The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-09-14 00:00:00

THE STOERBRIDCE OBSERVER.

mac various sects regarlin each other
with equal hatred ar,t it t-,rroat evil anti had it not
i,ee,t for a free ecinstitotion they woul(i long
since have been our rain.

The- noe .ictl soppor'ers• for
stance denions. rat 1,,,w lin n will so:oeJtnes
4aorifioe their conwry to save their party ano
hits when sticinian prtindiee influences the
mind to this alarming degree it is time that it
should be destioyed or at least prevented from
cawing unnecessary contention among the crew
of that ship which is to ride the stormy seas of
a treacherous world. A house that is divided
Against itself can never stall(' the attacks of
foreign enemies for jealousy mid prejudice will
destroy the possibility of united action and
internal strife will divert attention from outward
danger. We all rerneil.ber the sad fate of
-Jerusalem, the most impregnable city in the
'-vorld, how dissensions reigned within its walls
a-hen accompanied by the Roman army, and
iow those dissensions facilitated its capture and
ruin. Is the British empire to share the same
fate ? And are its people to become the slaves
of despotic rulers? We sincerelLtrust not and
ye fancy every true patriot will promptly answer
in the negative. Our national feelings ought
oot to be sowed by the effrontery of foreign
.iiplomacy or divided by our own stupid
-;ectarian prejudices. Let us endeavour to be
men first, Englishmen next, and partisans lad,
and then we shall save ourselves and our
iountry from ruin and dishonour.
The belonging to any particular sect or party
generally tends to make men have narrow and
bigoted minds, and bigotry is the greatest
hinderance to all true advancement which we
have to contend against. Yet is astonishing
how much bigotry there is in the world even
in this highly advanced and civilized nineteenth
century. There are men at the present day
Yho, having had certain tenets instilled into
thew through the medium of early education
simply believe because they have always been
taughs to do £O, but they can never defend their
opinions and will generally retreat before the
slightest symptoms of controversy.
These are the men which value partisanship
more than honour itself. These are the persons
who sneer at every fresh evolution of thought
and who look with horror upon every step in
i,he onward march of human progress. Is our
mental freedom to be thus crippled by sectarian
higotry and the prejudices of education?
Are we to be blindly led by men who, though
superior in talent sad erudition may yet err
through the infirmity of their mortal natures?

this cannot be. }Sat if a desirable reforma-
tion under these state of things is really to be
.ecumpislied there ought to be less suspicion,
and hatred among all religious aud political
sects for after all our party seems to be as good
is auotiter, the general tendency of all being to
get into power. That simple phrase ‘• to get
into power," is thE best solution to all sectarian
diflicultiee, and is the most complete explantt-
-ion of all the strife and petty jealousies belong-
leg to clique legislation. For in spite of the
noble precepts and sublime ideal which:any
religious or political parties may profess to fol-
ow, their aims and ambitious at the present
,lay appear to he bent upon usurping the reins
of government, and living, if possible, upon the
ignorance and bigotry of mankind.
But beyond all this we have yet to consider
what profit we can ultimately acquire by being
allied to any particular section of society
!ecause there is seldom much to be gained in
,lie long run by it in this world and certainly
nothing in the next.
For when we shall appear at the bar of the
heavenly tribunal it will not be asked whether
we were Protestants, whether we were Dis-
senters, or whether we were Churchmen during
he period of earthly life. But each will have
to give an account of the talents committed to
his charge independent of any alliance that
way have been contracted with the factions of
society.
Doubtless some of our readers will think that
we citrey our remarks too far and that they are
more suited for the pulpit than the press. But
we are sorry to say that the pulpit very often
stimulates and uphoels sectarian bigotry insteati
of attempting to destroy it, and if we were not
to raise our voice thus—distinctly, we do not
fancy many others would. Amid the flames of
controversy and the feuds of popular sects we
ask every man to keep his head cool and his
heart free, neither despising anybody because of
ihe creed they profess nor relying too confi-
dently upon the infallibility of his own opinion.
If we could but see the advantages derivable by
being more friendly disposed towards each
other, and by endeavouring to cherish the seeds
of harmony, the diversity of belief around us
would then be materially mellowed into one
universal ideal so that the human race might
truly be said to be as one united family.
And then under this metamorphosed con-
,ii:iou each individual tiiil he able.to think freely
whaLoui, fear of coroing into collision with the
pi ejudiees of bis bev:lll7our.

Brigade. This is not a benevolent scheme which may
Only gratify those who establish it; it is a necessity
which must 8001 be urgently felt. Although our
FO may 01. vv:th a Fens..., of security upon our
two old engines I hope they have forgotten
that there used to be an ancient fire escape
because it is not here now. It has, I
b v been sent to the British Nluserim I should re.
commend that the engines follow, and that we obtain
one or two with all the modern improvements. There
can be no doubt that the matter would be enthusiastically
supyorted if steps were taken to form a brigade, Fail-
ing ,-uch measures let each citizen provide himself with
Extineteur " and failing this -- well, some of
them would roast in a mmeer to delight the eyes of
the King of the Cannibul Hanes.
THERE was we are told a custom ie ancient Athens
which enabled the citizens to indicate those whom it
seemed desirable to banish from the puelic service. We
have, however, now a few new young members and hope
they will bind before the meetings many matters which
.4eern to require a tention remembering that they are the
Stourbridge Improvement Commissioners. What these
"burning questions" are they can easily ascertain by a
perusal of this enlightened publication in which the
" ridentem dice re verum" is aimed at.

ilonsEs of the superior kind are it has been pointed
out to me becoming more plentiful in the neighbourhood
aid it certainly sppears to me to be a very desirable
Ihing for the interests of Stonrbridge that they should
be occupied. 'Mid this view it has been-surmised that
business men from Birmingham might be induced to
live here if the tretin service between the two places were
better. At present there is no train from Birmingham
between 525 and 7.30 or in other words no train just
when these gentlemen would require it. • Let the Com-
missioners judge.
TreiNELereto by the Dudley express the other day I
was ratner alarmed to see the engine driver and guard
suddenly descend whilst the train was still going at its
normal speed and examine the line carefully. On
enquiry I found they were merely making chalk marks
on the rail :o find which way the trein was moving.
IT is well nnown to be we ineffectual thing to " cast
pearls before swine," but 1 am not so sure about cows.
At any rate one strolled lute Mr. Douglss' shop the
other day and aftr brea,ting a glass case was induced to
retire. A " buil in a china shop " would have been
nothing to it if this bovine individual had determined on
inspecting the whole stock of jewellery. It wa., all of
course the result of careless driving to which shop-
keepers will perhaps become accustomed in time looking
at the experience of Air. Davis, the confectioner, and
thi3 last incursion. Are such :things entirely ultra
vires?

1.2 time is money we ought to be rich in Stourbridge
seeing how well off we are in the matter of clocks. At
any rate we ought to be the most punctual people in the
country for I often hear the clocks of Oldswiuford, the
i-loEvtal` and St. Thomas' tolling for "the knell of my
rtPd hours" at the same moment. No excuse for
being late now.
A inatnernstical coal heaver in the district has a horse
he calks Euclid, He says he's so full of angles.

IT was characteristic, at least, that in the last " Law
v. Honesty" cricket match the lawyers had tw,lve rth,n
in the field until some observer pointed out the fact.
The crick,2t, annals of this year have been on the whole
very interesting to Stouroridge lovers of the willow, bat
I. do wish there were no so much division in the cam
I am told that a committee meeting requires as much
patience and temper as a steady innings. Such things
shouli not be. It was pleasant ou Saturday last to note
Lilac the spirh of cricket is not dead in those who have
long retire.i from active particip ition in its vicissitudes,
and that ott,ven a residence enter a southern sun'can
"draw all ,uch humour," from them.

Tian cricket season is this year to be brought to a close
very pleasautly by the Athletic Sports when a very auc•
ceaful meeting is anticipated. If Jup.ter Pluviva will
only be propitious and spare us the frequent deluge, a
more delightful day will hardly to remembered in Our
stylish little towo. The fact that the competitions have
been well taken up locally will invest the event with more
than the usual interest. I promise to wear the new coat
I spoke of sometime ago on the occasion and mean to
take my wife and the children. As we shall walk up and
not go either by steamer or train, I hope we shall get
there and back in safety.
A lady visitor at one of the Board schools asked an
infant of the natural history class which was the bravest
animal in proportion to its size, and was informal by a
sharp boy of some four summers that the " F sharp " was
the identical creature because he'd heard the parson say
•` The wicked flea when no man pursueth but the
righteous is as bold as a lion." She asked no more
questions in comparative anatomy. This reminds me of
an answer given in one of our Sunday schools a few
weeks ago. A lady teacher read to a class of girls the
story of the Foolish Virgins. Wishing to "point thc
moral and adorn the tale" she asked " Now, who are the
foolish virgins? " " Those who don't get married" was
the naive reply.
PHYLLIS and Corydon are happy once more—the Rink
is again open for skating! Much was made of the
opportunity even on the first night when all appeared to
enjoy themselves fuity and to skate with more empress-
nvdt:, than we have ever before observed. The appear-
ance of the place ie much improved by the stage, and the
wind playiag there had a pretty effect. smoking is now
forbidden in any part of the Hall and althougn skaters
bait this as an improvement I have heard several
whose skating days ate past compiaiu ot their being now
unable to look on while they enjoyed their usual evening
pipe. No harm could come ot it if the smoking were
strtetly confiaed to the gallery. I think a littie more
care ahouid be bestowed upon the ventilation during the
closed hours lhe half-hour change is not so well ob-
served now I mu sorry to see and there is no laJundary
nut, for the protection of the centre of the room as there
used to be.

;EH K-mblea were entertained a few evenings ago at a
dinner given by Mr. Elainge, which, however, was no
" stage banquet." At a dramatic feast of course, there
would be many entrees and "the wings" of game would
ue in much onmauti No " prompting" would he re-
quired anti of course the grace was " May good diges-
tion wait on appetitt and health on both," and this was
donbliess the °case. When they reached home I hope
uoue of theua played in a "curtain scene " a la Mrs
Caudle.