Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-09-06
GOOD TEMPLARS OF LONDON.


lars mas Delu It's session III l4ouuou, LHSiauu,
and the delegates are now returning. Three
came on the Alabama. About sixty in all
proceeded from this country, including DR..
Cunningham from California, Maj. Under
wood from Kansas, Rev. J. NJ. lesrnshaw
from Nebraska, to say nothing of representa-
tives from the Middle and Eastern States.
One of the men from Canada is a fall, Hooded
Indian, who stands at the head of the order in
that province, and is finished scholar as
well as polished gentleman. Amerscs was
not only represented in this extensive taiy
but Australia and many parts Of Earepe,
Another year, delegations may he expected
from New Zealand, India, China and lApso,
In the southern portion Of this country the
order does not so much prevail, and even the
few small Grand Lodges in operation are like
~ to dissolve their connection with the order.
This step impeuds from the fact of the X. w.
G.. Lodge just refusing TO accede to their de-
n,and to revoke the charters of black lodges
instituted before the grand lodges in those
States were formed. The order has become
so widely spread that it has been urged to
constitute America, Great Britain etc, each
Worthy Grand Lodges, each to carry on its
own matters in its own way, but this PROPOSE
ton met not with favor at this session, SO its
cosmopolitan character remains unchanged.
The order seems adapted to Great Britain,
and is gaining in popularity there every day.
During the brief space of only about four
years since it was introduced into England it
has numbered 10 900 lodges and in the other
kingdoms proportionately. The city of Glas-
cow alone numbers four hundred lodges.
Many of these are made up of persons Of the
same class or avocation, as for instance, four
lodges are all carriers, five are all shoemak-
templars received the American delegation
was unbounded. A crowd Of these in full re-
gala awaited the Americans at the wharf and
took them in carriages through the city as a
preliminary to a public reception. At that
reception the large city hall was densely
| packed to welcome the American cousins.
At the speeches of Rev. John Russell, the II.
G. w. C. T., Chase, Black and others, found.
ers of the order, to say nothing of the speech
| of Mrs. Brown of Ohio, G. w. c. T. of that
State, the welkin rang at the enthusiastic APP
| plauee, and he cries of ''IIear, Hear" (pe-
| culiar to Great Brittany was heard from all
parts of the hall. There is certainly heart
mess about British cheering which is rarely
heard in this country. After the reception
the American delegation divided up into
squads Of some three or four each, and pro.
ceeded to leading points according to pro-
gramme, en- route to London for the purpose
of addressing audiences. In all the meet
ings the same enthusiasm Of their first recep-
ton continued, in considerable of which
participated. The session in London was
held in High Holborne Theatre and continued
about a week. S. Hastings of Wisconsin
was elected r. G. w. C. T.; Robert Simp-
son of Glasgow, Councillor; Mrs. Anna
Wiechman of Philadelphia Vice Templar, and
Br. Williams of Ontario Secretary. Br.
Van Doom of Illinois, was reelected Treas.
Among the distinguished visitors who came
in during the session, was Hon. Neal Dow,
who is spending period of time in London
and vicinity. A committee was appointed to
wait on Lord Gladstone and express to him
the greetings Of this body, expressing its OBJ
ject and success, but his Lordship was sick
at the time proposed for our visit, and we did
not 60. The publicity, however, given to the
plan of our going will probably secure as much
valuable result as though we had actually
gone. The large tea-meeting at the rooms of
the "Alliance" was the last gathering at
tended in London. The Alliance has its gen.
ial old gentlemen, who know how to conduct
we'll anything of that kind, and in their ad-
dresses we Good Templars were kindly be-
spoken and in our replies we sought kindly
to bespeak. should guess that there is not
severe hostility between these different wings
of the temperance army in Great Britain, but
l should also guess that there was full more
than is healthy. The temperance people in
London and vicinity have grand fete in June
each year, at the Crystal Palace. This time
our r. W. G. Lodge had special invitation
and omnibuses were sent to take us over the
fourteen miles of road. We were first enter
tanned by singing from five thousand children.
These were Bands of Hope and their songs
were mostly of temperance. Their singing
was interpreted with manual exercises, the
precision and amusing effect of which have
never seen equalled. In the afternoon ten
thousand fresh young singers from London
came on and took the place of the five thou
sand of the morning and with renewed vigor
the singing continued The Crystal Palace
is the repository of many rare and valuable
works of art especially in statuary, so that a
visit there is we'll repaid any day. This day,
however was an extraordinary day as the at
tendsnce of the many thousands went to
show. This was said to be a remarkable day
also from the fact that no intoxicating liquors
were sold about the Crystal Palace but only
tea, csffee and lemonade. To Britisher this
is fact of special note. To us it seemed
not only an ordinary feature but just what
ought to be all the time. One thing peculiar
about tho lemonade of that country is that it
is bottled, the uncorking of which is attended
vii no tba of