The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-12-22
FORESTERS' GALA NIGHT.
Speechmaking a Feature of a Very
Pleasant Dance at Woods Hall.

The reception and ball of the Grand
Court of New Jersey of the Ancient Order
OF Foresters at Woods Hall last night,
was largely attended. 1t was designed to
OF the season in this city. The grand
march was led by Supreme Chief Ranger
William A. kits of Brooklyn and Miss
Lavetta McCoobery, the sister of Alder
man joseph T. McCoobery, Grand Chief
Ranger of the. State Grand Court.
AN OPENING SPEECH.
Supreme Chief Ranger Kills halted the
grand march when the couples were
drawn upin lines. in company front to
use a military term, long enough to hear
him deliver this speech from the gal
lery;-
Ladies and Gentlemen:-At an assem-
bly, like this, having the beneficient pur-
poses which 1t has in view, it is gratifying
10 reallze that many others than those
directly connected with, its affairs have
willingly come to aid in obtaining the
means to make others happier.
ut is especially agreeable to observe
the presence of distinguished men and
highly esteemed public officials, cheer
fully disposed. to render assistance in
promoting SO great an object of mercy as
that of relieving the distress Of widows
and orphans. IL has been said that mercy
blesses him that gives as well as him that
receives, ana it is true.
1T will De expected that a few words
be said regarding the fraternity under
whose auspices we are gathered here.
The Order of Foresters was instituted In
Europe as far back as the eighteenth
century. the exact year being uncertain,
but l745 being most generally understood
as the period when 1t began. That is
nearly a century and a half & Today
we enjoy the fruits of It's long existence
and experience, in conjunction with our
modern knowledge and experience Of
society organization and society work,
which adds so largely to advantages and
strength of the Ancient Order of For
esters of America.
w are informed by tradition that the
order was founded upon a basis suggest
ed by the story of Robin and his merry
men, who were banded together for
mutual help and protection. His method
OF levylng contributors, however, was
different from that of the Foresters of
the present time, for he forced the
wealthy to pay tribute from their funds
to relieve those who were in distress and
worthy OF assistance. A closer relation
between our order and Robin Hoods
band is foundi in the names of q large
number Of courts, such as Courts Robin
Hood, Little John and Maid Marion,
some courts using the name of Sherwood
Forest, where the followers of Robin
Hood dweIt.
Royal Foresters was the original title
of the order. In 1884. the name was
changed to the Ancient Order of For
esters. In 1864. the fraternity was estab-
lished in the United States. in the city of
Brooklyn, and thereafter spread through
out our various States.
In 1889, the Subordinate Courts rati-
fed a change of the name of the Order in
The Itnjtan SfQtP4 tn that nf the a npinnt
Order of Foresters OF America, II I'M
der American and modern plans of GO
vernment, established thirteen Grand
Courts, one each in the States of New
York. New Jersey. Pennsylvania, Mas
sachusetts' oni Rhode Island st.s Con-
Minnesota, Missouri. Colorado and Cali
fornia. Like the United States of Amer
les, the Ancient Order of Toresters of
America Degan home rule with thirteen
Grand or State jurisdictions, and like the
United States of America, our progress
similarly promises to be eminent.
"Since 1889, the subordinate Courts in
four more Ststes have increased
sufficiently to establish four more Grand
Courts. There are now seventeen of
these State Courts, besides subordinate
courts, established in eleven other States,
and their number is rapidly multiplying.
lowing to the peculiar and special ad-
Vdubd&CS. lA0 OlQGI OAcES " U MSulOClSs
the full and free opportunity that Is &C.
corded to each and every one In manag-
ing its affairs under sound and we'll
founded regulations; the benefits guaran-
teed them, which they obtain as a matter
of right aud not as a matter OF charity,
the Ancient Order of Foresters of America
has become one of the most popular mu-
tual and benefit organizations in this
country. 1t now has on its rolls over one
hundred Thousand members in good
standing. It's disbursements amour to
over 5000, 900 annually for sick and fun
eral benefits and other benevolent pur-
poses, while the funds remaining on hand
amount to within a fraction of $500, 900.
FINALLY, in regard to it, we can apply
the words of the famous DIR. johnson in
spes, ng upon another subject-doub.-
lesg there might be a better Order, han
the Foresters of America, but doubtless
there is no better Order"
FEATURES OF H FETE.
At the intermlsslon, addresses were de-
livered by Adam Brown, Supreme Com
mander of the Knights of Sherwood
Forest and Supreme Chief Companion of
the Companion of the Forest and H.. W..
Drake, Supreme Pastor of the Ancient
Order of Shepherds. Among those
present were the following;Iofhcers
Joseph 7. McCoobery, Grand Chief
Ranger: Thomas B. O'Neill. Grand Sub
Chief Ranger; Justice Winfield S. Weed.
Grand Treasurer; F.. A. La Pointe, Grand
Secretary; John j. Cullen. Grand Record
ing Secretary; Frank McConnin, Grand
Senior Woodward; Thomas j. Lane.
Grand Junior W~oodward; Frederick Ber-
sey, Grand Senior Beadie: William II.
Frost, Grand Junior Beadle,
The following served on the Reception
Committee:-James f. G.Mealia. Past
Grand Chief Ranger, Chairman;
Thomas Mahoney. Townsend d. Baker,
Enoch Mountford, I. L. Newbery.
Eugene Stout, John L. Murray. NJ. F.
Heating. Ord Darling. Thomas B. Crotty.
James K. Murphy. John II Fisk, EDWARD.
A. Breusch, Morgan Ivory. Geo.J. Green,
John j. Dupuy, Francis q. Cogan, A. H.
Fletcher, A. G.. Gillette. John A. smith,
L. j. Griffin, Robert j. Power, Joseph
McCurnin, Michael Welsh. Thomas E.
Howe, James f. McNally and J. A. Nc
Kenna, s
Alderman Joseph L. McCoobery wa
floor director. and Thomas B. O'Neill aud
Frank McConvIn assisted him. Police
Captain John Il. Kelly was Chairman OF
the Floor Committee. Other members of
the Floor Committee were:-E. r.
Vessels, James L. Rickard, William
K. Saywell, William f. Beck,
r n. Duff. Daniel r. Cody. Thos. Row
nan. Joseph Shaw. VIM. Mitchell, Thos.
Ramsay. A. Ralston Gordon. Thos. H. La
vender, H. j. Burns. Aug. ~Schlendorf.