ORANGE ANNIVERSARY

Southern Cross, Volume 13, Issue 16, 15 July 1905, Page 9

ORANGE ANNIVERSARY

CONCERT IN ASHLEY’S HALL. The entertainment given in the above ball on Wednesday evening under the auspices of the members of -the Orange Institution in Invercargill to mark the Twelfth of July attracted. a numerous company, the building being crowded. The programme opened with a well-played series of Irish selections by Black’s orchestra, which also contributed later in the evening with equally .good effect. The chairman, the. Rev. F. Dunlop, of Knox Church, Conon street, said that one or two points had been forced on bis . attention in considering Orangeism and its aims. One thing was that Orangeism was perhaps not just as popular as it might be with a good many Protestants. He thought this was to be explained to a large extent by the fact of their ignorance of the constitution of the Society, its principles and purposes. But -when one read the qualifications necessary for membership, and studied the Constitution, it was seen that the principles of the Order were of a very excellent nature. The man who could be a member of an Orange lodge and conform to the qualifications required of a member, must be a pretty good man. It was, therefore, a matter of surprise that Orangeism is not more popular. The idea prevailed in some minds, he thought, that the Order was a somewhat bigoted, unreasonable .party and represented a somewhat 'ferocious temper of mind, but there was nothing whatsoever in the constitution or principles of the Order to

that supposition. Whatever 1 there may have been in the past history of the institution to justify such an impu*atiou it was for the most part of ancient times and had always been called forth by great provocation on the other side. He would just give one or two quotations by witnesses from the Roman Catholic camp regarding Orangeisra—from the works of one who was himself a Roman Catholic, and who had declared that he had no intention of ever being anything else —he referred to Mr M. McCarthy, whose books, ‘ Rome in Ireland,’ ‘ Priest and People in Ireland,’ etc., had created such a tremendous sensation. After remarking that a rough, dogged adheranca to principle was the main characteristic of Orangeism, Mr McCarthy asked — ‘ What nobler object could men set before themselves, whether as a Papa! Society in Rome, or an Orange Society in Ulster, than the maintenance of civil and religious liberty P’ That was pietty strong, coming as it did, from a Roman Catholic. In an address given in Ireland he declared the Orange Order to be a powerful force for good in our national resistance to the domination of the priests in Ireland,’ That was fairly conclusive evidence from an intelligent Roman Catholic, and one who intended to remain a member of that faith. Of course it might be said that conditions were different in the colonies —they were different, they were bet'er in many ways, but the fact remained that Roman Catholicism is Roman Catholicism all the world over, and it cannot deny itself —the system remains. Orangemen do not antagonise Roman Catholics as individuals —they were required by their constitution and laws to act in a charitable, Christian, and friendly way towards Roman Catholics. Personally, he preferred a good Roman Catholic to a bad Protestant any day, and there were broad-minded and enlightened Roman Catholics, such as Pa'her Hays and Mr McCarthy, bat that did not alter the fact that the system of priestcraft, of sacerdotalism, does not change, cannot change. It would have to cease to be what it is first. It was bound up in the ecclesiastical system as a whole. But he thought that what had given rise to a certain amount of dislike or suspicion regarding Orangeism was the fact that on certain occasions Orangemen, as was only natural perhaps, expressed themselves in terms perhaps unduly forcible and severe, and it behoved members of the Order who had its interests and those of civil and religious liberty at heart to use great discretion in their speech and not bring upon • themselves the suspicion of the fanatical or onesided or bigoted in their opposition to Roman Catholicism. Protestants of all colours, so far as they were genuine and enlightened, had no animosity to Roman Catholics, and the principles that they maintained, or ought to maintain, would in the long run be just as beneficial to Roman Catholics as to Protestants. Those principles did not belong specifically to Protestantism. They were the principles of civil and religious liberty in themselves per se, and when given effect to would benefit Roman Catholics as much as they would Protestants. That was a point that should be kept before our minds —that Protestants are not committed, that Orangemen are not committed, to any narrow party platform—service to God and humanity was its basis justice, liberty and equity. These were splendid principles, and eo far as Orangemen could be true to their ideals he did not see why they should not have the substantial sympathy and support of the whole Protestant community. The Rev. W. Little (Church of Christ) said that many people looked on the Orange Order as the stirrer-up of strife, and up till 15 years ago he was of that opinion. At that time the Grand Lodge met at Echuca (Victoria), and he was asked to give an address, but declined on the ground that he was not in accord

with their principles or methods. ‘ Yon believe in the open Bible r’ said the Grand Secretary. * Yes.’ ‘ln the L right ot every man to read it for him- ' self and endeavour to carry out that which he learned?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘ Then,’ said the secretary, ‘ you ought to be with us,’ and after reading their laws and constitution, he found that he bad been an Orangeman all his life without knowing it. He then joined the Order, and had since done his best to spread the glorious principles upon which it was founded. Mr Little sketched the origin of the Order. It was said that there was no need for the Order now. No need! Why our late belo/ed Queen had stated that the glory of the British Empire was founded on the Bible, and yet in Victoria, where the Roman Catholics formed hardly a fifth of the whole population, the young people in the State schools, in deference to their wishes, and for fear of offending their prejudices,were prevented from having Scripture lessons in the schools. Mr Little took exception to the way in which influence had been brought to bear on the Victorian Cabinet to confuse the issue whan a referendum was taken on the question, and_ claimed it was time to be stirring when parents were denied the right to have their children trained for the next world as well as this, trained not only to honour the king but to fear God. If ever in Victoria they succeeded in having Scripture lessons given in the State schools it would be due, under the providence of God, to the unceasing efforts of the Orangemen in that colony. As to the objections made against the Order, if they read its laws and constitution they would find that it would take a pretty good Christian and a first-class citizen to be a good Orangeman. It was the boast ot a Roman Emperor that he found the city of brick and left it marble. Lat it be our boast, that having received glorious privileges from God, we have enlarged and illuminated them, and handed them down to those who, by His grace, shall follow us. An exceptionally good musical programme kept the audience in the bast of humours. The contributors to it were Misses Mcßobie and Lumsden, and Mrs Blue, and Messrs tice, G. Black, L Kingsland, C. B. Griffiths and E. S, Perry. Capital recitations were given by Miss V. Richards and Messrs W. Wallace and J. Sloan. The Highland Fling was gracefully danced by Miss S. Glennie, and Miss L. Stevenson, by her execution of the Sheantreuse won the plaudits of the company. Mr Grant piped for the dances and for the Irish Jig given by Mr J. Watt, who was encored. Mrs Blue acted as accompanist throughout the evening. The chairman and performers were accorded a hearty vote of thanks on the motion of the Rev. Mr Pybus. The gathering closed with the singing of the National Anthem.