THE ORDER OF THE GOLDEN AGE.—Mr. Sidney H. Beard asks us to print the following explanation of the origin and aims of the Order of the Golden Age:—”We have received communications asking whether our Order is connected in any way with literature published by esteemed friends at Brighton, bearing the name of our Society, and with a view to removing any misapprehension we wish it to be distinctly understood that we nave no connection whatever with the same, although we sympathise with the efforts of those associated with it, to promote Food Reform and to do good in other ways, and we heartily wish them God·speed.
The Order of the Golden Age was originally founded in 1882, by Rev. H. J. Williams, Rector of Kinross, a Member of our Council, but although the prospectus was printed and officers were appointed some fourteen years ago, the Institution has been in a dormant state until this present resuscitation on a wider, more general, and more practical basis.
We also wish it to be clearly understood that our Order is not a new vegetarian society, which is likely to become a rival to those already in existence. Our programme is a more comprehensive one, which includes practical Christian philanthropy, and the advocacy of humanitarian sentiment, peace and goodwill, (as however, anyone who reads carefully our prospectus, will at once see) the more general adoption of a bloodless diet throughout Christendom must take place before many of the social, moral, and physical evils which afflict society can be removed, we hope by God’s blessing and help to unite in combined and consecrated effort as large a number as possible of sincere men and women who share our convictions, or who can be led to embrace the same—and then to encourage them in every possible way, to proclaim far and wide the truths on which the Food Reform Movement is based.
It is thus apparent that the existence of our Order will stimulate to increase zeal and activity, not only the isolated vegetarians who are scattered up and down the country, but also the members of the various societies, and by this means every society in the kingdom ought to be materially strengthened. As the vitality of a society consists in the number of earnest workers upon its roll, we trust that the official leaders of such organizations will realize the wisdom of bringing their members as rapidly as possible in touch with our literature.” Mr. Beard is presenting to each of our readers a copy of the Herald of the Golden Age, the organ of the Order .
The Vegetarian Messenger, October 1897