The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-04-26 00:00:00

TI E STOT7III3EIIXE OBSFRVER.

folder this unity of opinion by meeting together
as often as they possibly could. They had a
communion of opinion, and there should be a
feeling of fellowship amongst all of them. It
was a great privilege and a great convenience to
those whose religions opinions were identical
that they should be able to meet together, and
he was therefore glad to see that this association
was able to give all who joined it facilities for
doing this. He saw that the report stated that
the association would shortly be obliged to look
for new premises on account of the alterations
which it was proposed to make in the Grammar
School by the new scheme. He. himself, Was
one of the Commissioners for the carrying out
of the proposed scheme, and he could assure
them that the day when they would be removed
was somewhat farther off than they anticipated,
and that whatever privileges they enjoyed, in
that respect they would be able to enjoy for
some time longer. He believed that they would
not be disturbed this year. He, however,
hoped that some time during the next session
the scheme for the endowment of the Grammar
School would become law. He returned thanks
to the lady who taught French, and whose
modesty prevented her front allowing her tonne
to be made public. He also remarked that they
were in want of a teacher for the Sunday Bible
Class, and hoped that some one would come for-
ward to occupy that post. He next referied to
the success which had attended the representa-
tives of the association in their chess encounters
with other clubs. Chess was a game of which
he the speaker) was very fond, and if there was
not too much tiine devoted to it, he knew of no
other game which could afford so much recrea-
tion to those who practised it during their whole
lives, than that of chess. The only fear was
that it was sometimes allowed to absorb too
much time and attention to the exclusion of
things of greater importance. He did not think
it was necesssary for him to say anything more
to them, and as there was an excellent pro-
gramme to go through he would not detain
them any longer; and he concluded by expres-
sing a hope that this institution would continue
to flourish—(applause).
The Rev. H. Sherrard then said that he must
crave the indulgence of the audience while he
addressed to them a few words. He had often
witnessed people on the platform of a railway
station who were watching the shunting of a
goods' train the while they were waiting for tho
arrival of some friends by a passenger train,
winch was being detained by the aforesaid goods'
train, and he hoped they would not express the
same feelings of impatience while they were
listening to him that sometimes were given vent
to by people who were in the position he had
described. He would limit what remarks he had
! to make to the church work of the associttion.
! There could be no doubt that,as Lord Lyttelton
! had remarked, the meeting together ofjmembers
! of oue church must be productive of good re-
sults. They have an opportunity for the inter-
change of ideas, and there was no doubt that
tine tact alone must exert a direct influence for
good. He was sorry to say, however, that this
association was not doing so much as it ought to
do in connection with church work. With the
exception of the bible class and a few church
papers, there was nothing being done to help
forward the cause of the church. He considered
teat the association might enlist many of their
young men in church work, and he felt strongly
that it had not been doing this. Ile thought
there might also be lectures delivered in con•
Heaton 'still the association. He knew, when
us said this, that they might fairly turn round
on tinu, awl say " We asked you to deliver a !
lecture, and yuu decliued." ibis Was toe case; ,
but his reason for doing so was that he Was hot
always anxious, like the !rightful], to go in on
ins own account. lie preferred not doing so,
unless it was probable that some practical rteult
enould follow. And fur this to be the case it
would be necessary for the lay wembers to do
dn they could to help the good work forward.
It was uiduey Sruith eho wittily remarked with
reference to what he was speaking about, that
Ins oxen should be pieughing and the aSaeb
should be silent." It was all very well for the
clergy to get up and speak, and tuen tor Uniseu-
twig ministers to get up, slid fur a lot of letters
us tile papers to follow; but there would be no
practical result unless church members worked
also. He did not think that the Cuurcii of
twglautt had a right to be an eetaulisued one,
iiiiieria It had the great bulk of the population
with it. Perhaps beLLie 01 those pi eseot ant nut
Know that the mil legal authority in church
matters was Couvocatiou, from which the lay
eieweut was entirely excluded. Ile did not
think this ought to be the case, for although he
did not quite look upon the vox fopuli as being
toe rex /JO, still he thought the lay inelithers
of the church should have seine control user it
as well as the clerical portion of the church.
tie thought that in a time like the present,
when the church Was aeSalied On all Sides, the
members should get together slid say It Was
their Ueeire that this ShOuill be the church et
the land. If that was done he should be glad
to du %twat little he could as far as his Weans
would allow haw If there was any alteration
it SLOUId be dune in connection with church re-
Iww. There could be no doubt that with the
! gross Lk of time certain abuses hau crept into
cue cuurco winch it would be much better to
have altered. They should not stand up for the
cuurch plea its abuses, but fur the church menus
is usee. The ref orb uf Cuuvocalimi was one
of the things they should aim at. It seemed
to him a very great hardship that at the present
wile the laity should have no Voice '
Lion, lie hoped the members of that assume-
Lion would take a greater share in the parish ,
work than they had hituerto done. tie hoped
to see the tiwe when the laity would come fur-
wsrii in great numbers to teach the children
tue principles of religion in the Stanley Schools.
It was this teat this work Was at prudent twee
in his Own school uy working hien, slid he was
tery touch imaged LO them, twit thurtiliglii) ap-
preciated the services which they hail so !reel) .
rendered; but he blIOUld like to see sonic Of
those who moved in a inguer position in so,
deity taking their share of Inc wurk atau.
el them simuld ask themselves, " What ace 1
doing for the work of G ?'' Let all of twin
see that they were doing Something for (.*W,
and then if the time bnollid coins When the lung-
established connection between church and state
suuula be dissolved, they would feel the 'mugs
of dissolution less Xeemy— (loud applause).
this concert was then opened by the puler
wanes of an Andante and Finale from .31w:urea
Symphony in C. in which Mr. S. Smiles (piano-
forte), Mr. D. Mathews (violin), and Mr. Owen
(violii,ceilu), took part. It is neeuless to say
that this piece was rendered by the above gen-
tietuan with great accuracy and precision. A
triu from the "May Queeu," by miss Bonnie,
Mr. Owen Davis, and Mr. F. kisuer, Was Very
creditabiy pertorined ; the singing ut the latly
being especially excellent. In a solo, " Coma
Night, Sweet Mother," which was shortly alter
niVen by Miss Bonnie, her splendid niezzo•so-
prano voice appeared to great advantage, her
phrasing and execution being faultless. She
was tremendously applauded at the close, but
did not respond to the eneore which was de-
manded. Mr. Owen Davis next sang " Nancy
Page and 1." Wu never recollect hearing this
gentleman in worse voice, for nearly every time
he essayed to reach the higher notes he failed
to do so. The audience, however, remetubering
the excelience he has displayed on former occa-
sions, heartily applauded his efforts. Dr. G. F.
Budingtun, in the Course of the evening, gavo a
I reading from Act 11. of Shakespeare's "As you
, like it." We do hot think that this gentleman
was very happy in his selection of the above
, piece, for although he possesses a deep and
sonorous voice, very well adapted to the part of
the "Duke," it lacked flexibility, and he failed
to give individuality either to the half-bantering
half-serious style of the Court Jester,
stone, or incisiveness to the caustic utter.. uses
of the misanthropic Jaques. Not by any means
the least attractive pertormance of the evening
was a magnificent flute solo, rendered with greut
brilliancy and precision by Mr. li. King.
At the conclusion of the entertainment the
Rev. J. S. Boldero proposed a vote of thanks
to Lord Lyttelton, for his attendance there that
evening.

the house daring the week,ll ; discharged, 12;
born 0 ; dead, 0 , remaining, 864. Corresponding
week last year; 816. Out-door relief Kingswin-
ford district, £25 8s 8d ; Stourbridge district,
£lB 2s Ofd ; Halesowen district, £l9 19s 100 ;
relief of non-resident paupers, 7s 6d; total,
£65 18s ld, against £7l 6s 110 last year.

insensible, sad bleeding from the ear. Robert
Luther Bayley, surgeon, said he was called to
attend the deceased on Saturday afternoon. Found
him sitting up in a chair, in an insensible state.
He examined him and found a slight bruise on
the left side, and blood coagulated in the left ear.
He had been removed home, and he remained un-
conscious until the time he died, which was about
eight o'clock on Sunday evening. The cause of
death was injuries to the brain resulting from a
fall. _

DRUNK AND DISORDERLY. —At the Petty
Sessions, held yesterday, before Messrs. J. Hol-
croft and J. C. A. Scott, Thomas Eaton, labourer,
was charged with being drunk and disorderly on
the 19th inst. Daniel Bird said that he was
passing the "Hole in the Wall Inn," saw the de-
fendant who was making a groat noise and quarrel-
ling. Told the defendant to go home he refused
to do so, and began to beat his mother, an old
woman. Defendant pleaded guilty, and was fined
Ss and costs; in default 14 days'.
A LENIENT WOMAN.—Jane Bradley was charged
with assaulting Harriet Smith, on the 15th. Com-
plainant whose nose was cut and eyes blackened,
said she did not wish to press the case, as defen-
dant had a large family of ten children. But the
Bench insisted on complainant giving her evidence,
who stated that defendant struck her on the face
and blackened her eyes. Defendant pleaded
guilty, and said he did it in a mistake he thought
it was his own wife that he struck, he was in beer
at the time. Fined is and costs.