WAS born at Manchester, on the 19th of July, 1801, and was initiated in the Ancient Britons' Lodge, Wrexham, on the 26th of November, 1821, and served the office of Secretary; afterwards joined the Nelson Lodge, Manchester, where he served almost every office belonging to that Lodge. A committee of information was established, which met one night each week, for twelve months, of which he became Secretary, and their labours were placed before the A. M. C. at Nottingham, in 1827; and afterwards filled the offices of his District and the Order. Mr. Ashhurst has attended ten Annual Moveable Committees, chiefly at his own expense; and has been a member of the Board of Directors for ten years, not having been out of office from the date of his initiation, until last year; and he is still ready to assist when his services are required by the Annual Moveable Committee. 4 Few men have passed through the various offices of the Lodge, the District, and the Order, with more credit to themselves, and advantage to the Institution, than Mr. John Ashhurst. To a steadfastness of purpose he added a suavity of manners rarely to be met with from those in office. He assisted, we believe, at the formation of the Board of Directors, and has ever since been one of its most zealous and consistent members. His situation as D. G. M. of the District was no sinecure. The then G. M. resided at a distance of four or five miles from Manchester, to whom, for form's sake, he had to make repeated visits, to take and give advice, and obtain the sanction and signature of his superior. To an industrious young man, time is money, and these journeys must have made considerable inroads on our friend's purse, to which he submitted with a cheerfulness and alacrity truly astonishing. Those only who witnessed his exertions, on these and such like occasions, as we have done, can form any just estimate of their value to the Order, which is now reaping some of the fruits of his sowing. It is but justice here to observe, that while Mr. Ashhurst was thus assiduously labouring in his vocation as an Odd Fellow, he never forgot the duties he owed to general society, and to himself. As a citizen and a tradesman he is generally esteemed and respected; and as a husband, a father, and a neighbour, he has few, if any, superiors. His whole conduct, in short, as an Odd Fellow and a man, has been irreproachable, and we firmly believe that there is not one of his brethren who does not most cordially wish him a long continuance of health, happiness, and prosperity. VOL. 6-No. 3-P. TO OUR READERS. WITH feelings of sincere pleasure, we again greet our numerous friends and readers, and congratulate them on the present position and future prospects of the Manchester Unity of the Independent Order; which, viewed in any light, cannot fail to make its members glory in its continued and still-increasing prosperity, and feel proud and happy in the knowledge and contemplation of its usefulness. Such feelings are ours, and knowing that our hearts beat in unison with those of thousands of our brethren on this subject, we are sure that even the most lukewarm of our readers will pardon us for again adverting in our quarterly address to the condition of our beloved Order, which is a subject, though much worn, is yet very far from being threadbare, as the following information will show. On the 1st of March, 1839, the number of Lodges in strict compliance was 1632; on the 1st of March, 1840, there were 2086, being an increase of 454 Lodges opened during the twelve months! The number of members good on the books of the various Lodges on the 1st of March, 1839, was 112,218; the number returned to the Board on March 1st, 1840, were 144,442, being an increase of 32,224 members in one year! An increase entirely unprecedented in the annals of this, or any other Society; an increase totally above the expectation of the most sanguine members of the Order, and which would almost exceed belief, were it not that the returns are authenticated by the principal officers of every Lodge and District in the Unity, who are held responsible for the correctness of such returns, and are liable to heavy penalties for any inaccuracies they may contain. Such being the fact, may we not feel proud at the pre-eminently exalted position in which our Order is placed?must we not exult in the knowledge that our philanthropic Order is based on the purest principles of brotherly love and charity! That our actions and our practices are generally in accordance with our professions and our promises,-that the value and usefulness of our Institution are becoming so much understood, and so justly appreciated throughout the kingdom, that thousands are every month joining our ranks, and unfurling the banner of Odd Fellowship in places where the name of Odd Fellow was scarcely known, but where the sacred principles of Friendship, Love and Truth had only to be explained and exemplified in our good works, to induce the friends of mankind to come forward and support the cause of humanity,-to sow the seeds of philanthropy in hitherto barren ground, but which the exertions of the labourers in the field of Odd Fellowship, aided by Divine providence, we doubt not, will ere long produce abundant fruits of benevolence and charity in the hour of sickness and in the time of trouble. In connection with this subject we will here state, that the A. M. C. held at York, in last Whitsunweek, has passed resolutions allowing the Manchester Unity to be extended to Dublin and the principal cities and towns in Ireland, thus affording opportunities long desired of enabling our members who may have occasion through business or pleasure to visit our beautiful but unfortunate sister Isle, to meet with brethren there, and shake the hand of friendship with the brave and hospitable sons of Erin. The A. M. C. likewise granted leave for a Dispensation to be sent to Hamburg, on the application of several past officers and hrothers residing there. Thus, then, is the first step taken towards extending our Unity on the Continent of Europe. In the year 1824, the United States of America received a Dispensation from Manchester, on precisely a similar application, and look now at their numbers and respectability,-the whole country almost is peopled with Odd Fellows! May we not, then, expect a relative degree of prosperity for our brethren in Germany? Is it too much to hope that they will persevere in the good cause, and extend the blessings of our philanthropic Institution to all who may desire to inculcate the principles of peace and good will? From the contents of various letters that have been received by the Directors and others, it is very probable that application will be made at the next A. M. C. for a Dispensation to be sent to Australia, or New South Wales; and if so, we see no reason to doubt there being one allowed, or that the Order will flourish there, and become another link in the great chain of our Union; thus connecting in the bonds of Friendship, Love, and Truth, the British Isles, the Continents of America and Europe, the town of Gibraltar, and the very extensive British Colonies of New South Wales, &c.; all having their origin in the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows! Is this reflection calculated to cheer and urge us on in promoting to the utmost of our power the best interests of the brotherhood? Is it sufficient to make us feel proud, and glory in belonging to such an Institution? May we not boast, and justly too, of the vast extent of our Order, which is in reality extending "its branches from pole to pole!" Nor does our gratification receive any alloy from the funds being deficient at the present time, or likely to become so; for we have now a General Fund of the Order, (which can only be appropriated by the A. M. C., and which is entirely apart from, and independent of, all the various Lodge, District, and Funeral Funds throughout the Order,) amounting to £6179. 8s. 2d., having increased during the last eleven months, £955. 11s. 1d., after paying all the general expenses, salaries, gifts, &c., of the Order, which amount to 1898. 5s. 9d., and profits of the Magazines sold in 1838, paid over to the Widow and Orphans' Funds, amounting to £251 4s. 2d., which added together shew a gross income of £2106. 1s. Od. of which, not a penny is received through compulsion, in the shape of tax or levy being made on the members; the whole amount being raised from the profits on Dispensations and other goods sold to Districts by the Board of Directors. We will not multiply words and sentences to express our opinions more fully than we have done; but will merely say, that the Deputies attending the last A. M. C. were so perfectly satisfied with the proceedings of the Directors for the past year, that the Committee unanimously and with acclamation passed a vote of thanks to them for their services. Nor did we come off altogether free from praise, for it is due to the Deputies that we should here modestly record an unanimous vote of thanks passed for our past services in conducting this Magazine; and though they did not fully consider our recommendations as given in the last number of the Magazine, on account of time, they yet so far acknowledged the principle we there laid down of appointing a salaried editor, that they have allowed the Magazine Committee £20. as a remuneration for its management during the next twelve months; and further, that the next A. M. C. do fully consider the future government, &c., of the Magazine. We hope our friends from various parts, who have sent us such gratifying accounts of the progress of the Order in their respective Districts, will excuse us only giving a mere outline of a few of the principle events, as the insertion of the whole would fill more than a Magazine. On the 25th of March last the members of the Hull District invited their wives and sweethearts to a tea-party and ball, when no less than 485 females sat down to a very excellent tea in the assembly rooms, and afterwards with their male partners, numbering about 1000 persons, tripped "it on the light fantastic toe till a late hour in the morning. The members likewise had a benefit at the Theatre, the proceeds of which, together with the overplus of the tea-party and ball, amounted to about £150., which was devoted to the increase of the Widow and Orphans' Fund of the Hull District. The anniversary of the Bradford District took place on Easter Tuesday, when the members went in procession to the parish church, where the Rev. Vicar of the parish, Dr. Scoresby, preached an excellent sermon; on which occasion the collection and subscription of the members amounted to about £60., which was given to the Bradford General Infirmary. After the sermon, the members dined in their magnificent hall, and had for their guests, the Rev. Vicar and another minister, the two members of Parliament for the borough, and about a dozen of the magistrates and principal gentlemen in the neighbourhood, most of whom expressed their satisfaction at the proceedings, and offered themselves as candidates for the honour of being admitted members of the Order. We regret that we cannot give some of the speeches at length, as they were of a deeply interesting character; indeed, the whole proceedings went off in such a manner as will leave an impression on the minds of all who were present. We cannot refrain from giving one or two short extracts of the sentiments expressed during the evening. The Rev. Dr. Scoresby said, "the rules of the Order, without any exception, were drawn up wisely and judiciously, and calculated to perform great good." J. Rand, Esq., a magistrate, thus concluded his observations-" Long may such principles as have been developed this night, characterise the Odd Fellows of England! steadily may they be defended, for I feel assured that in their train will follow every lovely virtue, every lively grace, and everything calculated to exalt and adorn a nation." Robert Baker, Esq., of Leeds, in the course of a very excellent speech, said—“ I drew out last night a moral table, having reference to the 140,000 members composing our Order, and I would here ask the magistrates present, who are familiar with crime,-I would ask, in the face of the world, if there is any other 140,000 men who can show the same statistics of crime? Why, how many men do you think have been expelled for one fault and another? Not one in a thousand! One hundred and eighteen and no more! (repeated cheers.) Of this number, fifty-five were expelled for taking the money of the Order contrary to rule, when they were well enough to maintain themselves; thirty-three because they were drunken and disorderly characters, (hear, hear,) and twenty-two only, now mark the fact, for that is the fact to which I wish to draw your attention,twenty-two only for violation of the laws of their country, (loud and repeated cheers.) I do appeal to this fact with confidence and satisfaction, when only twenty-two have been excluded with laws so strict as ours; and remembering that nine-tenths of those are of the working class, where instruction is comparatively little known,-where science never goes,-where the light of literature and learning never dawns upon them,→ I ask whether this twenty-two in 140,000 is not a slight item?" The chairman, Mr. J. A. Cooper, refuted the charge that some illiberal parties had brought against them of being infidels and republicans. "If," said he, "to distribute charity with unsparing hands,-if to fear God, and honour the queen,-if to do unto others as we would they should do unto us, is infidelity, then I admit we are the veriest infidels in the world." And concluded by reading from a paper the following lines : "Our laws are good, our precepts truly pure, We love our neighbour, and we love our God." Whit Tuesday was a high day amongst the Odd Fellows at Halifax, when the new and magnificent ball just erected for the Order was formally opened. The hall is a magnificent building, decidedly the largest and most convenient for all public purposes of any in Halifax, and the internal arrangements no less than the taste displayed in the external parts of it, prove the abilities of Mr. C. Child, the architect, to be first-rate. The imposing front is after the Corinthian style of architecture, with four massive fluted pillars, the grand entrance being up a splendid staircase into the large hall, and quite separate and distinct from the hotel which forms a part of the same building. About six hundred persons can dine in the hall, being within the wall 77 feet 9 inches, by 38 feet 1 inch; the ceiling is 25 feet high. In all there are three distinct buildings, viz:the large hall and hotel, which stands upon a piece of ground measuring 52 yards, by 213; the stables and a large club-room, upon 26 yards by 21; and the brewhouse, &c., upon 10 yards by 214. The cost of the whole is about £8000. The foundation stone was laid by George Pollard, Esq., of Stannary Hall, on Whit Tuesday, 1838, and was opened on Whit Tuesday, 1840; on which occasion there was a procession, and about 2,000 members were present, and an excellent sermon preached in the parish church, by the Rev. Charles Musgrave, D.D., and a collection made in aid of the funds of the General Infirmary, which amounted to £25. 6s 6d., but this sum was considerably augmented by donations from various Lodges. Upwards of 1,300 tickets were sold for the dinner, the party being accommodated three different times, when several excellent speeches were made, and did not break up until a late hour. We doubt not but our readers will be highly pleased with the above brief statement, and join us in our satisfaction at the increased desire of our brethren to have buildings of their own, in which they can meet and transact their business, and likewise at the increasing desire of the more wealthy classes of society to be better acquainted with us and our principles. It augurs well; and we know of no better mode of creating "peace and good will to all men," than in the clergy, the magistrates, and other gentry joining our standard, supporting our funds with their superfluous wealth, and placing themselves in our Lodges on an equality with the humblest artisan; the good effects of which we have seen in our own District, where very respectable gentlemen, manufacturers, &c., have joined our Lodges, amongst whom is an alderman and magistrate for the Borough of Manchester, and a county magistrate likewise. We hope our Order may continue to extend its benign influence alike to master and to man, creating in the one a wish to be kind and charitable to his workmen,-and in the other a certain sympathy, a brotherly feeling towards his employer, as will cause him to labour more honestly and zealously for his interests, knowing that he is thereby practising the principles of that Order which is his glory and delight. Hoping our numerous friends will continue to send their contributions, particularly original ones, we beg to subscribe ourselves, THE MAGAZINE COMMITTEE. |