Grand Orange Lodge of Ontario West
Newspaper Articles > The Wingham Advance, Wingham, Ontario, March 12th, 1903
The meeting of the Grand Orange Lodge of Ontario West in Wingham this week is a matter of interest, not only to members of the Order, but to the public generally. Hence, a few words on the history of the organization may prove of interest to our readers.
Over seventy-three years ago, Ogle R. Gowan and a few of the loyal citizens of Brockville established the first Orange Lodge in British America. It was known as L.O.L. No. 1 and is still in existence. From that small beginning in 1829, the organization has grown, until it now numbers over 200,000 members, 1800 Primary lodges, 180 District, over 100 County, and ten Provincial Grand Lodges.
Like every new organization, progress was slow for a few years, but gradually the Order grew and extended its influence, until in 1850 it was recognized as an influential society in Canada.
The first Grand Lodge was formed in 1830, but as the Order grew, one Grand Lodge was found to be insufficient and unsatisfactory, and in 1860 a system of Provincial Grand Lodges was devised. There are now ten of these, this province having two - Ontario East and Ontario West - the one holding its session this week in Wingham.
There is also the Triennial Council of Orangemen of the World, composed of the Grand Lodges of Ireland, England, Scotland, South Africa, Australasia, British America and the United States.
Perhaps no organization has been more misrepresented or misunderstood than the Orange Association. It stands for the defence of the Bible, loyalty to the Throne, the civil and religious rights of the citizens of every religious persuasion. In the words of the late Hon. Clarke Wallace:
"The Orange Association lays no claim to exclusive loyalty, or exclusive Protestantism; but it admits no man within its pale whose principles are not loyal and whose creed is not Protestant. Disclaiming an intolerant spirit, the Association demands as an indispensable qualification, without which the greatest and wealthiest may seek admission in vain, that the candidate shall be deemed incapable of persecuting or injuring anyone on account of his religious opinions; the duty of every Orangemean being to aid and defend all loyal subjects of every religious persuasion in the enjoyment of their constitutional rights."
The present is the 44th annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ontario West. The officers are:
There are ten Deputy Grand Chaplains, two of who are Rev. E. A. Hall and Rev. William Lowe of Wingham.
Provincial Grand Black Lodge
Wingham Primary Lodge No. 794 made every possible preparation for the reception of the Grand Lodge. Receptionand decoration committees were not idle and the auditorium of the Town Hall was prettily decorated. On Tuesday, members of the Provincial Grand Black Chapter arrived and held their first session at 3:30pm. Routine proceedings occupied the afternoon. The Grand Registrar presented the annual report, showing the Royal Black institution in a flourishing condition, preceptories showing increased membership the past year.
The municipal address of welcome was presented by a committee from the Town Council, also an address from the county lodges of Huron and Perth.
The Grand Master's annual address was delivered at the evening session, after which an adjournment was made to attend a banquet at the Broadway House.
Tuesday Evening's Banquet
In the evening of Tuesday the County Lodge of North Huron and the Primary Lodge of town tendered a Banquet to the Grand Black. It was held at the Broadway House, where nearly one hundred guests enjoyed a tastily-prepared supper, indeed its excellence was commented on by the Sir Knights. It certainly reflected credit on the host and hostess.
Supper over, the program followed and Bro. A.H. Musgrove, as Chairman, extended to visitors, the cordial greetings of the County Lodge of North Huron and Primary Lodge No. 794. The following was the program of toasts, with the names of those who replied:
The Banquet was most successful, the visitors voting it one of the most enjoyable evenings they had ever spent at Grand Lodge.
On Wednesday, the delegates came in by the score. A special parlor C.P.R. car brought part of the Toronto delegation, and members of the Order soon had possession of our town.
On reassembling of the Sir Knights, on Wednesday morning, the several reports of the standing committees were presented and were highly satisfactory and congratulatory of the part year's work. William Lee, P.G.M. of B.A. was called to the chair and conducted the election and installation of officers, which resulted as follows:
The Provincial Grand Black Chapter then closed.
General regret was expressed at the retirement of Sir Knight Edward Medcalf, who was the trusted and faithful Treasurer for many years.
Provincial Grand Lodge
In the afternoon, the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ontario West began its 44th annual meeting with Grand Master John McMillan, in the chair.
The business of the afternoon was chiefly the appointment and work of committees, and addresses.
Evening Meeting
In the evening, one of the largest audiences ever seen in the Town Hall assembled. Long before the hour for the commencement of the meeting every seat was occupied, and by 8 o'clock there was scarcely even standing room. Provincial Grand Master McMillan presided.
Mayor Vanstone, in well-chosen words, extended the cordial welcome of the Town to the Grand Lodge delegates.
The list of speakers was so lengthy that the addresses were necessarily brief. They referred chiefly to the principles of the Order, and all were more or less congratulatory of the audience, full of patriotism, and appreciative of the pleasing and hearty welcome accorded the delegates by the town.
The speakers were:
The speakers were listened to with great attention.
Miss W. Alba Chisholm, Miss Kaiser, Miss Griffin, Miss Reid, Bro. E.J. Miller of Shallow Lake, Bro. White (St. Mary's) and George Oline, kindly remembered vocal selections which were appreciated. Mr. Cline's "Rule Britannia" was loudly encored.
The cordial reception of the delegates and the success of the gathering was very pleasing to the officers and delegates.
At a late hour, the interesting meeting closed with the National Anthem and the Benediction.
Space on Thursday morning will not permit a sketch of the addresses.
Over seventy-three years ago, Ogle R. Gowan and a few of the loyal citizens of Brockville established the first Orange Lodge in British America. It was known as L.O.L. No. 1 and is still in existence. From that small beginning in 1829, the organization has grown, until it now numbers over 200,000 members, 1800 Primary lodges, 180 District, over 100 County, and ten Provincial Grand Lodges.
Like every new organization, progress was slow for a few years, but gradually the Order grew and extended its influence, until in 1850 it was recognized as an influential society in Canada.
The first Grand Lodge was formed in 1830, but as the Order grew, one Grand Lodge was found to be insufficient and unsatisfactory, and in 1860 a system of Provincial Grand Lodges was devised. There are now ten of these, this province having two - Ontario East and Ontario West - the one holding its session this week in Wingham.
There is also the Triennial Council of Orangemen of the World, composed of the Grand Lodges of Ireland, England, Scotland, South Africa, Australasia, British America and the United States.
Perhaps no organization has been more misrepresented or misunderstood than the Orange Association. It stands for the defence of the Bible, loyalty to the Throne, the civil and religious rights of the citizens of every religious persuasion. In the words of the late Hon. Clarke Wallace:
"The Orange Association lays no claim to exclusive loyalty, or exclusive Protestantism; but it admits no man within its pale whose principles are not loyal and whose creed is not Protestant. Disclaiming an intolerant spirit, the Association demands as an indispensable qualification, without which the greatest and wealthiest may seek admission in vain, that the candidate shall be deemed incapable of persecuting or injuring anyone on account of his religious opinions; the duty of every Orangemean being to aid and defend all loyal subjects of every religious persuasion in the enjoyment of their constitutional rights."
The present is the 44th annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ontario West. The officers are:
- R.W. Grand Master - John McMillan (Toronto);
- R.W. Deputy Grand Master - J.H. Scott (Kincardine);
- R.W. Junior Deputy Grand Master - E.T. Essery (London);
- R.W. Grand Chaplain - Rev. H.C. Dixon (Toronto);
- R.W. Grand Treasurer - E.F. Clarke (Toronto);
- R.W. Grand Secretary - W. Lee (Toronto);
- R.W. Grand Lecturer - R.H. Watson (Toronto); and
- R.W. Grand Director of Ceremonies - William White (Mitchell).
There are ten Deputy Grand Chaplains, two of who are Rev. E. A. Hall and Rev. William Lowe of Wingham.
Provincial Grand Black Lodge
Wingham Primary Lodge No. 794 made every possible preparation for the reception of the Grand Lodge. Receptionand decoration committees were not idle and the auditorium of the Town Hall was prettily decorated. On Tuesday, members of the Provincial Grand Black Chapter arrived and held their first session at 3:30pm. Routine proceedings occupied the afternoon. The Grand Registrar presented the annual report, showing the Royal Black institution in a flourishing condition, preceptories showing increased membership the past year.
The municipal address of welcome was presented by a committee from the Town Council, also an address from the county lodges of Huron and Perth.
The Grand Master's annual address was delivered at the evening session, after which an adjournment was made to attend a banquet at the Broadway House.
Tuesday Evening's Banquet
In the evening of Tuesday the County Lodge of North Huron and the Primary Lodge of town tendered a Banquet to the Grand Black. It was held at the Broadway House, where nearly one hundred guests enjoyed a tastily-prepared supper, indeed its excellence was commented on by the Sir Knights. It certainly reflected credit on the host and hostess.
Supper over, the program followed and Bro. A.H. Musgrove, as Chairman, extended to visitors, the cordial greetings of the County Lodge of North Huron and Primary Lodge No. 794. The following was the program of toasts, with the names of those who replied:
- The King, Singing the National Anthem - Rev. E.W. Hughes;
- Our Charter, Silent - The Provincial Grand Black Chapter, Worshipful Master Dunlop and District Grand Master J. Wilson;
- Song - Bro. White, St. Mary's;
- The Provincial Grand Lodge - Grand Master McMillan;
- Song - Bro. Land;
- Canada, Song "The Maple Leaf Forever.";
- Addresses - Bro. Lockhart and Grand Chaplain Walsh;
- Recitation - R.A. Douglass;
- The Army and Navy - Lieut. Col. Belcher;
- Song - Bro. White;
- The Press - Bros. A.M. Todd, Goderich Star; T. Hall, Wingham Advance; W. Banks, Toronto Globe.
The Banquet was most successful, the visitors voting it one of the most enjoyable evenings they had ever spent at Grand Lodge.
On Wednesday, the delegates came in by the score. A special parlor C.P.R. car brought part of the Toronto delegation, and members of the Order soon had possession of our town.
On reassembling of the Sir Knights, on Wednesday morning, the several reports of the standing committees were presented and were highly satisfactory and congratulatory of the part year's work. William Lee, P.G.M. of B.A. was called to the chair and conducted the election and installation of officers, which resulted as follows:
- Grand Master - W.J. Dunlop (Toronto);
- Deputy Grand Master - James Wilson (Petrolea);
- Associate Deputy Grand Master - John Scarlett (Leadbury);
- Grand Chaplain - Rev. W. Walsh (Brampton);
- Grand Registrar - Fred R. Parnell (St. Catherines);
- Grand Lecturer - Richard Thomposn (Rat Portage);
- Grand Censors - Hugh Hamilton (Toronto) and J. M. Coleman (Tara);
- Grand Standard Bearers - William White (Mitchell) and Robert Graham (Hamilton);
- Grand Treasurer - Lieut. Col. Belcher (Southampton);
- Deputy Grand Registrar - Albert Swinn (Guysboro);
- Deputy Grand Treasurer - William Forester (Toronto);
- Deputy Grand Lecturer - Charles Armstrong (Toronto);
- Grand Committee - A.W. Thompson (Aylmer), William Bowerman (Hamilton); Samuel Mahood (Wallaceburg); Dr. Buchanan (Cookstown); Thomas McClelland (Owen Sound), D.J. Patterson (London); Dr. J.S. Chisholm (Wingham).
The Provincial Grand Black Chapter then closed.
General regret was expressed at the retirement of Sir Knight Edward Medcalf, who was the trusted and faithful Treasurer for many years.
Provincial Grand Lodge
In the afternoon, the Provincial Grand Lodge of Ontario West began its 44th annual meeting with Grand Master John McMillan, in the chair.
The business of the afternoon was chiefly the appointment and work of committees, and addresses.
Evening Meeting
In the evening, one of the largest audiences ever seen in the Town Hall assembled. Long before the hour for the commencement of the meeting every seat was occupied, and by 8 o'clock there was scarcely even standing room. Provincial Grand Master McMillan presided.
Mayor Vanstone, in well-chosen words, extended the cordial welcome of the Town to the Grand Lodge delegates.
The list of speakers was so lengthy that the addresses were necessarily brief. They referred chiefly to the principles of the Order, and all were more or less congratulatory of the audience, full of patriotism, and appreciative of the pleasing and hearty welcome accorded the delegates by the town.
The speakers were:
- W.G.M & S. of B.A., T.S. Sproule M.P.;
- P.G.M. W.J. Parkhill;
- P.G. Chaplain of O.W. Rev. H.C. Dixon;
- P.G.M. E.T. Essery;
- Grand Chaplain of B.A. Rev. W. Walsh;
- P.G.M. D.M. Jermyn;
- D.G.C. Rev. William Lowe;
- Lieut. Col. Belcher; and
- Rev. R. Hobbs.
The speakers were listened to with great attention.
Miss W. Alba Chisholm, Miss Kaiser, Miss Griffin, Miss Reid, Bro. E.J. Miller of Shallow Lake, Bro. White (St. Mary's) and George Oline, kindly remembered vocal selections which were appreciated. Mr. Cline's "Rule Britannia" was loudly encored.
The cordial reception of the delegates and the success of the gathering was very pleasing to the officers and delegates.
At a late hour, the interesting meeting closed with the National Anthem and the Benediction.
Space on Thursday morning will not permit a sketch of the addresses.