The Orange Chronicle        

Qualifications of an Orangeman according to the Grand Lodge of Ireland

An Orangeman should have a sincere love and veneration for his Heavenly Father;

A humble and steadfast faith in Jesus Christ, the Saviour of mankind, believing in Him as the only Mediator between God and man.

He should cultivate truth and justice, brotherly kindness and charity, devotion and piety, concord and unity, and obedience to the laws;

His deportment should be gentle and compassionate, kind and courteous;

He should seek a society of the virtuous, and avoid that of the evil;

He should honour and diligently study the Holy Scriptures, and make them the rule of his faith and practice;

He should love, uphold, and defend the Protestant religion, and sincerely desire and endeavour to propagate its doctrines and precepts;

He should strenuously oppose the fatal errors and doctrines of the Church of Rome, and scrupulously avoid countenancing (by his presence or otherwise) any act of ceremony of Popish worship;

He should by all lawful means, resist the ascendancy of that Church, its encroachments, and the extension of its power, ever abstaining from all uncharitable words, actions or sentiments, towards his Roman Catholic brethren;

He should remember to keep holy the Sabbath day, and attend the public worship of God, and diligently train up his offspring, and all under his control, in the fear of God, and in the Protestant faith;

He should never take the name of God in vain, but abstain from all cursing and profane language, and use every opportunity of discouraging these, and all other sinful practices, in others; his conduct should be guided by wisdom and prudence, and marked by honesty, temperance, and sobriety;

The glory of God and the welfare of man, the honour of his Sovereign, and the good of his country, should be the motive of his actions.

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"ORANGE DISTRICT TO THROW OPEN DOORS TO PUBLIC IN DROMORE
Published Date: 25 May 2010
By PAUL WILKINSON

IN an historic first, Dromore will witness the officers and members of Lower Iveagh District open their doors to the public next Tuesday (June 1).

The open night will be an opportunity for anyone who wants to find out more about the Loyal Orange Institution.

People from outside the institution will be able to go along to Dromore Orange Hall and ask questions in what District Master Jonathan Mattison hailed as a very positive move forward. "In recent years," he said, "Lower Iveagh District have been involved in providing social activities and festivals for the local community. "These have been warmly received by the people of Dromore and I believe that this new event will help us develop locally within the Institution."

Lower Iveagh District Communications officer Edward Hanna welcomed the move as a fantastic opportunity to communicate and speak with the public in helping to shape future developments within the Institution.

The Lower Iveagh District will be hosting its open night from Dromore Orange Hall on Tuesday 1st June at 7.30pm.

Guest speakers will include Drew Nelson, Grand Secretary, David Scott, Education Officer, and other distinguished speakers from within the Orange Order."

ORANGE DISTRICT TO THROW OPEN DOORS TO PUBLIC IN DROMORE - Dromore Today

Order urged to 'stay out of politics'
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Order-urged-to-39stay-out.6314141.jp
Published Date:
24 May 2010
By Sam McBride

THE Orange Order should stay out of politics, a senior Orange figure has said.
Rejecting Orange Grand Master Robert Saulters' weekend call for a single unionist party, Fermanagh Assemblyman Tom Elliott warned the Order against "interfering" in politics.

On Friday night Mr Saulters, the most senior figure in the Orange Order, told an Orange gathering in Armoy that he believed there should be "one big unionist party" representing all the disparate shades of unionist opinion.

The comments have been welcomed by senior DUP figures Nigel Dodds, Jeffrey Donaldson and Arlene Foster.

But Mr Elliott, who was at an Orange parade with Mr Saulters in Enniskillen on Sunday, said that hopes of a single unionist party were detached from the reality of unionist voters' wildly differing views on virtually every issue outside support for the Union.

"People need to realise the differences between the broad right wing and more liberal aspect of unionism.

"It was quite difficult for unionists to have a united stand when they only had one party but since then, with the fractures in unionism, it is going to be hugely difficult to mend those fences."

However, hinting that an arrangement between the DUP and UUP to work together at Stormont or vote-manage together may be possible, he added: "I think there is a broader remit for better unionist cooperation."

The comments will be seen by many as a barometer of UUP sentiment on the issue as Mr Elliott is viewed as one of the UUP figures most favourably disposed to unity with the DUP.

The farmer and former UDR man was instrumental in striking a local agreement with the DUP to field a single unionist candidate in Fermanagh/South Tyrone against the wishes of the UUP and Conservative leadership.

He, along with deputy leader Danny Kennedy, was thought to be one of two potential UUP leadership contenders who could move the party into an arrangement with the DUP.

Mr Kennedy said that he had "a certain amount of empathy for the call" from Mr Saulters, but added: "All of the political representatives involved realise that any initial role would be undertaken by politicians and wouldn't be a role for the Institution, which obviously is not a political organisation."

The Newry and Armagh MLA said he believed that Mr Saulters was expressing a "widely-held view within the Institution".

Mr Elliott added: "Bobby Saulters would not be seen as a neutral broker in all this because he is seen as very close to the DUP.

"Even when I was a County Grand Master, he came out in support of Arlene (Foster) against me which was pretty difficult to take.

"He consistently signs both Dr Paisley's - and now his son's - nomination papers and always takes the DUP side on things."

A spokesman for the Orange Order declined to comment on Mr Elliott's comments.

Lagan Valley Assemblyman Basil McCrea, from the UUP’s liberal wing, said that even an agreement with the DUP for next year’s elections - maybe advising UUP and DUP voters to transfer to the rival party - would only be possible if both parties “could agree principles and values”.

Instead, unionism needs a “positive vision of why people should vote for us”, he said, adding that the real challenge was to find a way to enthuse new unionist voters to come out on polling day.

“There is no point in just getting together to try and thwart Sinn Fein. As Fermanagh/South Tyrone shows, an artificial unionist unity just increases Sinn Fein’s vote.

“You don’t mobilise unionists, but you do drive SDLP voters into the hands of Sinn Fein.”

On Saturday veteran Ulster Unionist Assemblyman David McNarry, the party’s most vocal proponent of closer DUP ties, said that he supported Mr Saulters’ call for unity.

[read more]

Based on an article in the News Letter
The eye-witness account of the Battle of the Boyne is up for sale at a London auctioneers next month

A HANDWRITTEN account recording intimate details of the Battle of the Boyne is due to go under the hammer at a London auction next month. The original writings, penned by Jacobite soldier Captain John Stevens, reveal the extent of the disorder within the ranks of King James' army, ultimately defeated by forces led by King William of Orange in 1690.

Among the revelations, Capt Stevens claims that thousands of troops on the Jacobite side were heavily drunk during battle, with a fatal mix-up over drink rations leading to many soldiers passing out before a single shot was fired. The journal relating to the Boyne campaign is among a volume of manuscripts by the author, relating to the latter part of the 17th century, and is expected to fetch in the region of £10,000-£15,000. Asked whether the Orange Order would show any interest in the literature, a spokesman said: "The Orange Order will examine every opportunity to increase our Williamite archive but obviously it will depend on a number of factors, including authenticity and cost."

The Loyal Order already retains numerous artefacts in relation to the Battle of the Boyne and has indicated its desire to showcase its collection in an extended museum at the organisation's Schomberg House headquarters in east Belfast.

Original items held by the Order include gloves worn by King William at the Boyne and his horse's saddlecloth.

Last year, the Grand Lodge of Ireland became the custodian of another major part of Williamite history.

The Paymaster General's Book was presented by Belfast City Council to the Order on permanent loan. Thomas Coningsby was alongside King William for much of the Williamite Wars.

A spokesman for the auctioneer, Bonhams, admitted he expected interest to emanate from across the Irish Sea to Stevens' work.

"I think it's reasonable to assume there will be interest in this from Northern Ireland (given the significance to the Orange Order) but equally there may well be interest from museums and other public institutions both in Great Britain and Northern Ireland," he said.

Capt Stevens' personal account is due to go on sale on June 8.