GAELIC SOCIETY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2456, 10 April 1901, Page 7

GAELIC SOCIETY.

The monthly meeting of this society was held on Wednesday night in the Oddfellows' Hall, Stuart street. Mr Dugald M'Pherson occupied the chair, pnd read a letter from Captain S. Scrase-Dickins, of the Highland Light Infantry, expressing his thanks for the souvenir sent him by the society in connection with the visit of the Imperial troops to New Zealand,. .and adding: "I can assure you that all ranks most thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Dunedin, and carry away most pleasant recollections of all the hospitality and kindness we received there. . . .'I have conveyed the good wishes of th,e society to the officers and men." The Chairman also mentioned the Queen's memorial statue fund, and recommended it to the members. Mr Dugald M'Lachlan delivered a Gaelic address, in which he inculcated a more studious attention to that ancient language. Education in the Gaelic was largely on the increase in the Home country, and the subject had a value in the university curriculum equal to that of any other classical language. In Ireland there was a remarkable reviving of Celtic learning, and classes were established for teaching it in. all the centres of population. He would ask the secretary to read an extract from an Irish newspaper confirmatory of this. The clan societies of Glasgow and other large cities at Home were numerous and prosperous. The Highland Society of London numbered thousands, and had furnished 300 for service in the South African campaign. The Secretary read the extract referred to by Mr M'Lachlan, and then said he had another interesting cutting to read — namely, tho report of a Gaelic sermon that had been preached on New Year's Day in Cairo by the Rev. James Mac-donald, of Dornoch, a cousin of their own Major-general Hector Macdonald. This was possibly the first Gaelic* sermon ever preached in Egypt. It might be a mere coincidence, bux it was one of the Children of Israel who had given him the cutting mentioned, and another coincidence that it was at the Easter season it came into his possession — the season first instituted to commemorate the escape of the Hebrews from Egyptian oppression. It might have escaped the observation of some that the Israelites were one of the clans. The Celt 3 spoke of them as they did not of any other nation. They said Clann Dhomhnuil Clann MhicLeoi-d, Clann Phearsaxn agus Clann Israel. The concert was opened by Miss Helen Re\e playing selections of bagpipe music on the pianoforte. This was highly appreciated, as it spoke to the Highland heart in a manner compared with which " Italian trills were tame." Mr R. Donaldson sang " Morag's faeiy glen " and " "Where has Scotland found her fame," both items being heartily cheered. Mrs Gordon sang " Mo run geal dileas " very nicely, the audience joining in the chorus. The choir, under Mr J. Nelson's conductorship, rendered two choruses — " Ged tha mi gun chrodh gun aighean " and " The braes aboon Ben Awe," in the former of which Mr D. M'Pherson sang the solo. Mrs J. Lister sang " "Will ye no come back again," and Miss Campbell " Mary of Argyle, both with splendid effect. Mr James Turner's singing- of " Stoighloam a ghaelteachd" was well received. Mr D. Mrniio danced the Sailor's Hornpipe with marked ability, and Pipers D. M'Kechnie, M'Lean, and M'Donald contributed dance and niarch music. Miss Flossie Palmer and Miss Reve played the accompaniments.

In the course of the proceedings the Chahman, in the name of the choir, presented Mr Donald M'Pbtrson, jun., with a handsome marble clock on the eve of his (Mr M'Pherson's) marriage, and in a happy speech complimented Mr M'Pher3cn on the goad work he-had done m connection with the choir. Mr M'Pherson suitably responded, ard expressed his cordial thauks for the valuable and unexpected gift.