ODDFELLOWSHIP

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 9874, 23 July 1923, Page 6

ODDFELLOWSHIP

THE MANCHESTER UNITY,

LOCAL JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS.

AN .HISTORIC GATHERING. What may rightly b§ termed an historic gathering .was that which took place in the Ashburton Theatre Royal on: Saturday night, when ovei' 200 Manchester Unity Oddfellows of the district and the leading Lodge officers of New Zealand were present. The occasion was the Jubilee Banquet, the Loyal Ashburton 'Lodge having this year completed 50 years of very successful activity in Ashburton. The gathering was presided over by N.G. Bro. T. Hardy, of the Loyal Ashbur-: ton Lodge. Among those at the offi-! cial table were the Grand Master of the New Zealand branch, Bro. W. R. Gahagan, of Christchurch; Bro. T. J. Archbold, Director of the New Zealand Branch; Bro. F. W. Watt, Past Grand Master of New Zealand; Bro. G. Cullen, Grand Master of North Canterbury District; !Bro. Millington, D.G.M., -North Canterbury District; P.P.G.M. Bro'.; Winter, representing the City of Christchurch Lodge; and' D.G.M., Bro. F. G. Mangin, rep re-, senting Ashburton District. All the' Manchester Unity Lodges in the district were represented. There were' also visitors from Tiisaru and Rangi*ora Lodges. i The proceedings were opened by N.G. Bro. Hardy, who, m- stating that the Loyal Ashburton Lodge was this

year passing the 50th milestone in its progress, extended a rigß# royal wel-j come to all present. f The gathering proceeded to do justice to a splendid repast. c I The Royal toast and the formal toast of the Manchester Unity, proposed by N.G., Bro. Hardy disposed of, 'P.G. Bro. J. S. Donaldson proposed the toast of the “Grand Master and the Board of Directors.” He expressed delight at the presence* of the Grand Master and representatives or the Board. All. Oddfellows must realise the great responsibilities which devolved on the shoulders of those brethren, and the importance ot their offices....lt was impossible for them to carry out their strenuous duties without the' backing of the rank and file, and Fro. Donaldson trusted this would at aR times be given He paid a tribute to the energy of the present and past grandmasters. Grand Master’s Speech

Responding,' the Grand Master made a lengthy and intensely interesting speech. He returned comprehensive thanks, and congratulated Loyal Ashhurtan. ‘Lodge on attaining its 50th; birthday.. Regarding the responsibility of his office and the Board, he pleaded with all Oddfellows to be charitable enough to enable them to carry out their onerous duties to the best of their ability. Ashburton Lodge had been most loyal to the New Zea-I land Branch, and he was pleased to j say there was a growing spirit of loyalty in all Manchester Unity lodges j and districts. In fact, there was a wave of enthusiasm throughout the Dominion. There was eqery indication of records being broken so far as new j members were concerned this year. I “Not a Spent Force.”

“Some people tell us Friendly Societies are a spent force. Do not believe them!” continued the Grand Masten. “The lodges are in our hands; the heritage entrusted to us can be marred or strengthened. We are more than an insurance society. We are a mutual brotherhood—for each other’s good.”. Regarding possessions and numbers, .Bro. Gahagen said the adult membership •of the Manchester was 1,500,000, and there were many thousands of juveniles! The funds totalled £20,00,000. In New Zealand there were over 24,000 members, and funds amounted .to about £1,000,000. The M.U. gave greater benefits and offered better inducements than any other friendly society. They had a solid foundation on which to build.

The M.U. did not live by insuranee alone, nor yet did its contributions and benefit tables create the basis of the Lodge’s being. The Lodge did not allow the' ideal side to be choked out of existence. Those who knew something of the history of the M.U. were aware that the impetus of Oddfellowship in the past and the impulses of ; to-day were and are the interpretation of idealism. Idealism gave a form and figure to unselfishness, which spirit they had manifested to a. greater de- i

gree than any other organised body of men. It made duty something higher, nobler, and more inspiring than any other class interpretation. It endowed citizenship with something more of privilege than power. It stimulated a. high state of refinement in them, the commonplace men. The outside world were fully aware of the, need of these things, but they were ignorant of the machinery already in existence and which could be used to help them to higher attainments. The machinery was their teachings, thrift, iself-help,

| philanthrophy, self-dependenc6, and I also living up to their great motto:— i “Friendship, Love, and Truth.” ! “The Oneness of Men.” For generations tho Manchester Unity had emphasised the oneness m men, said the Grand Master. The Order was the instrument through which the great practical declarations of brotherhood would bo made. The Manchester Unity provided the machinery lor tho expression of practical devotion and benevolence; they had hoard the cry of tlie widow and they had alleviated the orphan’s needs. Oddfellowsbip had a decided tendency to make men appear in this world as they ought; to shape men’s minds, leading them to greater heights and j to deeper depth's, developing their judgment and enriching public life in ail its forms to the benefit of the commonweal. The Manchester Unity Oddfellows should always be monuments of constructive genius. The Manchester Unity had been so powerful an instrument of foresight and economy and had led so many men to positions of influence and of dignity that it had strong and genuine claims upon the community, whose interests it had largely promoted. In this great work ' the Friendly Societies in general stand out in letters of gold. It was an ap-1 palling fart, that there were tens of , thousands of people who wore not ashamed <o confess they knew nothing! ol tho history of Friendly Societies, Oi j

the works': -these accomplished, and of the great good they were doing to-day. After emphasising the fact that Oddfellowship was founded on Christianity, the Grand Master urged members to keep before them the groat ideals for which the Order stood, and the Manchester Unity Oddfellows would thereby make kings, statesmen, and the common people their debtors. “Cherish the noble teachings of our Order till your souls, imbued with her spirit, show forth her beauty and her power,” concluded Mr Gahagen amid tumultous applause,. Director Bro. J. A. Archbold also

responded to the toast, and thanked the proposer for the generous remarks lie had made. Bro. Archbold explained how the board endeavoured to give Satisfaction to all, a very difficult thing to do, and ho solicited the co-operation of all lodges. Speaking generally, he urgfed members to live right up to the ideals of Oddfellowship—Friendship, Love, and Truth. The toast of "The Medical Officers"

was proposed by P.G. Bro. F. Pritch-i ard, who described the medical profession as the most noble in the world, and one which had, unlike many others, not become saturated with commercialism. It had practised in the cause of humanity right down through the age#. Without the co-operation of the doctors Friendly Societies would fag; indeed, it was only by the co-opee'i*iion of the doctors that the lodges We're enabled to offer such benefits as Were given. The relations existing between the local members of the profession and the lodge had been of the best.- Bro. Pritchard paid a special tribute' to Dr. Wells, the medical superintendent of the hospital, the only doctor present,

for the great and particular attention lie paid to lodge patients,, despite- the fact that he was not a lodge doctor, (Prolonged applause.) Dr. j. It, Wells, on behalf of the profession, responded, and apologisedtor the absence of Drs. Hunter andMuilin. He congratulated the lodge on- its ideals and its attaintment to, its-pubilee, and-hoped it would continue! its. good work- among its people. It was- nice to know that the lodge appreciated his work, Tire address of the Grand-Master had- been, very illuminat-i ting- Lodge doctors realised that lodge members- played- the game. The “Loyal Ashburton Lodge’ ’ was toasted by the Grand Master, who asked Die young, people to grasp the figures* which would- go to show what the Ashburton Lodge had done. During the-period-I&Z3- to June 1923 sick benefits- paid amounted- to £6310 18s (id, funeral benefits £191%, medical benefits £6547. Is* 9d v a total of £14,768 Sis 3d.. The capital of the lodge was now- £8700,, and the membership 300. The figures, spoke for themselves. When one- realised that behind the

lodge- were. such. men. as. Bros. Watt and Pritchard, there was little wonder it had succeeded. He also paid a tribute to Bro.. Donaldson*. who had been a tower of. strength to the order. .Responding, Bro.. Watt, read numerous congratulations, from all over New Zealand. Bro. Watt, traced the history of the. lodge which.,, he.-, said, had had a varied, experience. Regarding the older members, of the; lodge, he sai that on. a member attaining the age of sixty,, he was not required to pay .subscriptions, for. sick amd funeral expenses. In the older days certain members- had stood, by the lodgo in its

i lean times, by paying, sick benefits out i of their own pockets., i The toast of the “014 Brigade” was then proposed by 8r,0.. Watt, who said the members of the- old brigade had , earned and retained the sincere grati- ! tude of the whole of the lodge. The I present members: had- entered into a ! legacy e'arned by the old brigade. Responding, Bro. Baker told of the difficulties experienced by the lodge and expressed delight at the present prosperous position. Bros. Morgan and Dolman also replied, the'former 1 thanking the lodge for exempting tlio ! okl members from certain payments referred to by Bro. Watt. Other toasts honoured were: “The Visiting Brethren,” proposed by P.G. Bro. E. H. 'Childs; “The Ladies,” V. Bro. J. H Stevens; and “The Press,” Bro; W. C. Mayson. The following contributed to the musical programme: Bros.A. H. Todd, F. L. Smith, E. G. Craighead, and E. W. C. Coker. Mr L. J. Watt was accompanist.