The Clan Fraser in Canada: Souvenir of the First Annual Gathering — John Shaqi
The Clan Fraser in Canada: Souvenir of the First Annual GatheringFraser, Alexander
History
The Clan Fraser in Canada: Souvenir of the First Annual Gathering
Fraser, Alexander
Clans -- Canada; Fraser family
good influence, and that the idea of kinship and responsibility to each
other for good behavior, as to kinsmen, had much to do in bringing about
the high moral tone which distinguishes the Highland clans. It did much
also to prepare the minds of those people for the enlightenment and love
which Christianity brought with it, and which are so strikingly
exemplified in the Highland character. I would say therefore to the
young men, 'employ part of your evenings in the reading of the Clan
history,' and to the older people, 'devote a little of the time of your
remaining years to a like purpose.' I do not think it necessary, after
what we have just heard, to enter into historic details; neither is it
necessary to defend the honor of the Clan where there are no assailants.
The Clan has taken its place honorably among its contemporaries and
neighbors. It invariably performed its duty in a manner highly
creditable to the public spirit of its members and to their high
standard of justice. There were it is true at times in the Clan, as in
every other body of people, men whose names have been perpetuated
because of evil rather than good. These, however, have been singularly
few in the Clan Fraser, and even where statements are found to their
discredit, the malice of interested foes not infrequently lends a
heightened color to charges which might to some extent have been founded
on fact. This I believe to be true in the case of Simon Lord Lovat, who
had the misfortune to be the subject of biographical sketches by his
enemies, but of whom a juster view now prevails. Happily the prominent
clansmen, whose characteristics needed no defence, but called forth
admiration and emulation, were many. To name them would be but to recite
a long and distinguished list. Their characteristics were such as to
challenge public commendation. With them as examples no clansman need
feel ashamed of the name. But what I should like to impress most of all
upon our Clan throughout the country is the necessity for a sentiment of
loyalty to the Clan name and its traditions. Seeing that we have such a
history let us prize it. Let every clansman feel proud of it, and let
him see to it that his conduct and ambition are in every way in keeping
with the record of the past, and in this way prove himself not only a
good citizen, a good neighbor and a good friend, but a good clansman,
and hand down the character of the Clan unsullied to posterity. This
would be a most laudable ambition and one which I feel sure every
Fraser worthy of the name will strive earnestly to attain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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