The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-07-06 00:00:00

ODD FELLOWS' DEMONSTRATION
IN DORCHESTER.

Seldom °ruiner hu there been such a scene witneued in
this town as that which ocourred on Thumlay. About 10
in the morning the brethren of the newly-opened
Loyal Bud of Hope Lodge of Odd Fellows, in oonueotion
with the Manchester Unity, were seen hurrying to their
plane of assembly, on the lawn before Wollaston House,
almost every member wearing his new and brilliant
regalia ; and shortly afterwards nearly 70 Odd Fellows,
headed by Wellspring's saxhorn band, passed through
Wollaston gates towards the bottom of High Bast-
street, the band playing favourite airs, and the church
belts ringing merrily. The procession wan in the follow-
ing order :
Flag.
Wellspring's Dorchester Saxhorn Band.
Banner with symbolical dati7" We succour the widow and
Theortispes"uatilon.
Members of the Bud of ictr Lodge and officers bearing
V.O. an Supporters.
N.G. and Supporters.
Banner, with • design Foitte "Good Samaritan."
Visiting brethren bearing regalia from
Victoria and Albert and the Portland Lodges, Portland,
Loyal Victoria, Wareham,
B.nevoient, Wimborne,
Poole Lndg
Fordlngbridgeetodge.
Flag.
Banner, with eymbolical designs, and "Let prudence
guide you.
Past and present provincial °facers
Streamer.

The streeta, of course, were crowded with spectators,
and windows and doorways likewise presented their
bountiful quota of lookers-on. The sunny weather, the
neat and exoellent appearance of the brethren, their
fine banners, sparkling paraphernalia, and 'ay sashes,
aprons, and stars, offered an unparalleled sight in this
town. The Lodge has only been in existence souls few
months, and its popularity is very widely spread. The
different colours worn by the brethren in attendance,
from other Lodges at Poole and elaewhere, added an
agreeable variety to the aspect of the procession. After
perambulating the town the procession passed into
Holy Trinity Church, where the rector, the Rev. James
Fisher, delivered a very able and appropriate sermon to
the fraternity, taking his text from I Timothy iv., 8:
" Godlinese is profitable unto all things, having promise
of the life that now is, and of that which is to lime."
At the conclusion 05th. service the procession wended
it. way along the principal streets, the baud !diving, and
banners waving, on their route passing through the
grounds of C. B. Henning, Esq., visiting the rasidenos
of Dr. Aldridge in the West Walks, going through the
grounds of Trinity rectory, and then returning to Wol-
laston House. Here they arranged the banner' along-
side the mansion, doffed much of their regalia, and at
half-past two, to a oowniodious marquee which had been
fitted up for that purpose, aU oat clown to a substantial
dinner which had been carefully provided by brother
Miles, of the Dorchester Arms. Brother J. P. Aldridge,
surgeon to the Lodge, took the chair, supported on his
right by the Rev. Jaweersher and Mr. Jams. Freud, and
on the left by Mr. Frederick Bennett. Brother Thomas
Coombe occupied the vie' eheir, About a hundred Ili
down, and several of the tradesmen of the town dined
with the proardeing brotherhood. During dinner the
band played MUM favourite airs. After goose had been
mild by the Ray. James Fishos, at the conclusion of the
✓ead,
The 011.111111 AM PQM and In a very nest,
proposed the health of "The 9uomoo " and "Prince
Albert, sod the lloyal fondly,' both of Wash were
responded to by lb. saispsay.
▪ Ths OleAlliVAM mid time heel tenet tree rem whisk
UVaU limo, Ito thesight, lilts Ike nut Ow
% e begy el ipites whs. ill owl hog

much Indebted for their entitleg, solr.dooyipongritsynade,en-
yours to promote the sociel, temporal, and apirittial
welfare of all in our midst. gook of this iwthi
around, aml the inereesed liappinese of the people were
attributable to their faithful and patriotic endeavours to
improve the emot.tion of all classes. With the tout—
Tie Bishop and Clergy of the Dimino "—he logged to
coliph, the mime of the rev. gentlenteu who so kindly
delivered to them that niumlug the admirable sermon
which all No greatly etlitilred (ilmen), pointing out,
while Approving of the principle* upon which this awl
a
other eluilter moieties were funned fur the temporal
I,enefit of the middle pluses 101,1 Shoal therewith lani•
fleeted, tie a Chrlstien 'Kahn, Mim,hb thel Mile wee not
all, that there was something beyond the though they
I eserolied funtliought In forming Nullities of this sort fur
Winporel advantage, It wee yet of the utmost Important,'
to look to future promote, (Appleuo.) The Chair.
limn In the name of the Lodge ihmked the Rev. Mr,
Wither for lily kind oil eaoellunt didauurws, coil hig
nem in being amonot them then, (The health WU
hesrtily limmunal,)
Thy 11ev J lemmas, In Acknowledging the onion.
mint, old, aa he lied Men permitted to Olive*. slioni at
' Emlilereisle Whi that morning, they would egos with
lm lit thinking hal a hang 'posh from him now would
mot thoroughly out of plea,. Therefore, he mut
Inlay return thanks, an Obeli of " The Welton end
Mel; of OM Mum, ' kind way in 'bleb their
lie* had bon drunk, He (the rev, Nonliving) son.
fee that although this lout wee oftentlmee Lunt
6 man matter of V.? 111, he should be very Pony le set
II omitted, end he only hoped IMO the bishop of JIM
.me) other Alumna 'olio' always allow themeelvo
worthy of the somplinunil thee imid to Ilson, Whore.)
letlr 11111011 U It. teiliVileivillenke SO/ NAOMI hie MINI. 1
With utlitre, Dr. MA 1111 hail highly omplimente4
(the Hey, Mr, Ilthe a) omen, and all tie could say ,
wee that if that lir hit. the henegl of Ulf
WllO lied Nord s end he led 'IOW would be ma
amply Attained, sod ally Id he wish nous to
this sootily, and in Weihnony of tile he begged to say
hitchhe einpu he mld oil happy to re them an annual
iontrthitilon to Andel in earrying toward their objest,
Rand " Lightly load, 'lle hallowed ground,"
(Criifs CHAIRMAN Mien "Th. "trier and Pliwy."
ters,) After the rent to t otle the Crimea, so
Huh In all memories, the battles of the A 11,., Inner.
Men and Beleclava, and later still, Hie Mega
of L4llll, and the heroic delenes of imalinow, the 'lmlay
reminding the !Thant •011ittany of theme
would mugs thin, So drink ttl the hunk velour and the
indenillolds NOWy of the Dritieh army, (The lOWA
woe warmly respendeit lc) .
Band " Med, While, and Blue
The Viol CHAISMAN begged permlition to propose a
toast It wee one he feared lie *mild do hut little lionlee
to, hiving only reeently boom, 6 member of the Man.
abetter Unity, end having had opportunity of soii.
sldering the Omits theme derived, At the lame time
be WM lawfully ore thel any society tendlug to bring
men together, beaded for ono soininen purpose of
niutusl [anent, wee one which doomed the grtMest
eneouragesnent of all Wasses, (C 1... He was happy
to hove this opporttuilly of expressing his gratillessikot
that the Unity had been Introduced here, and he trusted
wins one would reapciud who roe hotter able to do
Natio to the mildest than himself had been. Brother
Coombe prop:mid "Simons and pmsperity to the Men.
°heeler Unity." (The toast was enthusiesticelly drunk.)
Bro. Wisergen, corresponding see. of the Ilanoliester
Unity, rose to respond. He said he had been requestwil
to epoch to them, and perhaps It would be welt to say
something more reining to the Manchester Unity. He
would touch upon the rise of the idenellester Unity, it.
prognse, and present objects. No doubt, it wee In the
remembrance of many, that some years ago there was a
society Galled the Ancient Order of Odd Yellow. in the
town of Dorchester. Perhaps some present belonged to
that fraternity. Well, that Ancient Order woe the
origin of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows. In
treeing the foundation of Odd Fellowship, some
members went back to • very late period; indeed some
went so far back as the common parent Adam (laughter)
which perhape, waa far enough Wok to please the most
fastidious lover of antiquity (applause). However, that
Ancient Order, of which he just now spoke, was
isolated; they had Lodges at Poole, all over the kingdom,
and to different perte of the world, but no more con.
motion one with another than that of brotherhood,
entering a Lodge, and the doing brothers ea much good
le they could. The amount paid In by members made it
rather • social than • benefit society. Hence such •
society was not able long to go on sucoessfully. Around
Menchester there were a number of these L,odges, and
they thonght they could improve upon the Ancient
Order and band together into a Unity. A. number of
those isolated societies thus joined together and exiled
themselves the Manolieeter Unity. H.ving established
them:iciest', they sent to other societiee who agreed to
form with them. They soon found, however, the old
Lodges ilrop in rapidly, and Minuet all those Lodges
comprised very many old members. Perhaps it was
rather selfish, but they determined to admit no more of
the Ancient Order, yet they found their society in-
creaming, and militantly granting dimpemations to other
'daces in the kingdom. Odd Fellows also hegan to emi-
grate, and wishing to have Lodges whither they could go,
they applied to the Manchester Unity for dispense-
tines, which were sent to Atnerioa and various parts of
the worth. Ti,. society found that the bend to formerly
derived from the Ancient Order were insufficient to
keep men together well, and support the moiety, vo they
began to allow certain amounts for certain some paid in I
similar to local benefit moieties. They were, un-
fortunately, too much guided by those old benefit '
societies, and allowed too much out; members paying
In perb. a week, and being allowed 12s. Clever
men of res found this would not do, and made • new
code of rule. and eyetem of payment, the result of which
was, so the speaker thought, to place the Manchester
Unity on a Wrong and permanent basis, so that payments
would meet expenses. The Manchester Unity, how-
ever, we. not only a benefit society physically,
but a benefit society norally also; it not only
provided for membere during slickness, in dietreas,
or gave • certain SUM at death, or assistance if travelling
on the road, but it supplied mental wants. He con-
tended that the Manoheater Unity wu • great :moiety
eudeavouring to do great good to their fellow creatures,
teaching first of all, that golden rule—to do unto others
an they would be done unto, which was a particular
principle of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows, and
affording lectures to members. If they looked at their
rules it would be seen that a man MUSS be • good citisen,
a lover of his Queen and country, and must obey the
laws of his country, otherwise he would be expelled
from the moiety. Nor must • men become • dhigraceful
ohararter, not guilty of swearing, or drunkenness, or
of anything offensive to the Founder of pure religion,
for all such proceedings were contrary to the rules of
Odd Fellows. To show the good result—for actions
wake louder than words—he stated that crime in the
Manchester Unity wee 50 per oent, lower than in
the smallest county. Surely this was the fruit of the
moral precepts laid down for their members. Every
quarter there we. a return showing the uumber of lum-
bers expelled, and the offences for which they were ex-
lulled ; and it was from eareful examination of Mose
atatistical tables that lie had drawn the comparative
statetnent he had just made. This Do:cheater moiety
was a part of the Manchester Unity, • society which had
been established not only to supply the phyaioal but
mental wants of the people, and the Unity numbered
about 300,000 members, all aiming at good objects,
which Inuit be of greet service to individuals and to the
people at large. He said to all—wine and join this
society; and, whatever they did, let thein belong to
soon good benefit society. Of course he urged joining
the Manchester Unity in preference to any other
society, for he considered it better than any other.
(A ',plan's.) The Manchester Unity offered more edvan-
tages than any other society mull, whilat It numbered
more than double the nuniber of any other moiety.
Young men might have to travel in search of employ.
ruent, and if short in pocket would be glad to meet
with an Odd Fellows' lodge ; hut, if that society were
only • loud one, it would be impossible to administer
such relief. The Odd Fellows had a Widows' and
Orphans' fund, whereby a certain sum was paid to the
widow at the death of the member. Although he had
seen much good done in this way, be hoped the Bud of
Hope lodge would be long without it, and that they
would have clog and happy life. He advised all trona-
bees of the Lodge to join that society, for nothing was
more honourahle than for a man to make provimiou for
his wife and family; it was not tielfish in • man to
provide for parties; after he himself should be dead.
He thought if this young and well established Lodge
put their shoulders to the wheel they would propel the
cause of ',regrew: in this town. He thou iht it rested
wit" this moiety, and they would make igood Use of
their united power. None would put their hands to the
plough and turn back.. 13 or 14 years ago when the
Odd Fellow, were introduced at Poole, a few humble
individuals met together ; the cause went on alowly for
1 two or three months, and they had something like 30 or
30 members. These began to grumble at their small
number, when • brother got up and proposed that each
one should KINN°e a member at the mid of six months
or forfeit the sum pail by • member. All fell at once
into the suggestion, and at the end of six months every
member brought his man and some two or three. Now,
instead of 13 individuale there were 600 members at
Poole. (Cheers.) Poole had become what was termed
a district, and they tried if they could not do good to
neighbouring towns, and thus Lodges were formed at
Wimborne, Cranborne, and Christchurch. Hence the
Poole district now sminprised 14 Lodges, and instead of
only 13 individuals there were 1,300, and nearly 1,400,
mon:hers of the district. He hoped Dorchester would
take pattern by Poole in behalf of the H. U., and he
had not • shadow of doubt • good and prosperous Lodge
, would be found here. He felt great pleasure in opening
the Lodge, had had pleasure, too, in witnesaiug their pro-
! gresa, and was happy to meet them to-day. Every one
must he pleased at the way in which they had managed
I their procession to-day, and whatever the townepeople
, might think of it he must say the procession was magni-
ficent. Brother Western then defended Odd Fellows'
processions from the charge of gaudy and trumpery
adornments, mentioning several useful and practical re-
sults especially the increase of member. always
lattendant upon a prooemion of their order—and every-
body was more or less pleased by appeals to the eye in
the use of colour,. Young wen who Ind made no pro-
vision for the future he urged to mine forward and join
the Unity without • moment's delay, indeed all 'Mould
seriously coneider the matter. He concluded biotin/
"Health and prosperity to the Bad of Hope .
Dorchester," .

- ------
DrOillif artoitLanto, secretary of the Lodge, returned
thanks. -

The CHAlltbf AN, in proposing the health of "The
Chairman" said, it wits a great thing for • meeting to
have • good fusleinan to preside over them ; and Ii
was • very excellent thing when the result of unity
wan to place the right man la the right plaoe. (The
toast was heartily hononnol.)
The Ca•lausti thanked the Vise Chairman portion-
lolly for the very kind way in whl6ll he had proposed his
health, and alsoths brethren for the generous and hearty
manner in which they had been kind 'rough to respond
Is the PAN. He aseared tkem that it always did, and
always would he hoped, give Ina the greatest pleasure
oonduoe In any way to the welfare and prosperity of
his fellow townsmen, (bear, hear) and lie thought that
In oonasetioi himself with this Ineetution ekould he
furthering Asir individual welfare, as well ea their
colleen's prosperity. (Appleton) It wont(' he on.
neeenerr, and a work of rkiwrirolatain in him, to en-
ter lab tM privileges of this useful emanation, He
.oMIsUy *sailed them for the support aad melatanee
red they had rende him in presiding at ate mia
ww, on. mages• a lisan on kW
Mr, howl) *eked him te tiMelless, a e
perhaps have been PoibM Wen. aa it Jul

now to some meniben es to whether they oould make It
convanlunt to go to the doutb Weidern Hallway at 8
&cluck to meet one of the beroes of Luoknow (loud
cheers), •gentlionsit who 1444 been coneeniud in the
heroic defence of Lucknow, (Captain Weeton,) brother
of Mr. woscon, of thie town, and who used to be well
known to several proaeut. That gentleman had beim
absent from his (mouthy many years, end during the
whole of the siege of Luoknow he endured the !inmost
privation*, eating still with the 'Await heroism and
shivalry, which did honour not only to him but to the
town with which he we. ounueuted. (Clieers,) The
Ulielrilien hoped lilt amid betted. convenient Mel the
hrutherhood would meet end give Captain Weelon
• lieerty welocifie 44 Inhabitants of this town, and the
01141401411 liNl4l4lil, will. three tim.. three, good health
to Ouptein Wvaton, (Ti,. limit We. drunk In the mud
VuedePo44 4417111ef, with " One sheer mute for them left
behind.")
Mr. ie, Heiler, maid he hid the honour to propos, the
health of a gentlemen who WA4 universally respeetml,
and whose apothem a( monger mid Inert otraid no4l
oWI lit. seteem of all—he 4111;44 to William •
Ijn Id, boi., the Meyer of this borough, (Chevron r,
owl /eve "The health of the Moyer and Corporation
Hortheeter," itito guided with the tout the WAWA
of Mr, Coombe, (The health e 144 duly responded to,
The iinthllng ea the @lily eorporittor preselt,
aknowl the eoutnent end
_propoeed the hie th
%then illiajp% i„ bridellud, who klit ly
s. .1, moiety Wu lepton dam for their denionetru
lion, Three time* th
Tee MADMAN give ni, e..„1 rinit Ntei /Ay in
end afterwerds propond the " Adige,"
He wee mire there we, no Ogild Fellow present who
would not heartily reepond to the tout, Of eke he multi
be a very " odd fellow" indeed, The (Naimoli; wished,
with Pefleffl to the lutes, that their Otitis might bq
illionolive or their political. and their fault. cc final' ai
tht
slitionete, Odind laughter and sheen.)
ther thie reeponded in 11111t104/01411 mm uen
be elf of the ladiee,
rather betiding thoft inquired who were willing to
efid Meet thiptelti Wooten? end hie angry via: itral
by lute of uplifted hand., num whigh annorn 111111
they intended to seeeilible el Without seven or the
pupae,
The " tfeelth of the Committee and Mimagers" and
" The Prim" were enheequently given, and the party
broke tip 'bout 0 o'shiek.
By tills Moe the ground. had bumf; tenanted by a
neintior of gaily dueled ladies, and visitor. thrtmged
tepidly in, After Um bad bun partaken of by genie,
daneitig sommeneed on the lawn and way kepi up with
little 1111,1111Weliffl till JO e'elusk. Some crieketiing woe
indulged in bye few of the " odd" fraternity In a part of
the grounds, whilst Ohara sestW Ihininelviim In the
Iliefittee and enjoyed a 11111. singing, The Nene who
very gay throughout the evening, and a very delightful
linie wag tamed by the.. preeent, itefreshwente were
readily obtaineble front brother Miles, Welispritra'ai hand
played to the seliefaution of everaboly, coil 41111411101 elf
in the mom pleaeing way, and tutu, which will make the
Odd Yellows ifte looked forward to with Might
pation fur the future. noon after 10 Wollaston House
'minds were ones more toilet and blowout olvieitore,
The prommillngs Attobtl4lll upon the reception of
Captain Weston are recorded on our fourth page. A
yenta' train fruit Southempton by the liouthMestern
Ninthly brought emerge timber of visitors to the town
end brethren to the proaseslon, and probably inure of
the fraternity would have onto but for the reotot de.
inonstrations at Wartheul and elsewhere.