The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1879-10-21 00:00:00

WORKING MEN'S CLUB.

The near approach of winter, with Its long dull cold
evening, has revived the energies of the committee of the
above club, who opened whet may be termed their
"season" on Ttiureday with • socisl tee sari meeting, to
reopen the various Mufti in connection with the same—
shorthand, grommet, French. discussion. an. Tea tee was
laid at • rsther late hour, 7.30, to enable the various
members to attend, and about 50 sat down.
The meeting was hell itninedietely alter, in (be com-
modious club-room, and there were present the II:v. J.
Harrington (chairman), Rev. C. Chambers, Mews. 0.
Crocker, G. Wright, R. ter k Greenins.She pb ard, Burnard,
Richards, Hawkins, Pitcher, Steads, Clark, A. Waif, hon.
rec., 44-.
Before calling on the to:rotary to read the report the
CZAZILMAX reed a letter from Mrs. Bingham regretting she
was unsible to be present She hoped they would have •
: pleasant gathering, and it would afford her pleasure to
contribute Ll toward' the expenses of the evening.
Mr. A. WOLFF then read the report, which showed that
singe the club wmitasted in April last they hod enrolled
113 members, but 41 only had poid up their contribution..
Their receipts were—members. a 18a. dd. : hon. members,
LI lis. 01. : sale of paper., 3.. 7.1.; total £7 lda 74. The
expenditure up to the present Hine had been .e 7 10.. lid.
whistilnit • balance ii. hand of 5.. 13d.

- .
WIIUGHT expreaed his sympathy with this institu.
tion, although he was no. a member, and that it was
wanted was apparent from the &UGC."' that had attended
their effort. He thought the Club should resemble as
much as powible a home, end he hoped many wonid bless
the day that they ever joined with t 0.... They must
remember that life was not for recreation only, but for
earnest work ; if the drat days were frittered away they
could never lis recalled, and he urged them to make
especial use of the club for the acquirement of knowledge.
He was glad to see that ewearing was strictly prce.thited
here,for it wait 0114 of the worst habits they could possibly
acquire. Reference bed been made in the mewl as to •
library: there were several good ones in the town, and he
suggested they might make some arrangement with the
managers to get the use of them. (Applause.)
The Rev. 0 Outlaw was glad they bad on institution
of W. kind for many teeth's* ; his sympathies were with
everything that tended to promote good. For many yurs
he had been • total abstainer, and he wished to lay stress
upon that. for wbereter he had been he had omen the evil*
ef the we of intoxicating dnuks, from which he urged
them to abstain; it was beat sad oaf e for every one to do
an, and be did not think they were of the slightest use
either in sickness or health. He thought these clubs were
very useful.ier in them young men could spend an hour or
two without the temptation to drink. This institution
showed him they were in earnest, determined to acquire
knowledge, iind in proportion as they were eci they would
succeed in their future life. (Applause.)
Mr. G. CILOCILES said he had been thinking aa he eat
there of YA years ago end of the starting of
. place something similar to this, and contrasting
one with the other. At that time there was
much opposition and many difficulties were to be over-
come. When they first started it a policemen used to
stand under the window to see what they did, and their
discussion classes used occialonally to be visited by a
Town Councillor, to see they did not talk hem or discuss
Polittes bo supposed. Speaking of education, M. Cracker
said in the,. days of School Boards it was necessary they
should devote mach of their spare time to learning, or
they would be handicapped Ili their future life, and
younger men would get before them. Zincation of 60
yews ego would not do for the present. The •CiIDCIII had
been pressed into service in everyday life; we had sloe-
Wetly, the telephone, Au. and we should soon have the
electric light, and it would be necessary for the Altman of
the future to know something of these things. Let each
Impart knowledge to others as they were beet able. He
thought the club was the best thing that had been started
• in the town for some time, for it supplied a want,
! remedied an evil, and he wished it every succor.
' (Cheers.)
The CHatintx wished to impress upon the members
that the times in which they lived made it iLiperative
they should be in eereett Competition amongst the
nations and the great •Ehthitions hod enabled the people
of otaer cowatriaa to oumpeto with our manufacturers,
! and calm thought and earnest labour wee n -eaweary to
enable us to boll our own. He hoped le this
! club there would be an absence of that bitter
clogs feeling, which was so very prevalent in this
part of the country,almost as bad Alin India. Hee:hotted
them to sink all mete Led clan feeling, end to reek to
elevate themselves by the model of Jesus Clout.
A vote of (batiks to the .Chairman and those who had
taken part in the meeting wag proposed by Mr. RICHARDS,
and seconded by Mr. CLARK, also to Kr. and Mrs. Stier.
Min forth. aalialactoty way in which they bad gut up
the tea.