GLENAVY PARISH CHURCH

On Sunday last the usual Fifth of November service was held in the above church, when the Orangemen of the district attended in full strength. An appropriate sermon was preached by Bro. The Rev L. M. Boyle-Glover, M.A. At the conclusion of the service the congregation joined in singing the National Anthem.

When one looks at the history of the District Lodge and in particular at those who served as District Masters, on, I hope, can be allowed to think ‘why me in this great year’. However I count it a great honour and privilege to have been elected District Master and to have been asked to write these few words.

Glenavy District L.O.L. No 4 was headed for many years by the local doctor and County Antrim Grand Secretary W. Brother Dr. A. Mussen J.P. Dr. Mussen set the tone for the District in those days in that he led from the front and gained the respect of all. The evidence for this is seen not only in the District Lodge minutes but also in the records of the private lodges where I have read ‘Let us see what Dr. Mussen says’ not ‘What the District Lodge says’ and the fact that his own lodge L.O.L. 227 is known to this day as ‘the Doctor's Lodge.’

Glenavy District Lodge is a very unassuming lodge, it has no airs or graces, it s seldom controversial and only a few resolutions ever came from it to County Grand Lodge. Maybe we are ‘too laid back’ to use a modern term, maybe we should take more interest in what is going on and express our views, I'm sorry I don't know the answer. The District Lodge has never been easy to manage. The minutes show that W. Brothers George Thompson, John Barnes, Col. Pakenham and Joe Magowan had their trials and tribulations when in office but most of these I feel can be accounted for by the friendly rivalry between the lodges.

The Rev. Charles Watson in his book Glenavy, Past and Present (1892) describes the Orange Institution in Glenavy as ‘Flourishing under the fostering care of Dr. Mussen and the members are a most respectable body of men. There are eight lodges with 300 members and four orange halls, Glenavy, Crewe, Dundrod and the Mount’. One hundred years later we have nine lodges, seven orange halls and four hundred and eighty five members and I consider that the Rev. Watson's description still applies, we are a respectable body of men.

This year has seen the lodges working together as never before and I thank you all most sincerely for the competitiveness together with the brotherly love which has made many of our Tercentenary events a success. We began towards the end of 1989 with the darts competition in the Crewe orange hall, a very successful event so much so that it had to be extended to two nights instead of one. Brother D. Harbinson who organised the competition was delighted with the response.

The bowls in the Mount drew competitors who could play bowls and some who could not but it didn't matter. Everyone enjoyed themselves and we were all pleased at the winners. Well done J.L.O.L. 83.

Badminton was another sell out, lots of good players and a very professional tournament.

The snooker final was an all L.O.L. 340 game but never -the- less a very good entertaining game which kept us on the edge of our seats in Glenavy.

The football competition in Crumlin brought back happy memories for the co-ordinator, if not a winning trophy.

Brethren, thank you all for taking part - organising, playing and providing trophies - in what I believe has revived the lodges in the District, and hopefully we will be repeating the competition for many years to come.

Saturday 23rd June is Glenavy's ‘big day’ and judging by the other events it is going to be a successful one.

Finally may I on behalf of us all thank Brother S. Davison who headed our 1990 Committee for his hard work in keeping us all on the right track.

Brethren, it is with much pleasure that I lead your District Lodge into the 1990's and I am certain that with your support Glenavy District L.O.L. No. 4 will be as flourishing and successful in the 1990's as it was in the 1890's. I therefore wish you all, in your various Lodges, every good wish for the years ahead and may we always remember the motto of William, Prince of Orange, whose name we bear, and whose glorious memory we cherish:-

‘I WILL MAINTAIN THE PROTESTANT RELIGION AND LIBERTIES OF ENGLAND’

Thomas Ross
W.D.M.