FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

Evening Star, Issue 9771, 30 July 1895, Page 2

FRIENDLY SOCIETIES.

The Lily of the Valley Lodge, 1.0. G.T., commemorated their seventeenth anniversary last evening by a social in the Drill Hall, North Dunedin. Mr I. N. Merry, C.T., occupied the chair. Misses Stoncbridge, Ellis, and Lack, and Messrs James Swan, James M‘Connell, John Swan, and J. Robinson sang songs; MissNewey gave a recitation ; Master Cox a step dance in character; and Master and Miss Moore (pupils of Miss Pyrke) a pianoforte duct. Tea and refreshments were supplied, and a very enjoyable evening was spent. A vote of thanks to those who had so ably contributed to the harmony was moved by Bro. Sandilands' (of the Pioneer Lodge), seconded by Bro. D. Rankin, and carried by acclamation. Miss M'Cartby and Bro Davis acted as pianists and accompanists. Tor tho first time in the history of the 1.0.0. F. Order in New Zealand, and in accordance with the proclamation of the Grand Blaster of this jurisdiction, the brethren of Leith Lodge assembled last evening as Oddfellows to pay tributes of respect to the memory of brother Oddfellows who have passed beyond tho veil. The following extract is from one of a number of letters in the bauds of tho lotigo, written by a widow of a deceased member "For tire kind interest that tho members of the lodge took in my sad case and my live dear children I return my sincere thanks and best wishes for the good of the Order of Oddfellows, and also to the members of the Grand Lodge of New Zealand for their kind and sympathetic letter. I feel certain that many who do not know the good of membership will join wi'h me in blessing the day when it was established. Yours, gratefully, etc.” The proceedings wove opened by the choir, who sang an ode, ‘ The honored dead.’ The Chaplain {Bro. E. T. Wheeler) then addressed the throne of grace. Miss L. Durston contributed a solo, ‘He wipes tho tear from every eye.’ Tho N.G. read his authority for holding lire ceremony, and said, inter alia, that enlightened and civilised nations revere the memory of their dead, and it was fit and proper that all people should sometimes lav aside the cares of life and wond their way to the silent cities of the dead, to drop the loving tear and strew the flowers of spring upon their graves. And so they, as members of a great fraternal institution, meet that their dead might not be forgotten, that their virtues might be made known and their memory kept greeu. Bro. Alex Wright contributed a solo, ‘The Holy City,’ with much effect. Tho secretary (Bro! Miller) called the roll of deceased brothers since 1857, the year the lodge was established, with short biographical sketches of deceased brothers. Then followed a dirge and a solo, ‘ Consolation,’ by Uro. Ohas. Umbers, and ‘Nazareth’ by Bro. Geo. (Springer, both of which wore rendered iu good stylo. Here followed eulogies by Bro. Reid (N.G.), P.G.M. Bro. IV Heeler, Bros. MTeak, Miller, and Williams, with lessons by the chaplain. The choir sang the ode ‘lt is not death to die,’closing with a prayer by tho chaplain. The thanks of the meeting were tendered to the soloists, the accompanist (Sister L. Durston), organist (Bro. D. M. Miller), Bro. Charles Reid for clerical work, and to visitors from Linda Rebekah, Pioneer, and Linden Lodges, The hall was nicely draper! for the occasion by the caretaker. The service was an impressive one. Considering the inclemency of the weather there was a good attendance.

The German Emperor has issued an edict forbidding officers and soldiers to smoke either in the streets of Berlin or in the Thicrgarten. The reason for this is that some of them have actually kept a cigar in one hand while greeting His Majesty with the other.