The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-03-06 00:00:00

PRESENTATION TO AN ODD-FELLOW.

On Monday night last, a meeting was held at
the Duke William Inn, Coventry-street, for the
purpose of making a presentation to Mr. Ambrose
Hart, the respected Secretary of 'The Lord Hill
Lodge" of Odd-Fellows, M.U., which is held at
the above house. Mr. Hart has been connected
with Odd-Fellowship for a period of 48 years, and
during that time has rendered valuable service to
the cause by steadfast integrity of purpose, unceas-
ing industry, and disinterested self-devotion. The
members of the Order at length came to the con-
clusion that such an unexampled specimen of zeal
and devotion required recognition, and they there-
fore determined to make him a presentation of a
purse containing £22 103, and an address, as a
marl: of their appreciation of his conduct.
The presentation was preceded by an excellent
an substantial supper, which was served Up in a
first-class style by the worthy hostess, Mrs.
Compton. After the cloth was removed, Mr. W.
Edwards was voted to the chair, and there was a
large number of members and friends present.
Mr.; Edwards opened the proceedings by ex-
plaining the objects for which- they had met, and
pa,ed a high eulogium upon Mr. Hart, who was
to be the re,ipient of the testimonial. He referred
to his arduous and successful endeavours to estab-
lish Odd-Fellowship in this town. He also spoke
of the valuable services he had rendered on vari-
ous cominitteei. connected with the Order. He
had assisted him (the speaker) when he wss chair-
man of the Fetes Committee, and materially
helped to bring -them to a successful issue. The
Benevolent Fund of the Order had been benefited
by those fetes on two or three different occasions
to the amount of something like .2100. This fund
had been established with the object of helping
those lodges which were incapable of helping
themselves, and £122 7s had been already paid
out for this purpose. But spring time and sum-
mer time were coming, and if they could only pre-
vail on Mrs. Cochrane to let them again have the
use of her beautiful park and sheet of watee, they
would have good reason to hope they should be
able to add another £lOO to that fund—(cheers).
He concluded by expressing his warm attachment
to Mr. Hart, whom he had known for so long, and
whose services he so highly valued.
Mr. A. Wall sang "Odd Man's Out," with con-
siderable effect, and provoked much laughter by
his humorous recital of a German's adventures in
London. He was tremendously applauded at its
conclusion.

Mr. Jukes, Deputy Grand Master of the Dis-
trict, having been called upon to give a statement
of the financial position of the Order, next pro-
ceeded to address those present. He craved the
indulgence of the Chairman, as before he proceeded
to give the financial statement he wished to say a
few words upon a subject connected with Odd
Fellowship. He wished to indicate some of those
things which generally acted as the motive power
to induce men to join that society. As an intelli-
gent society they only wished to have intelligent
men amongst them, and he thought that before
he joined a friendly society every man should as-
certain for himself which was the most likely to
he the most permanent one, and would, therefore,
offer him the best support in ill health and old
age. There were societies such as the Royal
Liver and others, which, after a career of some
years had suddenly collapsed, depriving these who
belonged to them of the assistance which they had
a right to expect at the moment when most needed,
and destroying in one instant the savings of years.
He would without any further preamble say what in
his opinion was the reason their society flourished.
Their society was a secret society, and so was the
Foresters, Freemasons, Druids, and others. Those
so-called " secret " societies were little understood
by those individuals who used the word disparag-
ingly. One of the principal reasons for their so-
ciety being secret was that they had pass-words
woirt w..eild admit them to the lodges of the
Order ell over the world. The same pass-word
that gave admittance to a Lodge in Stourbridge,
was used for the same purpose wherever Odd-Fel-
lowship existed. If they went to Canada the same
pass-word was their only security against fraud
and imposition; and if they went to any of the
Colonies, the United States of America, or any
habitable part of the world, the same pass-word
would introduce them :to friends who would treat
them as brothers. That was the only reason why
the society enjoined secresy on its members, be-
cause the disclosure of that pass-word would ren-
der it valueless. Some persons had stigmatised
secret societies as so . many hot-beds of sedition
and sources of anxiety to "the powers that be."
Never was a calumny more unfounded. When
a new member was initiated he was instructed
that he would be expected to do nothing which
honour and integrity could not approve. There
was nothing in the sermon of the initiation cere-
mony of which they need be ashamed. They cared
not if all the world knew the formula of Odd.
Fellowship. He then quoted from the initiation
ceremony, which reminded them that they owed
their first duty to God. Their duty to their neigh-
bours enjoined them to do unto others as they
would have others do unto them. They were asked
to avoid intemperance, and were informed that no
indecent or blasphemous language was on any ac-
count permitted in the lodge room; neither was
the discussion of political or religious topics
allowed. Odd-Fellowship was described as the
neutral ground where the truly benevolent could
meet in amity. Odd Fellowship would always
teach them to do what was in their power to alle-
viate the distress of others. He (the speaker)
considered that language was sufficient to show
that Odd-Fellowship had nothing to be ashamed
of. So far from them being seditious, Odd-Fellows
were proud of their allegiance. He then went
into some statistical details with reference to the
position of the Order. On the Ist day of January
1874, there were 3527 lodges in the United King;
dom belonging to the Order, containing 481,630
members There had been initiated during the
past year in Great Britain, 31,771; increase in the
colonies during the year, 2,734; total, 516,134;
which was an increase of 6,413 on the previous
year. In 1873 the average rate per member in the
county is £6 15s 8d; in 1874 it was £7 4s 9d.
The average worth of each lodge per member is
about £lO per head. The amount expended in
sick benefits to members in the Stourbridge dis-
trict during the past twelve months was £1,117;
for funerals of members during the same time was
.£321. The Stourbridge district is now worth,
£11,605. The total worth of the Stourbridge dis-
trict in 1973 was £8699; for the present year the
amount was £11,605. He (Mr. Jukes) next referred
to the object for which they had inet that evening,
and after passing a high compliment upon Mr.
Hart for the uniform ability and integrity which
had characterised his long term of office, he said
he hoped ffie very fact of that testimonial being
presented, would act as a stimulus upon their
young members so as to induce them to try to
emulate the virtues of the recipient; and that it
would also serve to teach the elder brethren to give
their children a good education, and make them
an honour to themselves and to the Order—(great
applause).
Mr. Edwards said he was much obliged to Mr.
Jukes for his lucid statement as to the numerical
and financial position of the Order. They must
all he glad that Odd-Fellowship was making such
rapid strides all over the world. He then called
upon :Mr. T. Brown, District Grand-Master, to
make the presentation.
Mr. Brown remarked that they had heard the
statements that had been made that evening, and
were aware of the inducements to young men to
join their Order. On looking round that Board