The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-03-26 00:00:00

3IEETINO LAST NIGHT.

A meeting of the friends of religious education, and
of those iu favour of the extension and not the destruc-
tion of the present system of education in schools, was :
held in the Corn Exidiange, last night. There was a !
large attendance. Among those we noticed on the plat- i OLD HILL.
form were the Hon. and Rev. W. H. Lyttelton, Rev. T. , ;.,g I
ae ;
Williams, Rev. Boldero, Rev. Robertson, Rev. H. I OPENING OF THE PRIMITIVE CHAPEL.— The open
Sherrard, Rev. Eland, and H 0 Firmetone. There services were continued last Sunday, when the Rev. T.
. . :
were also present Messrs.:E. W. Bernard, J. Cook, J. Onttery, of Wolverhampton, aad the Rev. G. Whitehead, '
Of Brierley Hill, were the otliciatiug ministers. Acc rd.
Hammond, Dr. Campbell, T. Webb, Parrish, A. Freer,
ing to previous arrangements, the Rev. David Evans, of
R. L. Freer, J.P., L. Freer, J.P., B. Wooldridge, C. ,
Evers, &o, &e. Newport, South Wales, was to have preached, but owing
to illness and a lei. of voice, be was unable to fulfil his
The Chair eAs occupied by the Hon. and Rev. W. H.
erigegemetit. Notwithstauding the disappointment, the
Lyttelton, who, on rising, said he thought every one here
chapel was filled to overflowing, and the noble sum of
must feel the importance of this meeting. He himself
E 47 contributed. A lecture was delivered in the Chapel
was not much of an alarmist, but in the present erten,
on Monday evening, by the Rev. T. Jones, of Binning-
). was rather alarmed. The great question w. the edu-
ham, on "England in the 16th ceuttity." J P II ant.
; cation of the people, ohm-In sit, civil the community at
Esq., of Column Hill, occupied the chair, and after rosin.large. He believed the preseut was a national crisis.-and
. he thought it a very important time in which son live. It ing some excellent remarks introduced the lecturer, who
is a time which will affect the country for many years to in his own peculiar but extremely eloquent style, expati-
,c: alle, and, so far as lie was concerned, lie was prepared ated on bygone days, to the intense delight of all who
to fight the League to the death. It was their duty to were present. Votes of thanks were afterwards, by se-
iieht. The great end of the Levee was ante-religioua, clamation, accorded to the lecturer end the chairman.
• not to have the Bible explained in the school. He con. NON-SUPPORT OF A Kaam.Y.—At the Police Court, OD
toiled that it was easential to have the Bible not only Wednesday last. before F. W. G. Barry and N. Wrigley-
: read, but explained in schools—(applause). What would Esqrs., James Williams was summoned by James Taylor,
Ibe the use of reading the Bible to some of the children Relieving-officer, for di serting his wife and family, and
lilt was not explained e (Cheers.) He objected to the allowing them to become chargeable to the Dudley
,i League. It was a step to gag the Bible. He considered Union, on the I lth of March. Defendant was commit-
I that the greatness and glory of England was through the Jed for one month.
, reading of the Bible—(epplause). The rev. gentleman OBSTRUCTING THE HIGHWAY. Benjamin Taylor, •
concluded by calling attention to the bill brought in by young man, was charged with obstructing the highway
Mr. Forster, as being on the whole the best that could on the 11th iust, by relining a foot race. It appears the
;be expected. Ile was not for compulsory religious edu- defendant ran a race from the Five Ways, Cradles Heath,
ication, and ached those preseut to support the bill, and to Rowley Church, and back, in 40 minutes, fora wager.
'said this was a meeting to explain their views, and there The police caught him in the act of running. Dismissed
would be no discussion allowed; but if any one had any- on payment of costs, and promising not to offend again.
thing to say at the close, he should be happy to hear him. INCITING TO COMMIT A BREACH OF THE PEACE.—Ma-
He then called upon the tilde Dingley was suinmoued by Myra Darby for inciting
Bev. T. Eland, Wesleyan Minister, to move the first her to commit a breach of the peace on the 20th instant.
resolution :—"That this meeting having considered the After hearing, the evidence, the Beneh ordered defendant
Government measure upon education, are prepared to to pay the costs.
accept it in its main features, as an important aid to. COAL STEALING.—Richard Gambridge, a respectable.
wards the extension of national education." Duriog the looking man, was charged with stealing a quantity of
course of his remarks, the rev, gentleman said his views coal, the property of his master, Mr. Bradley, of Tivi-
were that every child in the kingdom should be educated, dale, on the 12th inst. Police•eonstable Satehwell said.
He was much pleased by the speech made by the Rev. I am stationed at Tividale, and from information re.
Mr. Dale, at a meeting on education at the Town Hall, ceived, I watched the Tividale Hall Colliery, belonging
Birmingham. on Thursday night. The great amount of to prosecutor, at six am. ou the above date. Saw the
ignorance was caused through the irregalarity of the prisoner unload two skips, and take away about three
scholars from the neglect of the parents. Most of the quarters of a hundredweight, veined at -Id. Followed
poorer classes were not educated, and did not care him to his home, and saw him take it in the house. lf
whether their children attended school or not. He con- charged him with stealing it, and he said he thought he
tended that the great Sepoy Mutiny in India was through had a right to take some because prosecutor owed his
the Bible being prohibited. There were about 35,000 brother two loads. Simeon Bradley said :I am propene.
poor children who were on the streets, and received no tor of the Tividale Hall Colliery. Prisoner worked for
education at all. He did not think there were many for Inc as a farm labourer. Have never given him permis•
the government to educate, considering the vast number eion to take any coal. Have lost a great deal of coal.—
of children that were not educated by Government. The case was withdrawn on defendant paying costs.
What they wanted was the outcasts of eciciety to heeds' SF:RDA'S HF:sULT OF A " LARK."—Thomes Hackett, a
eeted, the lowest of the low. There were two million nailer, was brought up on a charge of cutting and
names of children of the working classes down on the wounding Samuel Priest. No evidence was taken, on
school books, but they did not all attend, and there was account of the inability of the injured man to attend,
room for 30 per cent. more. The children are irregular and the prisoner was remanded for three weeks. It sp-
in their attendance, and that being the ease, they cannot pears that a few days ago Priest and Hackett were drink-
learn. What lie wished for was compulsory education, ing together at the Lion lan, Old Hill. They were
and let it be free. If all the Andrea were educated, referring to the depression of trade, sad Priest was very
England would always hold that pre-eminence that she dejected, and expressed a wish that he was dead. At
had always held. After some other remarks, the speaker length he urged the man Hackett to cut his throat, and,
sail lie had great pleasure in proposing the resolution, it is said, paid for a pint of ale as an inducement. The
Mr. H. 0. "gemstone seconded the resolution, and in request being repeated. Hackett took up a knife which
ii. mug so said he considered the bill brought into the lay on the table, and inflicted a serious wound in the
House to be a careful, hon sst, mid welhfrarned one; one throat of Priest. When apprehended by Police-consta-
calculated to meet the objectim,s, and to allay any irri- tiles Robinson and Parkins, Hackett said that lie only did
Whin or burning to which it appears to have given rise, it for a lark, Mr. Bennet, on assistant of Mr. Matins,
What was the object of the bill? Why to strengthen surgeon, has twice been in attendance on the injured
the structure of our great national edifice—(cheers). He man, who remains in a dangerous condition.
, considered the church like the anchor. It rescued the
soldier tossed about in the troubled waters of life. He
considered the League opposed to the Bible. They
' wanted to shut it out of the schools, and he would say if
it was shut out of the schools it would soon be shut out
, of our homes. England's greatness was the Bible, and
, on the Bible he to 'k his stem'. No education could be
, complete if the Bible was to be shut out of the schools,
and concluded an earnest appeal to those present to sop-
P pol t Mr. Forster'm bill, now before Parliament.
Phe Rev. H. Shereard this read the following res du-
, tion-,-.' That the compulsory separation of secular from

religious education, in our primary schools, would n
only have a di...estrous clfect upon the national veil are,
but, as this meeting believes, would also be contrary to
the wishes of the majority of thoie whose children would
, . • ,

•
necessarily be educated in betels schools." He said he
use afraid that he should not have been able to attend
the meeting from illness, but he felt it to be his duty to
be present to give hi. support to the bill now before. Par-
liameut. He did not agree w.tli the League in trying to
exclude the Bible from the school. A great deal had
been said about education. The speaker then gave an
account of the schools in America and other places. Ins
some schools they had a portion of the scripture read at
the opening of the schools. The Bible was not excluded.
He considered it necessary that children should be edm
mkt, but did not agree with compulsory secular educa-
tion. Ile considered it accessory that every child should
, receive spiritnal edneation, and hoped they would con-
tinue to have. the Bible taught in their schools. and that
it may be handed down from rue generation to another
—(applause).
Mr. Roberts rose to second the resolution, end said he
would not delay them above a minute. He merely wished
to soy that he agreed with the remarks made by the gen-
tlemen who had preceiltd hini, but would reiMnd them
that the persona counseled with the Li ague had large
funds at their command, and lied determined to carry on
the opposition, if for ten years. Rally of them have
subscribed as much as £l,OOO. They are determined to
have meetings all over the land, and if tit ise present
really thought that secular eilecatiou was not deoirable
they must come and give them their support for 10 years
—(applause). He coneluded by exhorting those present
not to go back in the 19th century from christianity to
the heatlieuisin of our forefuth, re, but to sooport what
had made this a great couutry—the Bible.
The Chairman next called upon the Rev. T. Williams
to read the petition which embodied the resolution to be
presented to Parliament. Previous to doing so, the rev.
gentleman said he had received xpologies from the Revs.
Woodgate, Whitley, ami ti. tiiloanks, and Mr. Jeston
ilinotray, in which they rupees ed their regret at not
tieing able to &Ruud. He (the speaker) said lie would not
occupy their tune by snaking is speech, but would say
from the knowledge of his own parish, where there was
a great limey working people. lie was quite sure that nine
out of every ten would prefer the Bible in their schools
—(applause).
The Rev. D. Robertson then minced the adoption of
the following resolution That this meeting adopt the
petition now read. and requests Vo. Chairman to sign it
im its behalf, and to forward it to one of the members
tor East Worceetershire to be presented to the House of
Commonii."
Mr. A. Freer seconded the resolution, and supported
i. and it was carried.
A vote of thanks to the Chairman closed the proceed-
ings.

Earti•rum.—lath ~ ease of diwiog g inaing, which ap•
pea. eel List week, ; was report.d that Johr. sue ti gave
evidence for the pr.wecution. It should have been Henry
Scold', a lut.se jockey.
CAUTION To Calervica.7—Edward Solloway, a carter,
revising at Bum; Heath, Broni,grove, was brought up
before It. L. Frei r, Esq., on Thursday, on a charge pre.
(erred by Superintendent Freeman of being drunk and
incapable of taking care of his horse and cart, on the
23rd iust, at Oldswinford. Police-constable Hill proved
the offence, and defendant was fined 5s and costs; in
default 11 days.

Assaczx Casa.—At the Petty Sessions held yesterday,
before Major Fletcher and B. Littlewood, Esq., Eliza
Faulkner, of Wollaston, was charged by Elizabeth Bache
with assaulting her on the '22nd. Mr. Perry defended.
Complainant said they had some words about some man-
ure, when the defendant used bad language, and struck
her several times, blackening her eye, and bruising her
race; and threw a bucket of suds over her. Maly Ann
Davis proved that she saw the defendant throw the suds
upsn complainant, on the 21st inst. The defence was
that there was a downright fight between them. For
some months past, the complainant has made the life of
defendant wretched by making accusations against her
character, and calling her filthy names. Defendant told
the complainant that she would go too far some day. On
the above date the defendant began to use bad epithets,
and the consequence was there was a general fight; and
called Susan Ann Turner, who gave evidence to the effect
that complainant had made use of very bad language to
the defendant, culling her til;hy names, and that com-
plainant squared her fists at defendant, arid they had a
fight. After hearing this evidence, the Bench dismissed
the case.

THE CATTLE DISEASES Acr.—Walter Hickman, far-
mer, of Broom, was charged be Superintendent Freeman
with allowing a cow, diseased, to be removed from Broom
to Belbroughton, on the 13th mat, contrary to the Act.
Samuel Cross said he was in the employ of defendant,
and on the above date drove a cow front Broom to Bel-
broughton, along the highesay. Did not know the con-
dition of the cow at the time. Defendant told him to
take the cow. Francis Blakeway, Inspector, said lie
visited the Churchouse Farm, on the above date, from
information received, to attend a cow for the Foot and
Mouth Disease. Ile examined it, and found the cow was :
suffering from the disease, being lame, and frothing at
the mouth, from the effects of ulcers on the tongue. In
defence, Mr. Hickman said that for some time past he
had sent all the besets in his possession to ascertain if
they were all right, as he had fl quantity at Broom, and
he did not wish to have any beasts amongst the others
unless they were all right. Be had no idea but that the
cow was all right. The Bench said they did not think
the defendant was aware of it at the time, and dismissed
the case.
hiASTERS AND SERVANTS' ACT. William Thornton
was charged with not fulfilling a contract with Messrs.
Firmatone and McEwen by neglecting his work, on the
sth inst. Charles William Firmstone said he engaged
the defendant at the end of February as a fork maker,
and after entered into a contract. 30s was advanced to
the defendant. Be did not work a whole week, t xcept
to make his own tools, which is the custom of the trade,
and he had not earned the amount lent. William Clulow,
clerk, said the defendant came to work. He began to
make his tools, which it is usual to make, and he worked
some part of the week, but the work was unfinished, and
was useless to them. The work done would be worth
about 15+. The loss sustained would be about £5. In
addition to that, they were unable to supply their custo-
mers, which was a disappointment. The defence was
that he had worked for a week, and asked for some
money. Complainant would not let him have any money
until he had signed a contract, and he did sign it, and
received 30s. Defendant was ordered to fulfil the con-

tract entered into, to complete the work to the extent of
304, and to pay mints; and war bound over in Li to fulfil
the ci.ntraet.
WINE LICENSE.—John Davin, confectiontr„ Market-
street, applied for a wine license before the Magiptrates,
yesterday, which wan grouted.
ASSAULT CASE.—John Conic' 1 war Charged by Thomas
Canoe with assaulting him or, lor 13th in,t. Complain-
ant proved toot the defendant came up to him, struck
him, and threatened to kick his heart out. (lave him