Driving along Hutcheon Street in Aberdeen, Sheila looked up and saw a carved crest on a building and we spent the time sitting at the lights trying to decipher it. Eventually we got it between us. The Loyal order of Ancient Shepherds. Never heard of it. So like a good research student I made a note to google it. Here's what I found
"Shepherds Friendly started life as a sickness and benefits society, Ashton Unity, which was formed in Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire on Christmas Day in 1826. It was later renamed as the Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds, "loyal" referring to the Crown and "shepherds" to the Nativity of Jesus. Its objects were "to relieve the sick, bury the dead, and assist each other in all cases of unavoidable distress, so far as in our power lies, and for the promotion of peace and goodwill towards the human race".
Now what interests me is the mission statement as expressed with the quotes at the end there. As a description of how a humane society looks out for each other it isn't bad, and it was written prior to the Victorian age. The last couple of clauses would be good filters for current Government policies and cuts and excuses and evasions and all other manner of rationalised inhumanity in the name of economics and the new God on the block who has to be served and to whom sacrifice is to be made, Deo Deficit!
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