Oddfellowship.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 190, 15 April 1902, Page 3

Oddfellowship.

After the summoned,, meeting of the Loyal HeaWbf Friendship evening, 'the .brethren met to do honor to Bro. D. A. Tajlop,|who is leaving the' district tSf'J&ftangata.. N.G., Bro. N. Mines occupied- : the I! chair, and made a few eulogistic. remarks about the obyetit'of the gathering. Light refreshments were provided ■andUffer cussed the'business pi the even-, ing was The fir%>Jtpfu& ; \ ','King and Manchester Tlnity,'' was in stheban:ds|o£i the chairman. It < was drunk withi enthusiasm.'' ■ r \ ■' ''"i Brol Sullivan, in proposing 1 -the toast of the evening—ihat- at "Our truest"' expressed r the great pleasure it gave ; him 'to be entrusted with; it, Bro. "Taylor was an enthusiastic and' informed Oddfellow, 1 arid h&' would be a • Tbe 'toasT was drunk wiih enthusiasm , and with musical honours. '' < \ Bro; Taylor,? in responding,' thanked the. brethren very' sincerely for their kind invitation tp'

be f resent to give liiiihv i:. dppor:_s They, had not seVn""lum in the-. Lodge often, not from lack of interest or' will, but ."of opportunity, , Many were new faces to him. When he cume to Waimate from, Invercargill fourteen' years ago he was 'naturally much interested in. the local Lodge, held* m the little anteroom, a very small place, and of those present he could only remember Bros. Butcher and Betten. The Lodge had only II members on the books, some not financial, and it was at a very low ebb. He was then young and enthusiastic, and*was deputed to attend the District meeting at Timaru, and place the case before . them. He was pleased to say the District decided to allow the Lodge another year. From that time on they were pushing ahead, and at the time of severing his connection they were 51 members to the good. After his retirement Bro. Butcher took the Lodge in hand, and he wished' to bear witness to the energy and enthusiasm of that brother, to whom the position of the Lodge was largely due. However, he liked to think that Oddfellowship in Waimate owed something to his early efiorts. He was le'aving ■Waimate, going away on Wednesday, with £,reat regret ; no man could live fifteen years in a place without forming many friendships and many pleasant associations. One of the most pleasant thoughts he had was having had such pleasant intercourse with Oddfellowship in Waimate. He would identify himself with Oddfellowship in Kaitangata, for he was at heart an Oddfellow, and thought no other Lodge could take precedence of Oddfellowship. Those present he did not know he could at least greet as brethren. This was a portion of Oddfellowship that should be cultivated ; not meeting in the Lodge and calling each other "brother," but carrying this into their daily life in the same spirit as characterised Freemasonry. ; .; .. Bro. Taylor sat down amidst applause.. N.G. Bro. Mines here made a presentation to Bro. Taylor, in the form of a handsome scarfpin. In presenting the memento to Bro. Taylor the N.G. expressed the deep regret felt by the brethren at Bro- Taylor's departure, and expressed the wish that his future career would be happy and prosperous. 5V Bro. Taylor said he did not know how to thank them for their gift. He thought it was very good of them to remember past, services and ask him there to say farewell, but he never dreamt of anything in the form of a gift... He had never worn a scarf-pin, but this would change the fashion in ties for him.

The last toast, that of " Sick and Distressed Brethren," was in the able hands of Bro. Taylor. He specially mentioned Trooper Geo. Geddes, who is recovering from wounds, and hoped he would soon be strong again. During the evening songs were sung by Bro?. A. Hoskins, R. Smith, G. Evans and F. Wilce, and a recitation given by Bro. Hutchinson.