National Republican., 1875-12-02
ST. ANDREWS SOCIETY.
Sketch Of Its Kistory-Rsmarks Of President
VIM Saunders.

A. the twenty eighth annual banquet OF the ST.
Andrews Association Of this city, on Tuesday
night, the following interesting speech Of the
president, Mr.. VIM. Saunders, was made In refer
epee to the first regular toast:
The Soth day Of November Is registered In cal.
endars rs the festival o. st. AndreR, tbs apostle,
g. in Greece upon cross Of the form of the lett
X,Which is accordingly recognized as ST. Andrews
cross. Ssme relics Of this apostle were carried to
Scotland and deposited 10 q church built at .
place which was subsequently, land probably on
that account) known as st. Andrews; and St
Andrew in time came TO be considered as the
patron saint Of Scotland.
Scottish annals are very silent upon the subject
and in that country there Is but little If any, OBJ
% vance of that day. Prominence has been given
II by SoOtchmen in foreign countries, who selected
this as q fttinR day tor their annual friendly
meetings, and gave the name OF the patron saint
Of Scotland to their benevolent associations.
been in existence over two bundTed years its Oh.
leet being the same as those for which ST. An
drew's societies have been formed, and, although
IL dOes not bear the name, IL holds its aIiniver-
saries on st. Andrews Day.
St Andrews societies have been long estab-
lished in this country. The st. Andrews Society
of New York will to-day celebrate its one hun
dred and nineteenth anniversary. Instituted on
the 18th of November, 1756 with Philip Living
stone president, it has for over a century con-
tinued 20 help the unfortunate From its origin up
TO l774 find enrolled its presidents the names
of DR.. Adam Thompson. JOHN NORM Scott, An
X
Golden, Walter Rutherford, Peter Middleton,
Lord Dunmore, John Watts, William McAdam.
Lord Drummond. and David Johnston. During
the period of the Revolution the organization was
still maintained, although meetings were sus-
pended for several years, Mr.. Johnston acting in
The capacity Of president until 17s5, when the
Hon. Robert Il. Livingston was elected to that
position, which he retained for the next seven
years. and the society has continued in active ex-
istence to the present time.
The ST. Andrews Society Of Baltimore was In
stituted in 1905 and during the past thirty years
similar societies have increased not only in this
= country, but also in Scotland, their success and
popularity abroad as charitable relief societies
having induced their introduction and extension
there. That these societies would be measurably
more efficient If working under one common con-
stitution cannot well be doubted, and hope that
efforts will be made by this society to secure such
The st. Andrews Society of Washington held
its first annual meeting twenty years ago to-day,
solid and progressive fulfilling its mission to the
utmost extent Of its ability, and ever ready to
assist those worthy Of its charity.
The originator of our society, Mr.. W. r. Smith,
is with us tonight as sincerely active as ever in
its welfare, and jealous in furthering everything
pertaining TO its efficiency and success
Our motto, "Relieve the. Distressed briefly
indicates the objects Of our society," but on oocs-
sions such as this when we meet to exchange
friendly greetings and to ENJOY social converse old
memories ofthe past, and although, with some Of
at least, generation has come and gone since we
love to allow the memory occasionally 10 linger
upon the recollections of heathercovered hills and
grassy braes bespangled with buttercups and
daisies, the fragrant hawthorne that adorns the
banks of the peaceful stream, giving shelter and
shade to the modest violet, the sparkling primrose
hns SNOWY ,y oanTHl, tae cary 9anSo Inat comes
March with beauty" We again listen to the Joy
Gus carol of the lark in the balmy summer morn,
when natures face is fair, to whispering zephyrs
in the shady grove, where every woodland mur-
mur breathes OF poetry to the music of the swim
ping burnle," as it threads its course through
and frfv
of the mountain torrent. 'louping DER linn" and
cleaning in sunbursts through the leafy canopy Of
the forest wild, or we wander in thought to
"Hieland Hills" where each rugged crag, each
gstening crest has its traditional tale of the chiy
alrous daring Of 'belted knight and lady fair"
solve or romantic incident.
Neither do We forget 70 dwell for time upon
those less impassioned scenes, when sin life's
puld the gowans, or paid'lt in the burn frae
morning sun till dine. We recall the CLASSY pool
where VIC attempted
with ill-fashioned hook
To draw the incautious minnow from the brook"
We remember how valiantly we passed, in the
dusk, the Uncovered ruins that we had peopled
with elves and fniries and other imaginary beings
how we quickened our steps at fancied sounds,
courage up"
Nor can we forget If We would the surroundings
of our early homes
iThat cottage half empowered
With modest Jessanline, and that sweet spot
VI garden ground where, ranged In neat array.
Grew countless scents: the wallfower and the pink
And the thick thyme bush,
Where the old mulberry that shades the porch
Has been our JOY from very childhood up
And while these pleasing reminiscepces are in
cidental to our assOciating together at this time
let ms not forget the more immediate benevolent
purposes Of our society; let us not forget that
amid all that is bright and beautiful in nature
there are no beauties so grand, there are no flow
ers on earth that can compare with the blossoms
of good and charitable deeds, and that neither
heather-scented hill nor violet-scented meadow,
not even
Sabaen odor from the spicy shore
OF Araby the blest,"
is so fraught with such undylng fragrance as the
sweet smelling SAVIOR Of that pity which admins
tiers TO the wants of our friends and relieves the
distresses Of our fellow-men.