The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-04-03 00:00:00

g irments he is all gee. Dress was thdcght of more
tem the formatioa of eharecter, and this country te-
quired both an American and a French revolution to
.helie off its dendsm, end bring it to a right sense of
the purp ;se oi ii. t Wirt. Wok then much
worm, and an attempt was male to pass s nieasdtt thee,*
Parliament requiring an persons to wear these articles.
Muffs, too, were worn by 1, ith sexes, and lords and mar.
quises then talked of Maffs and such like. in the same
strain its *mild UM boarding school girls of this present
time. Many things hole to ct With the formation of
character, and dress especially; and you catUot attentpt
to mould the character of a man aright without having
continual reference to the hebiliments of his body.
With regard to amusements, he said he was one of those
persons who believed that a certain amount of recreation
was strictly eseentiol. The Puritans of old tried to ban•
ish oat of their midst, but they miserably failed. It is
good eapeciblly for the mind; the bow must not be kept
bent, else it would lose its elasticity, and become useless.
But *het kind of amusements were to be indulged in.
Our bodies require pore, healthful, recreation; but how
are we to decide between the pure and the impure. He
alleged that if any kind of reeyeation were to be in-
iluitted in which damped the souls ardour that wax im-
pure. The pure rrs titbit advocated was of that class,
which one might cease to indulge in one montent, and
the nett enter into the place of prayer and sacred Floa-
tation, isithont suffering any compunctions of conscience.
The power of ieliglon hat, In this respect made a great
change. Those amusements which so degteded one fore.
inautthieeoid
rscoecdktibgyhttuinogiowbaar
oft,aiteiuncge..,Feaei; antinow which n
e
alit eatecidiy dt dfleftiek; /aid Era ptuishable lay nra
Infi
Wa
by imprisonment. Bet the tt fe.tdee; *Os tbr roles
fights which often took place, and In which feraa,,,,a were
e eorn
the combatants. Their challenges used to be publicly
advertised, and the place and time on which they were
to contend. But the most peculiar features about their
scrimmages sised to be An estreement that each combat-
ant should hold • half-crown in each hand, and the ('Sr
Stilt dromiel the money first Was to be considered Die
lose. Title wee to prevent Altera from scratching. In
those days life was held to be Of tittle eelue. Perscina
were put to death for offences which now.i.daya net&
trivial, and in almost every street of London could be
earn a gallows. Some peoble say crime is increasing.
Stich is not the etisci. Fecisile Who so farm should re-
member the inrease of population, and the increased faci-
lities there are now of hearing of all aorta of tittee
through the medium of Ow newspapers. He then gave
instances of the crimes committed, and next referred to
gambling, which he strongly and bitterly condemned, as
ruinous and degrading, blighting the character and dar-
kening the future of man. Drunkenness then, ton, was
very prevalenLand learned professors of theology thought
it no disgrace to go home in such a state as to be con,
pelled to feel their way by touching the honeem. The
superstitiona of the time were then noticed and vividly
pourtrayed. One superetitious practice was this, which
lie strongly believed in. If you rise early on the Ist of
If iv. and wash yourself in the dew of the morning, your
health will lie increased. He should say rise every day
instead of one day is the year. Cleanlinetis is next to
godliness, noise people say. He denied that; ills part of
godliness itself. In conclusion he urged his audience to
remember that though a great deal had been done to'
wards improving this country a great deal still remained
to be done, and they shoal I endeavour each to do his
elaire, so that future genetations may speak of theni
iii
terms rif praise—(applause).—A vote of thanks was
heartily accorded to the lecturer, whieh was moved by
the Rev. H. Morgan. and seconded by Mr. Cox.—Mr
Lowie also moved a vote of thanks to the Chairmar..
which was seconded by Mr. Fellowes, end the meenue
concluded by singing the Doxology. Mr. Philip Heath
presided at the organ.