THE RECHABITES. VISITING DELEGATES WELCOMED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 84, 10 April 1911, Page 3

THE RECHABITES. VISITING DELEGATES WELCOMED.

CELEBRATIONS IN WELLINGTON The Wellington celebrations of the Independent Order ot' Rechabitos, in connection with the vi.^it of Bro. J. Philipson, High Chief Ruler, and Bro. C. W. Churchill, Past High Chief Ruler, of England, commenced on Saturday. The arrangements were very complete, thanks to the care exercised by the energetic secretary, Mr. C. S. S. Keliy At the Kelburne Tea Kiosk on Saturday afternoon, the High Chiefs were duly welcomed by a very large and representative gathering of members. Many visitors were present, including Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., Bro. T. Fathers, district secretary, and Bro. T. \V. Leslie, district treasurer. The Rechabite welcome ode followed afternoon tea, after which the speeches of welcome were delivered. Bro. W. J. Gaudin, Acting District Chief Ruler, said that, although the lime' of thehi guests would be short, they expected to learn much from them during their stay. Bro. Philipson, who received an enthusiastic welcome, expressed his pleasure at meeting th*> brethren and sisters under such favourable circumstances. It was his privilege to convey friendly greetings from the English tents to those in tho Dominion, with a view to recognition ol the sympathy and brotherhood throughout the ..order. ' Rechabitism was just the same i'll England as here, and they were fighting the same battle. While 'they wanted Nolicense and Prohibition." they emphasised the effect of moral suasion on the individual. He otrongly urged people to bid good-day to the publichouse and the drink. Bro. A. J. Bennett, on behalf of the Rechabites who had been born in Wellington, said on Ist June next he would have been a member of the Hope of Wellington Tent for forty years. Ho offered the visitors a .very hearty welcome. Bro. Churchill, who was cheered on rising to speak, said he could only reiterate what his colleague' had said "in return for their kind welcome. All through the journey they-had been glad to find the great unanimity of feeling subsisting among the tents all over the world. Thty weie extremely gratified at this discovery. The visitors noted with pride the great strides being made by the brethren in New Zealand. They wished the principle of local option further extended, and hoped that it would eventually lead to "prohibition. The Mayor of InvercargilJ said the people- there had learned the value of having no open bars, and those who opposed the change at the time were now most anxious to retain it. They had observed the prosperity of Invsrcargiil. and they conic] ivliiiii to Eneland and say that No-license had been highly advantageous. CIVIC WELCOME. After a tent meeting at the Rechabite Chambers, Manners-street, a procession headed by the Central Mission Band' marched to the Town Hall, where the civic welcome took; place. The Mayor (Mr. T. M. Wilford, M.P.), occupied the chair. Among those on the platform beside the Mayor and the? visitors were • Mrs. Wilford, Mrs. Luke, Messrs J P Luke, M.P., R. A. Wright, M.P., D." M'Laren, M.P., Councillor J. Smith the Rev. R 0. Blamires. the Rev. J. R. Crew, Bro. J. G. Cam, District Secretary; Bro. C. S. S. Kelly, Secretary of Reception Committee ; Bro. T. W. Leslie, District Treasurer; and officers of other friendly societies. Aftei- Mr. Maughan Barnelt had given a couple of organ selections, the Mayor expressed his pleasure in giving the visitors from Oversea a hearty welcome. (Hear, hear.) New eZaland's experimental legislation, he saM, had given, it prominence in the eyes of the outside world and difficulties had been overcome here, which had seemed insuperable elsewhere. Even in Australia people were wondering where the experiments would lead, and from time to time, emissaries had come from other lands to investigate. This meeting was being held to give the Rechabite delegates a hearty welcome, and an expression of sympathy in their •objects. (Applause.) 'lheir propaganda, had created a strong public ojjinion — a contempt for over-indulgence in strong liquor. (Hear, hear.) Each great issue had, he said, to- be encountered without fear of the consequences. Mr. Wilford , read letters from the Hon. J. Carroll and Hon. J. A. Millar regretting that they would be unable to be present owing to absence from Wellington. Bro. Philipson, in returning thanks for the welcome, said that he and his colleague had received great kindness everywhere. Almost all the prominent men they had met in Australia had told them (despite the fact that there were 65,000 members of the order in the Commonwealth) to- send them more Rechabites. (Loud applause.) The order had been in existence for 75 years, and in New Zealand for 40 years. _ The first dictates of prudence ■ resulted in the great, support the order had (received. The late Dr. Temple, himself a- Rechabite, had referred to that body as the beet of friendly societies. It wa6 absolutely undenominational in character. It stood for thrift, abstinence, brotherhood, and no meetings in public houses. Each member was pledged to neither take nor give intoxicating liquor. The discontinuance of the use, manufacture, and sale of alcoholic beverages, which were (he quoted authorities) injurious to health. Bro. H. N. Holmes said he had been a Rechabite since he was a boy of twelve, and he particularly wished to voice a welcome from the juvenile section. (Applause.) He trusted that the remainder of the travels would be increasingly prosperous. Bro. Churchill remarked, in. the cours* of his address, after returning thanks, that he and Bro. Philipson would go back more proud of the Rechabites than ever before. As some of those present might not understand the t method of the working of the 'order, he set about explaining it. Referring to the conditions of living in New Zealand and England, the speaker hoped that the evils, such, as poverty, would not make themselves felt here. They must put up a great fight against the drink traffic. The order had done so, when to do so meant ridicule ; ministers of religion preached against total abstinence, and doctors laughed at it. They had had the pleasure of seeing the benefits of no-license in several parts of New Zealand. (Applause.) Last year they were told that the value of the build-" ings erected in lnveicargill was £60,000 udd. as against £40,000 to £50,000 in the days of license. The speaker quoted many interesting details relating to the ordei-'. ]ji-o. J. P. Luku. M.P.. was tho mover of a hearty vote of thanks, to the chairman, and the closing ode was sung. In the course of the afternoon and evening welcomes, musical and other items were contributed by Misses Foster, Picard, Madame Groome, and Messrs. Ernest Parkas, D. Kenny, Newton, and Fletcher CHURCH PARADE. A church parade x in connection with the celebrations took place at Petone yesterday morning, A proce*aion marched to th§ Mjfchoduk Churchy Nel-

son-street. J3ro Philippon occupied the pulpit. The Wellington Brotherhood was addressed by Bio. Churchill in the afternoon, Mr. J. P. Luke, M.P., presiding. The spoakei dealt with the drink tramc which, he said, was ti stumbling block in the march of progress. He contended that if drink were wiped out there would be nu poverty in Britain, or, at anyratp, the unemployed problem would be minimised. ' On the motion of the Rev. E. 0. Blamires, seconded by Mi 1 E. Arnold, the visitors were accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The pulpit of Wesiey Church, Tara-naki-street.>}vas occupied by Bro. Philipeon, who emphasised the advantages of the principle that example was 'better than precept in the drink question.