The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-05-30 00:00:00

TILE GENERAL BAPTIST ASSEMBLY.

IThis assembly held its 232nd anniversary on Tues-
day, at the Bethnal-green-road Chapel, when tile Rev.
J. B. Brinkworth and the Rev. W. HE.rvey Smith
were installed as messengers to the General Baptist
churches for the ensuing year. The installation ser-
Ivice was conducted and the charge given by the Rev.
L.Henry Solly, Senior Messenger. The Communion of
the Lord's Supper was then celebrated, being con-
ducted bv. the Rev. Professor Drummond, D.D. After
luncheon had been partaken of, the meeting of the
assembly% for its annual business was held, under the
presidency of Mr. Henry Green, the Revs. W. Glan-
ville and Francis Woods being chosen as moderators,
when, in addition to various denominational resolu-
tions, the following were also passed, being moved and
seconded by the Revs. W. Harvey Smith, J. B. Brink-
worth, H. Solly, lioddinot, Howard, Marten, Birks,
and other gentlemen: "That this . Assembly
of the General Baptist Association desires
to present to the Prime Minister and the
Government their grateful acknowledgments of the
admirable and so far successful endeavours which they
have been making for the preservation of peace
between this kingdom and the Empire of Russia, and
they fervently pray those endeavours will be finally
crowned by the Divine blessings. That this Assembly
I observes with the deepest regret the distressing revela-
tions made before the Royal Commissioners on the
Housing of the Poor, and expresses its earnest hope
that measures will speedily be taken for remedying
and above all preventing the evils caused by the
I crowded condition of the poorer localities of the
metropolis and other large towns, and by the constant
influx into towns from the rural districts. That this
assembly aesires to renew its emphatic and indignant
protest against the iniquitous and cruel Acts known
as the Contagious Diseases Acts, and to roserd its
doep.consic4on that the Divine law of purity is equally
binding on men and women. 7:loiiritilo47-211414--Ve
communicated to the Home Secretary an t pu ic
press." A report from a sub-committee was also read
and unanimously adopted, for the formation of a
Home Missionary Societyr •

COMPULSOAY INSURANCE IN THE
POLICE FORCE.

It appears from the official accounts that the Metro.
politan police contribute to their superannuation fund
out of their wages, in accordance with the regulations,
a total sum of £18,781 in the year. Stoppages
during sickness and fines for misconduct also go to
this fund, which brings the amount up to £24,135.
This, however, furnishes but a small proportion of the
fund, as will be seen by the fact that the super-
annuation allowed in the year—there are now 3704
pensioners on the list—amounted to no less than
£170,000. The superannuation fund, in fact,
derives the bulk of its revenue from
the contribution from the- - General Metro-
politan Police Fund, amounting to £120,754, supple-
mented by various small sources of income, such as
fines imposed on drunken persons and for assaults on
the police, proceeds of sale of old clothing, and con-
tributions on a fixed scale from public departments,
companies, and individuals, is addition to the pay-
ments made by them for special services. Thegeneral
advantages of the superannuation fund, beyond the
direct coWributions of the men, are of course part of
the reward of their labour. From this point of view,
therefore, the superannuation system in general may
be regarded as one of compulsory insurance.