I.O.O.F. SCOTCH NIGHT

Evening Star, Issue 20089, 1 February 1929, Page 6

1.0.0. F. SCOTCH NIGHT

The fortnightly meeting of Leith Lodge, 1.0.0. F., was held on Monday night at Albany street. Bru. G. Bingham occupied the chair. The routine business having been given due attention, Bros. L. Deans Ritchie and D. M. Miller entertained members _ with items referring to Scotchmen, their accomplishment 'in travel, in poetry, m beneficence, in art. Of course, Robert Burns must bo quoted at this time of the year. The story was told by one ■who,' visiting the Old Land, brought back to New Zealand sonic water from the River Doon, and flic company had to sing ’Tc Banks mid Braes, it vas pointed out how songs inspiicd emotional forces that have shaped gicat events, as, for instance, Luiher’s hymn in Reformation times. Jt was said that a few verses set to music by Henry Purceli drove James 11. Rom the throne. ‘ God Save the king has helped to make much of our history. It was pointed out the great parts Scots plaved in the world’s work. William” Murdoch, a Scotsman, a native of Ayrshire (Burns country), experimenting since 1792, lit some bmdiniTs in Birmingham with gas to celebrate the peace of Amiens, 179 b. In R'os ho lit up some large buildings m Manchester, and demonstrated the economic value of gaslight and that nmbt (January 2S) was the aumversarv of the lighting of Pall Mall, the first street to be so ht, 122 years ago. Jt was further pointed out how ,neatly indebted the very Liighsh city of Christchurch is to Scotsmen. Its first settlers were from Ayrshire; a Scot rrave to it its best educational_endowment; another made a great gilt to its hospital, the Ladies’ Institute, and another the Art Gallery to be erected; while a Burns memorial was ooming. Hearty thanks were conveyed to the speakers. ...