War's Brighter Side: The Story of The Friend Newspaper Edited by the Correspondents with Lord Roberts's Forces, March-April, 1900Ralph, Julian
History
War's Brighter Side: The Story of The Friend Newspaper Edited by the Correspondents with Lord Roberts's Forces, March-April, 1900
Ralph, Julian
Friend (Bloemfontein, South Africa); South African War, 1899-1902 -- Periodicals
Lord Roberts in his address expressed his great pleasure in being able
to preside, and sketched clearly and briefly the history of the
beginning of the Association in India, its rapid growth in spite of
antagonism, its ultimate and acknowledged success, and eventually its
introduction into England, where now it can boast of a branch in
almost every regiment and depot in the kingdom. He particularly
emphasised its being a _temperance_ and not only a "total abstainer"
society, and lastly pointed to the work done by the troops under his
command during the past few weeks as an evidence of what can be done
by temperate, or in this case almost entire non-abstaining, men, than
whom (he said) he had never seen any to march better, endure
privations more contentedly, or to be better behaved.
Mr. Lodge followed with an excellent song, admirably sung, which
promptly elicited an "encore," which he kindly granted.
Rev. T. F. Faulkner then gave a short address about the principles of
the Association and how they might affect and be affected by the
exigencies of the march, and expressed the feeling of gratitude and
pleasure which all A.T.A. members must share at the interest shown in
their undertaking by the clergy and citizens of Bloemfontein.
A treat was then accorded to the audience in two songs sung by Miss
Fraser, who most willingly responded to the vigorous appeal of our
soldiers. Such singing by a lady we had not heard for a long time,
and the men were not slow to detect the high order of Miss Fraser's
powers. The Very Rev. the Dean gave a warm welcome as temperance
workers in the name of those in Bloemfontein who had the work at
heart, and spoke of the encouragement to them which such a meeting
afforded.
An amusing song by Capt. Webb, R.A., also loudly encored, formed a
pleasing contrast in the programme. Mr. Lodge and Miss Fraser were so
good as to sing yet another song each, much to the delight of our
members. Two short speeches by Mr. Grindel and Capt. Webb on the
subject of the Association's worth and object and the members' duties
in connection with it, brought the programme to a close save for the
few graceful words spoken by Rev. F. B. N. Norman-Lee, in expressing
the thanks of the meeting to Lord Roberts for his presence, and to
those who had, by their kind help, conduced towards the success of the
meeting and the pleasure of those who had attended it. The Rev. H. T.
Coney, who had taken an active part in getting up the meeting, proved
himself an excellent accompanist. The National Anthem closed the
proceedings.
* * * * *
_The same by Another Contributor._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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