it had already forty-three members on its books, and every prospect of a considerable increase. T h e proceedings terminated with the concluding verse of the National Air already mentioned, to which Dr. Gumbinner added two stanzas, declared to be extempore, and of which the following is an English translation:— " But n o w we've quitted our dear Fatherland, O , let us form a strong fraternal band ; A n d our n e w brethren will the hand extend, For the brave Briton is the German's friend ; This land call yours,— For fair Australia is the German's h o m e ! Ves, fair Australia our new home shall be ; Sing, brothers, sing, loudly and joyfully. In this fair land no m a n for freedom sighs— In this fair land the flag of Freedom flies. This land call yours,— O , bless, Great God, O bless the German's h o m e ! "
THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL Was the first celebration of the kind in the colony. It was held at St. Patrick's Hall, on Christmas Eve, and was a great success. T w o large trees, illuminated by candles, and adorned with fancy articles, presented by a German gentleman, contributed very m u c h to give to the whole a lively and agreeable aspect. Between the trees upon two large tables the Christmas Boxes for orphan distribution were exhibited; they consisted of bibles, clothing, schoolbooks, and other useful articles. At a quarter past eight, the ceremonial commenced with the singing of the hymn "Allein Gott in der H o h sei Ehr," and followed by a prayer, in which the Rev. A. Morison, Independent minister, invoked the Divine blessing upon our German fellow colonists. T h e h y m n " Hosannah!" was well executed by the children. Mr. Markert (Chairman of the G e r m a n Union) then addressed the meeting. Master Rupp, a German orphan, twelve years of age (who with his sister lost their parents when embarking at Hamburg), in alluding to the fact of their having found another h o m e here, thanked in a German poem the friends present that evening, and expressed a wish that the colony might flourish and prosper. After a German h y m n "Ihr Kindlein Komt," sung by the children, Miss Mary Vorwerg, the daughter of a cabinet-maker, residing at Richmond, recited the English h y m n " C o m e and worship Christ the new-born King." M r . Schmidt (the Secretary of the Union) in a German speech pointed out the blessings w e had received, and said that all should be happy and joyous on the day on which Christ the Saviour was born, not for single individuals, but for all, for present and coming generations. H e hailed the day on which young and old rejoice, on which the beams of happiness are shed on the rich as well as the poor T h e Germans were as happy in commemorating this joyful event in their n e w h o m e as in their native country, and thankfully acknowledged the services of their fellow-colonists in enabling them to make presents to the orphans and to the poor. H e wished the children to bear in mind that they should consider the presents as merely in remembrance of the great gift received on the day of which the present was the anniversary, as being an agreeable reminiscence to grown-up persons of the happy days spent in a similar way in their childhood. Mr. Schmidt wished for an intimate association of the Germans with their fellow-colonists, and concluded with a poem. T h e song, " O h du Frocliche," preceded the distribution of Christmas Boxes, which occupied half-an-hour. M r . W a n k e afterwards repeated the Lord's Prayer in German, which was followed by the h y m n " N u n danket alle Gotte," and " G o d save the Q u e e n " concluded the whole. This German Union continued in existence for some time, and conferred m u c h advantage upon the German section of the community.
