The New York herald., 1868-05-21
THE ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST SOCIETY.

Colonel F. Boucher President Of the st. John the
Baptist Society," OF this city last evening delivereh
In the French language, lecture on The history OF
the society since its foundaton,n at Masonic Hall.
There was present q goodly assemblage Of ladies
and gentlemen. mostly French or of French extrac-
tion. In opening the lecture the Colonel said the
society was founded on the 2lst OF May, 1850, by
small "hand full" OF French Canadian laborers who
had left their native land enjoy the benefits OF
thorough freedom In the United States. The prlnci-
pal object OF the society was to serve as o sort OF
bond OF brotherhood by which all the French Cana
dams might be brought together as natives of q
common country, though In a land not their own.
II had been the aim OF the founders OF the society,
and 1t was still the aim Of its present
members, to make OF 1t an organization
altogether national In its character. Its promoters
had well understood that in the formation OF the
association they could not have q more noble end in
view than that OF inspiring all Frenchmen who came
to this country with the utmost veneration for the
republic and the propagation OF democratic ideas
Still the wisdom OF its founders had carefully ex-
cluded from Its councils everything that could be
looked upon as simply political or sectional In re-
lead to conflict OF opinion or wound the most
liberal or conservative mind. The society, there
fore, made no appeal IN It's workings to mere pas
sion or to the passing whims OF the day, but ap-
peaed directly to the hearts ol those who were
READY TO 40 good good S could oe aone
political status among its members. Bound by
ties OF true brotherhood, the members OF
the society were ever ready to succOr the needy and
wherever there was suffering, wherever good work
could be done, wherever wanderer from the soil
from which the members had ali q common origin
was found In want there went the society," through
Its charitable insrumentalitles. And why this read
ness to go to the aid OF the needy this ever willing
spirit to do good? Because every member had left
behind him in his country the sweetest OF souvenirs
OF all that bound a man to the home OF his child
hood The exile ever had in some recess OF his
sure he may have suffered much In his country, but
he loves her all the more for the sake OF that suffer-
ing, and the happiness he enjoys afar from the
home OF his childhood only makes his heart
yearn with more tenderness to the familiar
principal figure It was on the 9th of May 1850,
that the French Canadians Of this city assembled
together in the Hotel de Paris at that time situated
there formed the design OF organizing ths society,
which was fully organized twelve days afterwards.
They had many difficulties to contend against In
their efforts and how successful they have been,
and on what strong foundations they had builded,
the present nourshlng condition OF the association
amply testified. AT its first meeting there were
thirty-three regular members. The founders were
careful not to be unmindful OF the traditions and
religious practices OF their c0untrymen at home,
and celebrated in auspicous manner the Feast
OF st. John the Baptist the 24th Of June, $780,
emn high mass having been performed at the French
church, followed by banquet at Frenclfahotel on
the evening OF the same day. The founders OF the So
ciety did not in its first celebration give 1t out
that every member should attend the solemn services
At the church. but left every member to attend or not
as he pleased thus giving evidence that in crossing
the boundary lines that separate Canada from the
Union they had breathed freely OF the pure air OF in
dividual Independence, and showed themselves
worthy OF becoming citizens OF the greatest nation
on earth. There were only two conditions necessary
qualify applicant for membership In the society,
to have been born in Canada to be an honest man,
whether Catholic or a MahOmnedan made no diff
ference. At the first banquet OF the society there
were sixty-six Canadians present. In the second
year Of It's existence delegation from the ST. John
the Baptst's Society Of Quebec, was received by the
society and cOurtesies were exchanged between two
nations one day to be made one grand
nation under the same benign government.
Courteous interchanges were made by delegations
from year to year between the society and the
various societies of Montreal and other places in
Canada and gradually 1t rose to Importance In the
eyes OF the Canadian people. or late years espe-
cially had the society grew stronger In its strength
and been reinforced in numbers by the accesslons OF
several young men from Canada all filed with the
spirit that necessary for every man to be filed
to carry out faithfully the objects the society had In
view. AS 1t now was the society was nourishing
had funds in bank and was daily doing an almost
incaculabe amount Of good, and had the satisfac-
ton OF feeling that its efforts to incucate In the
mind OF every Canadian In this country q devotion
TO the government Of the Union and veneration
for republican institutions had been crowned by CON-
plete success.