The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1882-11-21 00:00:00

RECHABITE ANNIVERSARY.

The independent Ordthof Rechabitexlas working men
ought to know, if smaller than tome other friendly
societies, is founded on good principle*, one of which is
that every member of
teat ital.'s., and consequenUy each member, and the whole
society, is in • position to receive the benefits which
insurance societies confer on testotslers. Of entree, the
comparativesmallness is somewhat at/sin-it the Order ; but
when we find that they amount to 37.000. it will be seen
that they miss is only relatively small. They have wisely
resolved to try and do a fair "trade' on the advance of
the temperance movement, sod "Weymouth" tent
celebrated its ninth anniversary by • public supper on
Thursday evening lest, at the room in Perketreet. Yr.
C. Hashes, of King.street, provided • capital supper,
substantial and well-cooked, god it was well placed on
the table, excellent joints being followed by first-rate
pastry and an elegant destert, but there were no
Intoxicating drinks, of course "Hope of Weymouth"
and "Canton" bad left decorations, and thee, were
freshened up with • good *bow of nosegays ; but the
, best decoration of all (*misted of the happy fame of
' the visitors and members, who showed that teetotalism
by no means makes its sdhersate sad. It, P. Simpson,
SKI medical officer to more than one friendly society,
presided, and he was supported by Alderman R.
Thomas, Councillors J. Z. R thew. H. Naugle, and W.
O. T. Nommen, Kr. J. A. Sharron, Yr. O. Staple, and
Hr. R. Legg; the Mayor end the Rev. J. Wood came
In later in the evening. Mr. R. A. Bolt and Mr.
Holmwood, occupied vics-chaire, the former being Chief
of the Teat, and the latter D.O.T. of the Goat Template,
and a Rechabite. . . . .

The supper eu heartily enjoyed, and after the Rev.
J. Wood bad returned thanks,
The CHAIRMAN said that when they were met in this
waV for • friend') supine, there wee as a rule alulles •
certain amount of toast-drinking to be duo.; but ea this
Order based its very foundation on temperance principles,
be supposed it would be wrong to call thou " touta"
which he had to propose, and we must call them "senti-
ments," He gays them 'sentiment which is slime well
received in every easembly of Englishmen, "The Queen,
and the rest of the Royal Family." He felt quite sure
that, is eating them to wish tee Queen long life sod •
happy reign. he should be expressing the sentiments of
every one present It wee unnecessary to opulent such a
wish an that by agleam of wins or anything spirituous, as
It could be wished Jests. heartily by teetotalers se by any
assembly where champagne, port, or sherry flowed freely.
Looking at the list he could see it wee specrally adapted
for a teetotal meeting, because the number of so-called
West, was not very numsrous. Stmetint.ra at a banquet
we find a most inordinate number of Mesta and he always
supposed thee, were intended to represent the hospitality
of the host, sod that he Pa. spumous that with every tout
given by his friends, he wiehes thet a glue of wine should
be drunk, and lf or 15 toasts were to be di•careed. It
meant that their liberal friend wished them to drink 11
or 15 glasses of wine at least : bet this evening the glasses
of wine were absent and only • few tout. claimed their
ettention—Returning to the sentiment, Her Majesty, he
geld, had enjoyed • very long Mg..." rime very dart •
ling events had taken place daring the time abs has
occupied the Throne and in the opinion of every one,
she lo an come out from her many trials in the mat
triumphant war. Whether we look st her ae • Queen, or
In her own family, she we. the drat of wawa. It would
he unneeewary to say more, ex mist to express • hope that
she may yet long reign over • united, proepsrons, and
temperate people. (Applause.) Al t. the Prince and
Prince., of Wales, and the rest of the Royal Family, they
bed only to look into the daily papers and see how
thoroughly they mixed hurt ant soul with the people,
which the Prince might one dey be destined to reign over. 1
We see them flitting about ',radon, doing all kinds of
charitable work, being present at the opening of •
hospital, the Presentation od a free library, the freeing of
the London bridges, in fact the Prince ti.esi upon himself
almost the active duties of a king already. He is • thorough
gentleman, doing his duty in the most courts cue manner,
and he has earned for himself the Dame so often given
that of the "First gentleman in Europa.. In addition to
that, he wet the hardest-worked mean in London; for If
✓ising early, being busily entitled ell day, so I going to
bed late at night, make • herd-working men, then the
Prince of Wake is one. (Hear, hear) Let all unite in
wishing pouperity, long life, and deppineee to the Qlben
Mr. Councillor RoPENS thought t" Pr°
and Royal Family a Onset Britain. (APPlauss)
irasine of toasts
in eater is a great deal bettor than doing it in wine.
About four years ago he proppeed the health of Its
Becalming for the Borough at the Royal Hotel, and hat
nothing but water to do it with. be health of those
gentlemen had been preserved ever since, so that if it had
been proposed in any other liquid, it mould one have been
more tv tat than the water then. (Hear. ) Ito now gave
"The Bishop and Clem and the Dissenting Ministers of
all denominations." No body of men are more anxiously
engaged at present than the clergy and ministers are in
promoting the temperance principles When we look at
the ministers of the Church of England, from the Bishop
to the Clergy, we are delighted to see the great efforts
they are making to promote Wolverine* principles
throughout the country. Others were the pioneers but
are now almost falling to the rear, yet still following on,
and he trusted all ministers. whether Church nfotti
land or not, will unite in doing all they can to tir
the great interest of temperance and sobriety throughout
the country. (Applause)
The CHAIIMAN felt be had usurped • place tonight,
which properly belonged to the Mayor, and he off.'r to
resign In his favour; but His Worship had refined. He
bed a letter to read before ELL Wood responded.
The MAYO, said that just previously to starting from
home be was sorry to receive • letter from Canon
Steliheneon, St John's Vicarage. Mating be was watching
by the bedside of his invalid son. who .111 much worse:
It would therefore be impossible for him to be present
with the Rechabites. and he extoressoff hi. regret,
Rev. J. WOot. shared as heartily as any M She regret
they felt at the trouble which had fallen upon Canon
Stephenson, sad he hoped the Great Consoler, whom he
so of ten commended to those under hie charge, would be
with him in his trouble. (Bear, bear.) Re regretted his
absence also because of the Prosuinet Poktio, happily
ken by tho okra of the Motel of mima toe lbs last

few years in temperance work, and hoped they will long
sostisss to land the van.. this cold ref ormation, far they
had purchased to themselves a good degree In the cads of
total abstinence. He expressed big* plemure in being
Present this evening, the first oxasion of the kind he had
had in Weymouth. and he was gla 1 it was in cohnecteon
with • work they were all interested in, and even earneet.
Though they may not all profess the total abatineuce
creed, no ones. present but who wishes well t the g
movement. All benefit societlees have an air of lade-
pen4..nce which one cannot help being thank( ol for.
Meade by the habits of thrift they inculcate, they secure
independmice to • man when it is moat needed. The
ord-r is werthy of the nein' they hue token, and he
eketched whd is known smut the R. chsbite• from the
B,ble, with tie vow impend upon them by Joriadhlo
Wine implies a settled lite; .t impose heads or its cult:.
ration, and said "You most not *ow apx-d ; bur
dwell in teute." and he for'iede them Queasier cultivation
of the wine. The first object was to save them from the
legit, and Jemmy or city life, and secondly to proser•o
their f medoin dad independence as as ,rt of ginsy wen ler.
in; race, b •C elle people that con more about na oly are
not likely to eons under sl . The Itecliabites prr
I sent were there as • triltialOill to the manitnesa of
: those who can live w•thout the luxury that comes from
wine-driuMng, or, as he called it, dratu-drinkine. We do
sot rind that thom wh, one enrage Lb.:unclad In thoee
habitat are any stronger, any nobler, any inOC4 ready 104
every good work by the um of the wine cup, than than
who di w:thoot it. They themselves were thereto testa y
• that. notwithoton.ling the absence of that, the fibre of
their manhood is pr.... 1, and although we may not
bine the kind of independence that Juuedeb enjoined
upon his children and theirs altar them, and although we
May not Wise that, yet we kayo that independence no the
saving of that which would be squan tared by the luxury
of wine.driuking, and could stand up before their fellow-
men, and not bog pardon for existence from any human
being. The society that has objects like this before it is
worthy of the old and Lode Dame of RechaLte. (Ap-
plause.) Another point he named ; thaw good paves • n
Ike olden time were very faithful to the word of their
aactetdrs, for when, through the inded fly r f the country,
V.ey cane iota th- city, the prophet Jeremiah askoi than
to drink wine. They might hive Lad the authority 01 •
Prophet to do 4,, but they refused, and Jeremiah held
them up as worthy of praise. The ancient Reettabites
were faithful to the word of meek but we hare a higher
law we man sumanit to, owl in th I sett .iss oh our lib we
reC•egisite Him in whom all higher laws meek and woo
,cm load us in the pit aof rectitude in Chia world. (ALP
pl aim)
Song, "Free an:l Easy." Mr. C. Howard.
• Mr. J. A. SilititalLe, in giving "Sic •sa to the Order,"
said the Watt +see some What .11M Mit for him to undertale.
bet he would ask them to drink mm, because it would be inn
tik-n of in tint beverage which lile ioomid.,r o: time
Order iiimn.ell drank. Tom w. thn °elect temper-
tee b,eti
..
ie.iyltu. ; hadrebendeenr
toommly: indepeauent by becouung member,. the
mutt we he saw iii the room reaswailwl oil tat *blurt they
I might be members of the Order of kt-ch the or any
other temperance Order. they mud not target in be mak-
ful to God and watch and pray. We may be members of
this Order; but unless we are watchful, our memiership
will not save U 4 ; unitise we are grreyerlul sal always upon
our guard, looking for a higher light than man, we shalt
fail. Temperance bodies had dose and are doing great
things; but it was not until the crusade ogcnit intem-
perance was laid hold of lay clergymen, the Nencoaformiet
Millietenl, and the Gomel temperance movement came.
that it mat w:th such success as ii the case now. A groat
ddl of its suedes is due to those who have taken the
Bible and temperance hand in hand, retnemberiug that
when • man tar Codes sober there is his soui to core tor,
getting his soul saved, watt ug away from orink to some-
thing higher ; then they achteved a grand success, lie
asked them to drink in the beverage of their founder
Jonadab —" Secoess to the Independent Order of
Rechabites," and called on Kr. Abbott and Mr. liundry
to respond to lb. toast. (Applause)
Mr. J. F. Mason, secretary to the Weymouth Tent.
said it had been in existence nine IWS, hawing be4U
established on Jan. Lk 1871 On the lat Jan. leak the
number of members ua the books was 80 ; during the last
nine months they had initiated 14 new inembere, three of
whom had left, so that the net gain mill, ant the present
number 91. The sick contributions at the beginning of
this year was £164 15.. 111, and in the Ulna
month, they received £64 la 61., out of which 14
members have drawn £l7 7.. 41,, leaving 436 lla Ii
to be carried tithe reserve fund. The total worth of the
branch up to September 3rd was £2lO las 10d. Wey-
mouth Tent hos had a heavy pull in the Utelleitement
fund, having been re-registered under the Friendly
Societies' Act, and getting new rule* pointed: but there
is still • small balance in bond. Toe Tout haa also
started a Juvenile branch, which will in time strengthen
: the adult branch, (Applause.)
Mr. H. J. GUNDIT said the Independent Order of
Rechabites was institated in 1635 at Salford. Members
had to sign the teetotal pledge and Rechabite pledge,
binding thong to do all they could to promote the pan-
ciplee temperance- Tim SouthernDietriet, of which
this Tent I. a branch, was malt itsd in 1873, and now
numbers 21 branches, with 1,12 J memners : but they
could not increase so rapidly as other societies, in all the
member, have I t bs Pledged teetotalers. In 1835 there
were about 6,000 in the United Kingdom, but now thou •
are S.OOO. They were Managed much like the Foresters
and Oldfellows. After giving details of the society, he
said souse were afraid to Join lest they should break out;
but they were not expelled the first, wood, or third
time, but reinstated on payment of a fine ; but on the
fourth time they were expelled.
Recitation. Mr. Tanking: "The Itincueel Flag.")
Mr. R. TUolliat appropriately gave the health of "The
Borough Members. He hal always been an advocate for
benefit societies u.tubling at places where the drink
temptation does not end, anal he warn glad to meet thou
there to ;protest against the necesoity for its use. He
+dad Mr. R .bens to respond for Mr. Edwards, sad Mr.
Naugle for Sir Frederic. (Applause.)
Kr. Rolikxg, with well-deserved eulogy, responded for
Mr. Henry E iwards, and Mr. NANGLE or Sir b raloric.
Song. Mr. C:awtord: "The Wale of Dunmore."
Mr. T. Patter...on proposed "The Mayor amid Corp notion
of Weymouth." Pertaps he nicht and day go and sat
with them (Laughter ) The Mayor ease good g I,
managing the assembly pretty well, and the Councillors
acted hometly according to their conviction for the good
of the borough. The Corporation were the key holders of
the Exchequer, and should always look to see if they could
spare the moray before unlocking the box. Teel/M(olms
en re represented in the Couaci, also the Foroot r., and
it might be an impr moment if • B.lw-tieing Rectia`tite
were there as well. Perhaps he might lake upon himself
to try. (Laughter.)
The MAYOR responded, and said • socioty started so few
years ttg,, and which can now boast of its thousands, must
b. doing • good WORk, and if it were possible t i glance at
the various homes male happy, miserable wives made
comfortable and useful, starving children supplied with
food, brutes of husbands made happy and loving fathers—
if all that could be brought before them that evening, be
was in duty bound to come forward and support • society
of that kind. He congratulated them on their work, and
whited thern God speed and an increase in their number,

(AP:el-awe)
Mr. It A. BOLT proposed—" Success to Kindred
Sociede.," naming Mr. Mooned' for the Foresters, Mr.
Ru.eell for the Olifellows, and Mr. liolmwood for the
Good Tempters
Mr. HOUNSELL responded, and said there was room
enoimb fur all the societies ; be thanked toe Itechabites
for the support they had given the Foresters by attendlits
church with the Fligh CJurr, and also in the densonstre-
tion next day. A proposition bad been made to invite
the aidfelloere' loins* and this Tent, to join Forest Ts in
attending some place of worship on Itepital Sunday, 80
that the Hospital raight bare the benefit of their contri-
butions. (Applause.)
Mr. Howswooo, D.0.T., said the Good Templar/ are
not in the ordinary sense a benefit society ; but by &b.
st.ining from lotoxicitaig liquor.% and eulearourieg to
spread the With of temrrensnc., they conferred Week ell
round. In Direst are 20 lotgee with 1,200 or 1,300
members, and the Rechabites should join the (3,...d
Templar lodges, and endeavour to induce the young men
there to join the R-chabitee, so se to reap the lull
advantage of Meta:nog front intoxicating drinks. (An-
,
lie. honnity (Yr. Russell being absent) responded for
the o.lthellows.
Toe Chairman's health was given and responded to. and
afterwards the evening was prolonged in a convivial
way.