Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-12-01
SAINT ANDREWS DAx.1,
Grand ban of she Caledonia society
CeIebraliOnal Masonic HAL.

The Caledonian Society Ct Nashville, in
accordance with their annual custom, cele-
brated the day of their patron Saint, by a
grand ball at Masonic Hall last night,
large number of the sons and daughters of
Caledonia being present on the festive oc-
casion The Masonic fraternity kindly
rendered their hall for the festivities. and
the votaries of fair Terpsichore whiied
ing enjoyment and pleasure
Before the dancing commenced, DR..
Blackie, President of the Caiedonian So
ciety made neat little speech, thus for
mally opening the exercises of tho even
ing.
ADDRESS OF WELCOME By DR. GEORGE
BLAcKIE.
Ladies and Gentlemen: As the repre-
sentative Of the Caledonians of Nashville,
it again becomes my pleasing duty to well
come you, upon this our annual celebration
of the Festival of st. Andrew And upon
this occasion it is also my duty to repeat TO
you briefly the old story which have fire.
quently told you before, upon similar &C.
casions-the story of st. Andrew, whose
memory we honor, and whose name we
bear. 1t has often been narrated, but it is
none the worse for being repeated.
| I had intended to refresh your memories
in regard to st. Andrews history, but my
friend Mr. Bell, of the UNION AND AMERI-
CAN, has anticipated me, and his account
in the morning paper have no doubt you
have all read. He has told you where st.
Andrew lived, where he came from and
| where he went to; that he was the first of
all the Apostles called to receive the min
] istry of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ;
that he came to Scotland in the early part
of the Christian era and preached christi
anity TO our a lcestors; that he hen went
on the continent of Europe and suffered
the punishment of martyrdom on the cross,
which WAS in the form of an X His bones
were afterwards disinterred and brought to
! Scotland, where the sacred relicts became
the object of as much religious worship as
the bones of the martyred Beckett, of Can
| terbury.
But this is the day of ST. Andrew, the
noble Apostle, the poor fisherman, who
has been chosen as the patron saint of our
country; and today, in all parts of this
land, from the far northern shores of Can
ada down to the Gulf of Mexico, and even
down to Chill and the Southern parts Of
Sonth America, wherever the SONS of old
Scotia are to be found, they are celebra-
ting the memory and noble deeds of their
patron saint.
In the name of the Caledonia Society,
We bid those of our guests who are not
Scots, hearty welcome. We are glad to
see you here, and trust you will enjoy
yourselves on this festive occasion.
Let rs remember that we are Scots; and
if st. Andrew could not boast, as st. Pat
rick did, that he was gentleman, he
could nevertheless say that he was good
and honest man. We are the sons and
daughters of Scotland; and we come here
honoring her customs and revering the
memory of the land whose bonnie blue
flag we hope some of us TO see again, by
and by. 1t is the land of which the post
sang
| - "Caledonia-stern and wild,
sieet muse for appetite child;"
Land of brown heath and shaggy wood,
Land OF the mountain and the flood.
DR.. B. concluded his remarks by tender
ing the thanks of the Caledonian Society
to the members of the NJ lsonic fraternity,
for the kindness shown the Society in
| GRANTING fhe uga of fine Hall