Scottish Community in Greenwood, Part Two
BY: BG EDITOR
Liebig Company Trading Card #S495 - Wintersports
May 02, 2020 — GREENWOOD, BC (BG)
Throughout the 1800s, the sport of Curling flourished in Canada, thanks to the expat Scotsmen who settled there. Curling was officially exported to Canada from Scotland with formation of the first Canadian club in 1807 — the Montreal Curling Club, which was also the first Curling club outside of Scotland. In 1838, the Royal Caledonian Curling Club was established in Edinburgh as a governing body for the sport, and it became the mother club for Curling clubs in Canada.
"In British Columbia, the first curling club was organized at Golden in 1894. In 1895 Golden and Kaslo joined the Manitoba Branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club. Curl BC's The History of Curling in British Columbia describes 100 years of curling in British Columbia, from 1895 to 1995. The authors mention that "the development of curling in British Columbia was 90 years behind Eastern Canada because of the delayed settlement of the west and the construction of the transcontinental railway system." (p. 13) Bonspiels were important forms of competition and the British Columbia Bonspiel ran for 65 years."[1]
Scottish Curlers
Here in Greenwood, the popularity of Curling was memorialized in this excellent poem, from a January 1903 edition of the Boundary Creek Times,[2], in which Scottish curlers both challenge Canadian players and extend the hand of friendship to them.
THE SCOTTISH CURLERS IN CANADA
Ere Noah first his gangway cleared,
Ae scratched his grizzly pow.
Says he, it's frost we're bound to have
When ends this great big thowe.
There's Japhet, Sham, and Ham, and me,
We'll just mak' up the rink.
We've beef and greens enough on board
And forty days o' drink.
So twa and twa the curling stanes
He ranged up in his lee,
Says he, if floods and fire fail,
We'll fecht it at the tee.
You munna brag your country big,
Wi' great, broad wheaten plains;
Our country's but an auld corn rig
Mang heather, whims, and stanes.
And talk no o' your grand old woods,
Your aged, primeval pine;
You auld Scotch fir has heard the birr
O' curling lang, lang syne.
And whether it be "Soop us up,"
"Up han's," or "Bide a wee,"
We've come frae guid auld Scotland
For to fecht you at the tee.
Our stanes have heard the wimplin sound
O' every Scottish burn;
Aroun' our hames, frae Ailsa Craig,
The seas o' Clyde did churn;
The lintie and the yellow yite
Have sung within our cowes.
For our broom it is the bonnie broom,
The broom o' Cowden knowes.
We've come to wick and curl-in,
To gaird and chap and lee;
In fact we've came frae Scotland
For to fecht you for the tee.
Oor Burnocks, Ailsas, Crawfordjohns
Will no' stan' cauld, they say;
And when we get to Winnipeg
They're sure to winna dae.
Weel, if our stanes we cast aside,
And fectht you wi' your airns,
It's mair a case o' hearts than stanes,
We're a' John Tamson's bairns.
We will meet and pairt like freen's
And your toddy we will pree;
And we'll try your beef and greens,
And we'll fecht you at the tee.
~ ROCKWOOD, in the Evening Times
Ere Noah first his gangway cleared,
Ae scratched his grizzly pow.
Says he, it's frost we're bound to have
When ends this great big thowe.
There's Japhet, Sham, and Ham, and me,
We'll just mak' up the rink.
We've beef and greens enough on board
And forty days o' drink.
So twa and twa the curling stanes
He ranged up in his lee,
Says he, if floods and fire fail,
We'll fecht it at the tee.
You munna brag your country big,
Wi' great, broad wheaten plains;
Our country's but an auld corn rig
Mang heather, whims, and stanes.
And talk no o' your grand old woods,
Your aged, primeval pine;
You auld Scotch fir has heard the birr
O' curling lang, lang syne.
And whether it be "Soop us up,"
"Up han's," or "Bide a wee,"
We've come frae guid auld Scotland
For to fecht you at the tee.
Our stanes have heard the wimplin sound
O' every Scottish burn;
Aroun' our hames, frae Ailsa Craig,
The seas o' Clyde did churn;
The lintie and the yellow yite
Have sung within our cowes.
For our broom it is the bonnie broom,
The broom o' Cowden knowes.
We've come to wick and curl-in,
To gaird and chap and lee;
In fact we've came frae Scotland
For to fecht you for the tee.
Oor Burnocks, Ailsas, Crawfordjohns
Will no' stan' cauld, they say;
And when we get to Winnipeg
They're sure to winna dae.
Weel, if our stanes we cast aside,
And fectht you wi' your airns,
It's mair a case o' hearts than stanes,
We're a' John Tamson's bairns.
We will meet and pairt like freen's
And your toddy we will pree;
And we'll try your beef and greens,
And we'll fecht you at the tee.
~ ROCKWOOD, in the Evening Times
Illustration — Canadian Curling Hall of Fame and Museum
Fig. 4 The expressive vernacular language, the humourous anecdotes, and the congenial atmosphere associated with curling have caught the imagination of numerous cartoonists, verse-makers, and after-dinner speakers.
The welcoming good nature of the Scottish curlers was again mentioned in the Times, in 1905:[3]
"Nelson and Grand Forks are arranging to send teams here to try conclusions with the local curlers. The visitors will receive a right royal welcome as Greenwood hospitality, and especially that dispensed by our Scottish citizens, is proverbial. It has been tritely observed that the best characteristics of men are evoked and enduring friendships established in the comradeship that is associated with well contested curling matches."
Our opening segment focused on the founding of Greenwood's St. Andrew's Society, and the prominence here of Scotland's patron saint. But one might wonder… why no mention of Scotland's famous poet, Robbie Burns? No doubt the bard's name was raised in many a toast on Saint Andrews night, and simply escaped mention in social page reports. But in January 1904, we find mention of a Robbie Burns celebration in Grand Forks:[4]
"Next Monday will be the 145th anniversary of the birth of Robbie Burns, the Scottish bard. The newly organized Caledonia Society of Grand Forks gives a banquet at the Yale hotel that evening."
One hundred guests sat down together at the Burns dinner, and given the warm camaraderie between Greenwood and Grand Forks curlers, there were no doubt many Greenwoodites among them.
We close today with a copy of the remarks given at the April 1901 gathering of the Greenwood St. Andrew's Society. This eloquent and very informative presentation was made by a member of the Scottish community here, who put much effort into gathering historical details on the life and legend of Saint Andrews.[5]
SAINT ANDREW
Interesting Paper Read by Mr. W. W. Howe
AT ST. ANDREW'S SOCIETY
Known Facts of His Life. Connection With Scotland — The Orders of Saint Andrew
"The following paper was read by W. W. Howe, vice president of St. Andrew's society at its last regular meeting:
In preparing this short paper on the life of St. Andrew, I have experienced considerable difficulty, chiefly through the meagreness of the details of his career. We can, however, conveniently divide the subject into three parts.
1. The actual known facts of St. Andrew's life and death as related in the New Testament and other contemporaneous works.
2. The connection of St. Andrew with Scotland.
3. The orders of St. Andrew. The name Andrew is Greek, St. Andrew was a Bethsaida, defined as Bethsaida of Galilee: He was a brother of Simon Peter and lived in the same house with him at Capernaum, like his brother too, he was a fisherman. He was a disciple of John the Baptist, and was the first to follow Christ. Again, when the same followers were called to a closer allegiance, he, with Peter, received the first summons. In all the lists of the disciples his name follows St. Peter's, or is only separated from it by those of St. James and St. John; but, in spite of this precedence, St. Andrew like the majority of his colleagues, falls into the background after the crucifixion of Christ, for, in the Acts of the Apostles, he is never mentioned after the list in the first chapter.
The evidence as to his later history too is scanty and conflicting, one authority stating that Scythia was the scene of his labours. On the other hand, according to Jerome, his work was confined to Achaia right up to the time of his death. Then, again in the early times of the Christian church, a spurious supplement to the Acts of the Apostles was circulated among certain sects under the title of "The Acts of Andrew." This history is said to have been written in Hebrew by Abdias, Bishop of Babylon, a contemporary of the apostles, and translated into Latin by Julius Africanus. According to this work, it is related of St. Andrew that he spent a portion of his life in Russia, in which country even to the present day he is held in great veneration as the apostle who first preached Christianity in that country.
The legends related in "The Acts of Andrew" constantly turn upon the subject of adultery and the relations of married persons. Such teaching we find directly connected with the causes leading to his death. Of the actual martyrdom of St. Andrew, and indeed of the time and place of his martyrdom, accounts do not vary; nor are the accounts of the causes leading up to it much at variance. According to the work previously referred to, his martyrdom is said to have been impart occasioned by his supposed interference between Aegeas, the Roman governor of Patrae and his wife Maximilla. The usual and accepted account of the death of St. Andrew, is for endeavouring to convert Aegeas, the Roman governor at Patrae, he was ordered to be scourged and crucified, and that his death might be more lingering, he was fattened to the cross with cords instead of nails. He exhorted the crowds, who gathered round the scene of his execution, to persevere in Christianity. He hung on the cross for two days, dying on Nov. 30 — what year, is not known exactly but it is generally accepted as being 62 or 70 A. D.
The instrument of his martyrdom is always said to have been a cross decussato — i. e. two pieces of timber crossing in the middle in the form of an X — hence St. Andrew's cross. His body was buried at Patrae in Greece, but afterwards removed to Constantinople, where it is supposed it still lies, in the great church built by the Christian Emperor Constantine. There gentlemen, you have all the known facts relating to the life and death of St. Andrew, apostle, saint, martyr and patron saint of Scotland.
Doubtless some of my hearers will be disappointed that so little is actually known of the patron saint of our country; for there is much myth and romance related of some patron saints. I heard a sketch of the life of St. Andrew given before a gathering of a certain Caledonian Society, in which the patron saint was accredited with having actually visited Scotland and preached the gospel there, being also the first to teach Christianity in the country. This appears to be absolutely impossible, and probably is a case of the wish being father to the thought: That St. Andrew visited Russia and preached there is possible — quite possible, but that he ever saw Scotland seems impossible. Nor does there seem to have been any of the early missionaries from Iona, chief among whom were St. Patrick and St. Columba, named Andrew. We may therefore safely conclude that the real apostle, St. Andrew never visited Scotland at all, and if any divine named Andrew did visit Scotland and preach there, he must of been a missionary of a period subsequent to the time of St. Andrew, and therefore we must look elsewhere for facts to connect St. Andrew with Scotland as the patron saint of the country.
The link connecting St. Andrew with Scotland is, according to history — which at the same time we must always remember is not too reliable during this early period — the result of a vow made by Achius King of Scots and Hungus King of Picts. These two kings, at the head of their armies, were about to be attacked by Athelstan King of England, who had an enormous, and supposed invincible army north, to finally crush the troublesome Picts and Scots. On the evening before the battle — so the story runs — a St. Andrew's cross appeared in the sky, which both Achaius and Hungus saw, or thought they saw. They considered this a good omen and a possible sign of victory, and promptly made a vow, if the supposed prophesy were fulfilled, according to their interpretation of it viz: by their gaining the victory next day, that they would bear the St. Andrew's cross on their ensigns and banners. Needless to say, in this, as in all similar traditions, the omen turned out alright, the prophecy was fulfilled and Athelstam with his army was completely routed and driven south across the border. This happened somewhere about 930 A. D.
Some years prior to this incident — i. e. late in the 9th or early in the 10th century, St. Regulus or Rule, is said to have taken refuge in Mucros, subsequently called Kilrymout and afterwards St. Andrews, bringing with him some of the bones of the martyred St. Andrew, which being enshrined there, there continued to be an object of pilgrimage for several centuries. A cave on the sea shore still bears the name of St. Rule. He seems to have founded a monastry there of which the Scottish King Constantine, having resigned his crown became abbot about the year 940 A. D.
Now this monastry being dedicated to St. Andrew, and having already become famous as an object of pilgrimage, and St. Andrew having already become the metropolis of the church in Scotland, it would naturally follow, that the name of St. Andrew would be more familiar to the people of the period, than any other saint. Consequently the aid of St. Andrew would be invoked by prayerful people in times of distress or danger, and gradually and almost inperceptibly, out of sheer force of habit, it would become the custom of the Scots to recognise St. Andrew as their patron saint. Their children, too, would be certain to have these beliefs firmly instilled into them, for we all know how strong that faculty for receiving and handing down tradition is, and always has been in the Scottish character.
It is very likely, therefore, that in these incidents — the carrying of the bones of St. Andrew to Scotland by St. Regulus, followed by the foundation of the monastry of St. Andrew and the vision of Achaius and Hungus — we have the real reason of the adoption of St. Andrew as the patron saint of Scotland, for, possibly even very probably both Achaius and Hungus knew of the bones of St. Andrew enshrined at the town of that name, and this knowledge possibly helped them to imagine they saw a St. Andrew's cross in the sky the evening before the battle in which they defeated Athelstan King of England. We may therefore safely conclude that it is on account of the veneration in which the memory of St. Andrew was held for centuries after his death, and which found expression in the carrying of his bones to Scotland by St. Regulus; and not through any act of St. Andrew that he was recognised as the patron saint of Scotland.
The orders of St. Andrew are two, the Scottish and the Russian. Taking the Scottish order first, we find it is an ancient order of knighthood known as the order of St. Andrew of the Thistle. The order is said to have been in existence in the reign of James V of Scotland, and after a period of abeyence to have been revived by James VII of Scotland and II of England in the year 1687. It is perhaps more correct however, to accept the institution of the order as May 29, 1687. Statutes were issued and eight knights nominated by James II of Great Britain, but the patent for the order never passed the Great Seal. After falling entirely into abeyance during the reign of William and Mary, the order was revived by Queen Anne Dec. 31. 1703.
The star of the order is worn on the left side. It consists of a St. Andrew's cross of silver embroidery, with rays emanating from between the points of the cross, in the centre of which is a thistle of gold and green upon a field of green, surrounded by a circle of green bearing the motto of the order in golden characters. The badge or jewel is worn pendent to the collar, or to a dark green ribbon over the left shoulder, and tied under the arm. It consists of the figure of St. Andrew with the cross enamelled, and chased on rays of gold; the cross and feet resting upon a ground of enamelled green. The collar is of thistles, intermingled with sprigs of rue.
By a statute passed in May 1827, the order is to consist of the sovereign and 16 knights. The letters K. T. are placed after the names of knights of the order. The motto is "Nemo me impune lacesset" [No one provokes me with impunity].
The Russian order of St. Andrew is the highest in the empire and was founded by Peter the Great in 1698. It is confined to members of the Imperial Family, princes, generals-in- chief, and others of like rank. The badge of the order shows on the obverse a St. Andrew's cross, enamelled in blue, bearing a figure of the saint, surmounted by a crown, and in the four corners of the cross the letters S. A. P. R., Sanctus Andreas Patronus Russiae. On the reverse is a spread eagle, with the words in Russian. For religion and loyalty and the name of the saint. The collar consists of a St. Andrew's cross alternating with imperial crowns.
And now in reviving this subject we find, a humble modest apostle, saint and martyr, of whose actual history very little is known, yet whose teaching and life, left such impression upon the people of his time, that his memory has been held sacred, and his name revered, by christians generally for over 1800 years.
Leaving out the Russian veneration of St. Andrew, which probably arises through his being, rightly or wrongly and possibly rightly credited with being the first to preach Christianity in that country, we as Scotsmen, claim him as the patron saint of our native country. Can we not therefore find some traits in the character of St. Andrew, akin to the Celtic type? I think we can. We have very little record to work upon, yet upon the cause of his martyrdom, all writers are practically agreed. We find that St. Andrew had determination sufficient, at least, to carry out the work committed to his charge; he had courage, for he was not afraid to preach to Ageas the Roman governor of Patrae, when duty called him to do so; he had the courage of his convictions, and aired them fearlessly, for we find that he was not afraid to tell even the Roman governor that he was wrong, although he must of known it meant certain death to do so.
Now, take the average typical Scot and you find predominant in his character — determination — courage, devotion to duty, with a dogged, persistent, wont-be-beaten sort of nature tacked on to these already mentioned qualities. Here we have the chief cause of the success of Scotsmen. All the world over, they have been conspicuous in fighting their country's battles, they have been the most aggressive, persistent and determined pioneers of civilisation; the greatest missionary and explorer the world ever knew was a Scotsman. Scotsmen have through all time filled high and honourable positions in the empire's service; and have been in the lead in the progress of the world. What can we attribute this success to, other than these traits of character, which are found in a greater or less degree in every Scotsman, and which we find have been handed down to us through the example of the patron saint of our country.
Let us hope the Scottish character will ever contain these qualities, and then we will always be able to make light of the merest suggestion of the decline of the nation."
Interesting Paper Read by Mr. W. W. Howe
AT ST. ANDREW'S SOCIETY
Known Facts of His Life. Connection With Scotland — The Orders of Saint Andrew
"The following paper was read by W. W. Howe, vice president of St. Andrew's society at its last regular meeting:
In preparing this short paper on the life of St. Andrew, I have experienced considerable difficulty, chiefly through the meagreness of the details of his career. We can, however, conveniently divide the subject into three parts.
1. The actual known facts of St. Andrew's life and death as related in the New Testament and other contemporaneous works.
2. The connection of St. Andrew with Scotland.
3. The orders of St. Andrew. The name Andrew is Greek, St. Andrew was a Bethsaida, defined as Bethsaida of Galilee: He was a brother of Simon Peter and lived in the same house with him at Capernaum, like his brother too, he was a fisherman. He was a disciple of John the Baptist, and was the first to follow Christ. Again, when the same followers were called to a closer allegiance, he, with Peter, received the first summons. In all the lists of the disciples his name follows St. Peter's, or is only separated from it by those of St. James and St. John; but, in spite of this precedence, St. Andrew like the majority of his colleagues, falls into the background after the crucifixion of Christ, for, in the Acts of the Apostles, he is never mentioned after the list in the first chapter.
The evidence as to his later history too is scanty and conflicting, one authority stating that Scythia was the scene of his labours. On the other hand, according to Jerome, his work was confined to Achaia right up to the time of his death. Then, again in the early times of the Christian church, a spurious supplement to the Acts of the Apostles was circulated among certain sects under the title of "The Acts of Andrew." This history is said to have been written in Hebrew by Abdias, Bishop of Babylon, a contemporary of the apostles, and translated into Latin by Julius Africanus. According to this work, it is related of St. Andrew that he spent a portion of his life in Russia, in which country even to the present day he is held in great veneration as the apostle who first preached Christianity in that country.
The legends related in "The Acts of Andrew" constantly turn upon the subject of adultery and the relations of married persons. Such teaching we find directly connected with the causes leading to his death. Of the actual martyrdom of St. Andrew, and indeed of the time and place of his martyrdom, accounts do not vary; nor are the accounts of the causes leading up to it much at variance. According to the work previously referred to, his martyrdom is said to have been impart occasioned by his supposed interference between Aegeas, the Roman governor of Patrae and his wife Maximilla. The usual and accepted account of the death of St. Andrew, is for endeavouring to convert Aegeas, the Roman governor at Patrae, he was ordered to be scourged and crucified, and that his death might be more lingering, he was fattened to the cross with cords instead of nails. He exhorted the crowds, who gathered round the scene of his execution, to persevere in Christianity. He hung on the cross for two days, dying on Nov. 30 — what year, is not known exactly but it is generally accepted as being 62 or 70 A. D.
The instrument of his martyrdom is always said to have been a cross decussato — i. e. two pieces of timber crossing in the middle in the form of an X — hence St. Andrew's cross. His body was buried at Patrae in Greece, but afterwards removed to Constantinople, where it is supposed it still lies, in the great church built by the Christian Emperor Constantine. There gentlemen, you have all the known facts relating to the life and death of St. Andrew, apostle, saint, martyr and patron saint of Scotland.
Doubtless some of my hearers will be disappointed that so little is actually known of the patron saint of our country; for there is much myth and romance related of some patron saints. I heard a sketch of the life of St. Andrew given before a gathering of a certain Caledonian Society, in which the patron saint was accredited with having actually visited Scotland and preached the gospel there, being also the first to teach Christianity in the country. This appears to be absolutely impossible, and probably is a case of the wish being father to the thought: That St. Andrew visited Russia and preached there is possible — quite possible, but that he ever saw Scotland seems impossible. Nor does there seem to have been any of the early missionaries from Iona, chief among whom were St. Patrick and St. Columba, named Andrew. We may therefore safely conclude that the real apostle, St. Andrew never visited Scotland at all, and if any divine named Andrew did visit Scotland and preach there, he must of been a missionary of a period subsequent to the time of St. Andrew, and therefore we must look elsewhere for facts to connect St. Andrew with Scotland as the patron saint of the country.
The link connecting St. Andrew with Scotland is, according to history — which at the same time we must always remember is not too reliable during this early period — the result of a vow made by Achius King of Scots and Hungus King of Picts. These two kings, at the head of their armies, were about to be attacked by Athelstan King of England, who had an enormous, and supposed invincible army north, to finally crush the troublesome Picts and Scots. On the evening before the battle — so the story runs — a St. Andrew's cross appeared in the sky, which both Achaius and Hungus saw, or thought they saw. They considered this a good omen and a possible sign of victory, and promptly made a vow, if the supposed prophesy were fulfilled, according to their interpretation of it viz: by their gaining the victory next day, that they would bear the St. Andrew's cross on their ensigns and banners. Needless to say, in this, as in all similar traditions, the omen turned out alright, the prophecy was fulfilled and Athelstam with his army was completely routed and driven south across the border. This happened somewhere about 930 A. D.
Some years prior to this incident — i. e. late in the 9th or early in the 10th century, St. Regulus or Rule, is said to have taken refuge in Mucros, subsequently called Kilrymout and afterwards St. Andrews, bringing with him some of the bones of the martyred St. Andrew, which being enshrined there, there continued to be an object of pilgrimage for several centuries. A cave on the sea shore still bears the name of St. Rule. He seems to have founded a monastry there of which the Scottish King Constantine, having resigned his crown became abbot about the year 940 A. D.
Now this monastry being dedicated to St. Andrew, and having already become famous as an object of pilgrimage, and St. Andrew having already become the metropolis of the church in Scotland, it would naturally follow, that the name of St. Andrew would be more familiar to the people of the period, than any other saint. Consequently the aid of St. Andrew would be invoked by prayerful people in times of distress or danger, and gradually and almost inperceptibly, out of sheer force of habit, it would become the custom of the Scots to recognise St. Andrew as their patron saint. Their children, too, would be certain to have these beliefs firmly instilled into them, for we all know how strong that faculty for receiving and handing down tradition is, and always has been in the Scottish character.
It is very likely, therefore, that in these incidents — the carrying of the bones of St. Andrew to Scotland by St. Regulus, followed by the foundation of the monastry of St. Andrew and the vision of Achaius and Hungus — we have the real reason of the adoption of St. Andrew as the patron saint of Scotland, for, possibly even very probably both Achaius and Hungus knew of the bones of St. Andrew enshrined at the town of that name, and this knowledge possibly helped them to imagine they saw a St. Andrew's cross in the sky the evening before the battle in which they defeated Athelstan King of England. We may therefore safely conclude that it is on account of the veneration in which the memory of St. Andrew was held for centuries after his death, and which found expression in the carrying of his bones to Scotland by St. Regulus; and not through any act of St. Andrew that he was recognised as the patron saint of Scotland.
The orders of St. Andrew are two, the Scottish and the Russian. Taking the Scottish order first, we find it is an ancient order of knighthood known as the order of St. Andrew of the Thistle. The order is said to have been in existence in the reign of James V of Scotland, and after a period of abeyence to have been revived by James VII of Scotland and II of England in the year 1687. It is perhaps more correct however, to accept the institution of the order as May 29, 1687. Statutes were issued and eight knights nominated by James II of Great Britain, but the patent for the order never passed the Great Seal. After falling entirely into abeyance during the reign of William and Mary, the order was revived by Queen Anne Dec. 31. 1703.
The star of the order is worn on the left side. It consists of a St. Andrew's cross of silver embroidery, with rays emanating from between the points of the cross, in the centre of which is a thistle of gold and green upon a field of green, surrounded by a circle of green bearing the motto of the order in golden characters. The badge or jewel is worn pendent to the collar, or to a dark green ribbon over the left shoulder, and tied under the arm. It consists of the figure of St. Andrew with the cross enamelled, and chased on rays of gold; the cross and feet resting upon a ground of enamelled green. The collar is of thistles, intermingled with sprigs of rue.
By a statute passed in May 1827, the order is to consist of the sovereign and 16 knights. The letters K. T. are placed after the names of knights of the order. The motto is "Nemo me impune lacesset" [No one provokes me with impunity].
The Russian order of St. Andrew is the highest in the empire and was founded by Peter the Great in 1698. It is confined to members of the Imperial Family, princes, generals-in- chief, and others of like rank. The badge of the order shows on the obverse a St. Andrew's cross, enamelled in blue, bearing a figure of the saint, surmounted by a crown, and in the four corners of the cross the letters S. A. P. R., Sanctus Andreas Patronus Russiae. On the reverse is a spread eagle, with the words in Russian. For religion and loyalty and the name of the saint. The collar consists of a St. Andrew's cross alternating with imperial crowns.
And now in reviving this subject we find, a humble modest apostle, saint and martyr, of whose actual history very little is known, yet whose teaching and life, left such impression upon the people of his time, that his memory has been held sacred, and his name revered, by christians generally for over 1800 years.
Leaving out the Russian veneration of St. Andrew, which probably arises through his being, rightly or wrongly and possibly rightly credited with being the first to preach Christianity in that country, we as Scotsmen, claim him as the patron saint of our native country. Can we not therefore find some traits in the character of St. Andrew, akin to the Celtic type? I think we can. We have very little record to work upon, yet upon the cause of his martyrdom, all writers are practically agreed. We find that St. Andrew had determination sufficient, at least, to carry out the work committed to his charge; he had courage, for he was not afraid to preach to Ageas the Roman governor of Patrae, when duty called him to do so; he had the courage of his convictions, and aired them fearlessly, for we find that he was not afraid to tell even the Roman governor that he was wrong, although he must of known it meant certain death to do so.
Now, take the average typical Scot and you find predominant in his character — determination — courage, devotion to duty, with a dogged, persistent, wont-be-beaten sort of nature tacked on to these already mentioned qualities. Here we have the chief cause of the success of Scotsmen. All the world over, they have been conspicuous in fighting their country's battles, they have been the most aggressive, persistent and determined pioneers of civilisation; the greatest missionary and explorer the world ever knew was a Scotsman. Scotsmen have through all time filled high and honourable positions in the empire's service; and have been in the lead in the progress of the world. What can we attribute this success to, other than these traits of character, which are found in a greater or less degree in every Scotsman, and which we find have been handed down to us through the example of the patron saint of our country.
Let us hope the Scottish character will ever contain these qualities, and then we will always be able to make light of the merest suggestion of the decline of the nation."
FOOTNOTES:
[1] "Curling Into Canada" — Library and Archives Canada
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/sports/bonspiel-history-curling-canada/Pages/curling-canada.aspx
[2] Boundary Creek Times — Jan 23, 1903, p. 1
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170966
[3] Boundary Creek Times — Jan 13, 1905, p. 2
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0171829
[4] Boundary Creek Times — Jan 22, 1904, p. 4
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0170958
[5] Greenwood Weekly Times — Apr 18, 1901, p. 2
https://open.library.ubc.ca/collections/bcnewspapers/xboundarycr/items/1.0172894
