CDDFELLOWS’ CHURCH PARADE.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4331, 15 April 1901, Page 7

CDDFELLOWS’ CHURCH PARADE.

ADDRESS BY REV G. H. MANX

The annual church parade of tho city lodges of the Independent Order of Oddfellow’S, Manchester Unity, was held yesterday morning at the Primitive Methodist Church, Sydney street. Members of tho Loyal Britannia, Antipodean and Newtown Lodges marched in procession from the Oddfellows’ Hall, Larnbton *juay, to and from the church, headed by the Garrison' Baud. Three members of long-standing—-Bros. T. Vv. Moivonaic, J. Pinfold, :md James Riddick—rode in a carriage in the: procession, which was of considerable length. In the service appropriate hymns were sung, led by a strong choir, who, during tho offertory, sang the autlicm, ‘■'lhou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whoso mind is stayed on Thee.” In tho course of an address after the second lesson, the Rev G. 11. Mann said that friiu the end of (ho seventeenth century’ friendly societies had been growing in” power, in influence, and in wealth. He believed that the time was

rapidly hastening upon them when the whole of the best of men would nave come to see that ono of the grandest fraternities with which they could identify’ themselves ivas one such as those before him that- day represented. Personally’, he believed that friendly societies had the diyiue blessing, and were a human' necessity in the divine plan. There were some good men and women who had other views upon the point whether they’ should enter a friendly society' and also as to whether they should insure their lives. They seemed to think that either of those acts was an interference with tho providence of God — that it was casting a suspicion upon divine Providence. To, his mind, it was nothing of the sort. Ho believed that that man, and that man only, had tho right to ask God to bless, him who used his powers and discretion, and who sought to so use his resources, and link those resource* to those of others, that 'ho might do his host -to slave oil’ tho evil day. God wanted common-scnao as well as prayer. A friendly society was a testimony to the discretion and oommon-souso of men anil women. For liis own part ho thought that every man, and every young man especially, ought to join a friendly society. Ho did nob take his important position that morning, and use it simply for the advocacy of thoir society or any other society. But he did stand there as a minister of God, and with .a sense of lixs responsibility urge it upon all men as a part of their duty to do that which would help, in the dispensation of Providence, to their happiness and. wellbeing. Personally, ho had always felt that no man did his duty as completely as he might, who did not enter some friendly society and also insure his life. Most of them, like himself, were working men with the limited resources of working men, and whilst they might be able to get on fairly well whilst the Run sljoau upon them and fortune. was in their way, they might be helplessly poor if. there came upon them weeks or months of affliction, .and they had: no, sort of help such as friendly societies gave. It was for those days—rainy days, as they might be called—that they should prepare; andi ho honoured members of friendly societies and the societies themselves, because they showed that true concern for men which was bound to bring the blessing of Gqd upon thorn. In his sermon, which was based upon St. Mark, xi, -14-45, Mr Mann urged the cultivation of habits of service and unselfishness.