The centenary of the Manchester Unity of Oddfellows was celebrated
last Saturday throughout the Empire. The Unity is the greatest and richest Friendly Society in the world. It had a small beginning in Salford in 1810, and since then has had a splendid record of usefulness and thrift. There are now 1,035,627 members, and the capital amounts to £14,767,329. The income last year was £2,140,149, and the payments were £1,717,230. We cannot overpraise the spirit of the speeches made at the London celebration in the Albert Hall. It was really inspiring. "No Government," said the Lord Mayor, who presided., "can command the unlimited resources of honorary service that the Manchester Unity can call to its aid." The sense of all the speeches was that no favours were asked from the State, and that no interference with the Friendly Societies would be tolerated. If the Government scheme of State insurance were helpful to the nation and not destructive of the Friendly Societies, it would be heartily welcomed; otherwise it would be resisted to the death. The celebrations in themselves prove how a man's independence and power of self-help are built up by membership of such a Society as the Manchester Oddfellows.
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