, of Eiverton, and Patehett, eang " Death of Nelson," " Good Bye, Sweetheart," and "Alonzo ye Brave," respectively in capital style. A Glee, the " Shepherdess," by Messrs Henry Wilson and J. and D. Kingsland, and a song by a lady amateur, "Farewell, my Fatherland," were the gems of the evening. Appropriate Readings, by Mr Nichol, with his usual carefulness, and by Messrs Macrorie and Patehett, received hearty approval, and greatly aided the success achieved during this part of the evening. The ladies having retired, the tables and seats were quickly removed from the hall, and dancing commenced to the music of Mr Lloyd's quadrille band, at about ten o'clock, and was kept up by a very large company until an early, or late rather, hour on Thursday morning. The whole of the proceedings were characterised by the utmost decorum and good feeling, all present expressing themselves as highly satisfied with the manner in which the entertainment'

had been got; up and conducted, a result which must be gratifying to those gentlemen who undertook the rather onerous and delicate duty of making the arrangements and seeing them carried out. Not the least pleasing feature of the scene was the taste and resource displayed^ in the decorations of the hall. Conspicuous amongst these were the framed charter of the lodge, and the mottoes of the order ; the former, with its accompaniments of cross swords, «fee, occupying a prominent position at the upper end of the hall ; the latter, beautifully worked in colored papers, on a white ground, displayed on convenient places on the side walls. A lar^e variety of flags and boughs, ferns, &•-•., artistically arranged and intermixed, combined to give the room a gay, sylvan appearance. Across the front of the building outßide, was stretched a line from which were suspended about a dozen Chinese lanterns of beautifully varied colors — a novelty which had a fine effect.