[From Rechabite History, 1911]

MEETING IN THE FREE TRADE HALL.

ADDRESS BY THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL.

Early in the evening of September 24th a- huge meeting was held m the Free Trade Hall, and was addressed by the Postmaster-General, the Righ Hon. Herbert Louis Samuel, M.P., Bro. David J. Shackleton, M.P. for the Clitheroe Division, and Bro. Rev. James, Cregan. Mr. Samuel was met at London Road Station at 4-45 by Bro. Councillor John Harrop, ex-Lord Mayor of Manchester (who was Mr. Samuel's host for the week-end), Richardson Campbell, H.S., and R. Bell, M.B,D.. who with the H.C.R., Bro. Alexander Thomson, of the U.K. Alliance, and other friends were afterwards entertained to dinner by- Bro. and Sister Harrop.

The Free Trade Hall was filled by an enthusiastic audience long before the meeting was timed to begin, and a first-class musical programme was contributed by the Manchester and District Band of Hope Choral Union (augmented by contingents from Rochdale, Macclesfield, etc.), under the able conductorship of Bro. W. Chandos Wilson. When the speakers took their places on the platform they were accorded an ovation, and Mr. Samuel was greeted with the singing of " He's a jolly good fellow " and three loud cheers.

The High Secretary, Bro. Richardson Campbell, announced that he had received congratulatory messages from the Denmark District, from the Hamburg District, and also a large number of telegram., from various Districts and members both at home and abroad wishing the Order all success, on this important occasion and increasing prosperity in the future.

The High Chief Ruler, who was most cordially received, then spoke from the chair as follows: Mr. Samuel, Sisters, and Brethren,-This is the Free Trade Hall, Manchester, and this is the 75th anniversary celebration-(cheers) culminating in Manchester to-day after many similar demonstrations on a smaller scale in the country. I am told I have to keep cool and speak slow. (Laughter.) I don't know whether I can manage it or not. (Laughter.) There are many milestones on the pathway of life. In some things they could strike a balance annually, but in an organisation like ours we have to look down a vista of years to be able to approximately estimate the value of everything. We can now look back for 75 years upon our Order's operations, and endeavour by that way to gauge the usefulness of the system. We have this day made a solemn pilgrimage to the shrine where the Order was founded, and we have offered words of thanks. giving in memory and veneration of the founders of the movement in Bolton Street. I am glad to say that the Districts have rallied to this celebration in a remarkable way. There has been no insincerity in the Districts in regard to the fidelity of this movement, and this gathering affirm:., the continued adhesion to the principles of the Order of all the people who have taken part in it, and all the people you represent here. (Applause.) It means not only a big demonstration; it means a further concentration in the work we are occupied with, and a determination to push forward in the future more vigorously than in the past.

The first procession of teetotallers ever held in Manchester was organised by the Pioneer Rechabites on January 1st, 1836. You have just taken part in the latest demonstration they have made, and it has been such a demonstration as has never before in the history of this country been put on the streets in any big city. (Cheers.) Looking back over those years, we can to-night recognise undoubted advances that have been made in the temperance movement and in our Rechabite movement. I have heard it said that there was less advance from the time of Nebuchadnezzar to the time of George Stevenson, the Northumberland engineer, than there has been since Stevenson's time to the present. I believe there is a good deal of truth in this. The advance in the Rechabite lines has been as startling as in any department.

When first started the founders took their stand upon Holy Writ, and the Order has been pushed forward by strong religious enthusiasm. It has derived its power from a strong faith in God and with a. determination to do all possible for the moral uplifting of the people. Numerically how do we stand? At the end of the first 25 years of the Order's history we had seven thousand members. At the end of the fifty years, when we had our jubilee in Exeter, there were about 100,000 members. On that occasion one of the speakers made a prophecy that at the end of one hundred years we should have a million members. We have half a million now. (Cheers.) There is nothing to hinder that prophecy being fulfilled. We have over 200,000 juvenile members. We have a splendid nursery for this organisation. It is one of the finest things about the Order that from the very infantile years the children can remain with us right along up to the adult ranks. For seventy years the system of juvenile training has been in operation, and has been highly successful. Protection is better than cure. Thousands of Rechabite homes are in existence to-day owing to that fact, where the children do not need any Children Act to keep them out of the public-houses. (Cheers.) The children were brought up and trained in temperance principles, forming all those years an invaluable asset to the country in which they live, needing no gaols, no workhouses, and no policemen. Manchester policemen have had more trouble with the Rechabites in the streets to-day than they have had in all the years before. (Laughter and cheers.) The Order has done yeoman service in making total abstinence permanent. If all other societies had but done as much as the Rechabites, the country would have been much different to-day. (Hear, hear.) Just imagine that we never lose more than 2 per cent, and never even reach 2 per cent by violation. (Cheers.) The person who comes to the conclusion to try total abstinence does a good thing, but a man or woman who goes a step further and joins the Rechabites does a very important thing. He makes a choice of total abstinence for life. He takes their strong pledge, and receives life-long benefits.

If any further proof is needed of the advance made by the Order and the Order's principles, it is amply demonstrated by the presence that evening of the Right Hon. gentleman on my right. (Cheers.) His name is well known in connection with the Children Act-(cheers)-and the work o£ the Government with which he is connected in their efforts to diminish the drinking traffic--(cheers) -all give strong proof that the work we have at heart is winning its way. (Cheers.) Some people have grave fears about the ultimate effect of the Government's proposals in regard to sickness insurance and invalidity. We have found the Government right on the temperance question, and we can trust them on the other. (Loud cheers.) If the Government had contemplated doing anything to upset or interfere with the great friendly society system that is the pride of this country, Mr. Samuel would not have been with us. (Hear, hear.) It is because he desires to help us he is here, and to help the movement forward.

(Cheers.) The Government can do a great deal to consolidate and perfect the friendly society system. We sincerely hope they will do nothing to penalise thrift, and also see to it that the friendly societies do not suffer through any Government. proposals. (Cheers.)

Just a word as to the future. Let us all work hard and win victories for the cause of temperance reform, personal, social, and moral, and may every the highest rate of infant mortality you will find six out of seven are among number ,win himself a trophy in the fight. Come forth in calm angelic mood, in wisdom, meditating good, beholding at length ninth good, much designed, and more desired. (Cheers.)

RT. HON. HUBERT SAMUEL'S SPEECH.

Mr. Samuel, who was greeted in a most enthusiastic fashion, with the audience standing, said: High Chief Ruler, ladies, and gentlemen,-1 congratulate you ,host cordially on this, your jubilee. I congratulate you on the long run of years of useful service on which your Order can look bade and on the growing usefulness to which you can look forward. I note that within the last fifteen years--a short time-you have doubled your membership and your activities. (Cheers.) I only know one other institution which in that space of time has doubled its work and that is His Majesty's Post Office. (Laughter and cheers.) So you and I -(laughter)-have this in common among other things that we are both connected with rapidly developing and in their different ways most beneficent institutions. (Hear, hear.) I have always regarded it as a so-and principle that every man and woman should devote some -;art at least of his or her leisure to the promotion of some good social cans-. (Hear, hear.) You who are Rechabites are more fortunate than most for the time that you give to your Order is serving not one good cause lot two, for you are a friendly society and a temperance society in one, and with regard to both these movements what a change has been wrought during the 75 years ever which you are looking back to-night. Then provision was small indeed to enable men to secure against mishaps which are likely to occur to anyone, to enable them to provide against sickness, to secure assistance for their wives and children should they be taken away. In those times the principles of assurance ,very very insignificant, and those societies or clubs that did exist almost uniformly held their meetings in public houses, and abuse of alcoholic liquors was at the time rampant throughout the country and excessive drinking was increasing, while drunkenness was widespread and almost universally tolerated.

The student of history knows how had our social conditions were 75 years ago. Now we are in better times, and the principle of insurance against sickness ....