The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-07-25 00:00:00

DEAN STANLEY ON WORKIAG MEN'S
CLUBS.

can indeed do sIL The ministers of religion and the
multitudes of good men and women who listen to them
from week to week can make that reform you seek.
Without their zeal and co-operation it is impossible
and a dream. If I have time and opportunity I could
my much more, but this may be sufficient for the
moment ea a reply to your note.—l am, very truly,
yolllll, Jogs BRIGHT.
afr, W B. Gregory, Bradford, Torkahlre.

The Dean of Westminster presided en Tuesday over
the twelfth annual meeting of the Werking Men's
Club and Institute Union, held at the hall of the
Society of Arta, in London. Among those present
were Lord Lyttelton, Mr. S. Nlorley. M.P., Bight
Hon. A. S. Ayrton, Sir Harcourt Johnstone, M.
Mr. T. Hughes, Q.C., Captain Bedford Pint, M.P.,
Mr. Hodgson Pratt, Captain Mercier, &c. Letters of
apology for their inability to attend having been read
from a number of eminent persons,
Al the Notts Assizes, on Saturday, before Mr. Baron I Lord Lyttelton moved the adoption of the report, an
Amehlett, a breach of promise case—Tunnicliffe r. Doer— abstract of which was read by the secretary. It was
was tried. I seconded by Sir Harcourt Johnstone, M.P., and
The plaintiff is a milliner living with her parents at carried unanme ugly.
Leicester, and the defendant is a grocer in a small , In moving a resolution to the effect that working
way of business at Beeston, near Nottingham. In ; men's clubs promoted thethatienal prosperity and con.
October, 1872, plaintiff went to visit an aunt at duced to a greater union between class and class, Mr.
Chilwell, a village adjoining Beeston, aocompanie IbY Samuel Morley, M. I'., confessed that he felt some
her sister and a Miss Langton. They got out at Bees- anxiety as to the future of the working; classes of the
ton Station, and on their way to plaintiff's aunt's • country. Ile claimed their undoubted right to deal
house they met the defendant with several friends, with the money they earned according to their own
with one of whom (Mr- Elate.) plaintiff wasacquainted. consciences, but he was anxious that it should be spent
Mr. Etches introduced her to defendant, who walked in the right direction, and that they should te trained
with her to her aunt's. Subsequently be met her at . to make a wise use of the politic! influence to which
Nottingham Fair, and again acoompaned her to , they were advancing. He would lose no opportunity
ChilwelL On their way from the station he asked of bringing classes together, and enabling men to inset
her how she would like to be a grocer's wife, and on common ground; and therefore, though he had
she replied that it was a very serious question and she nothing to do with the origin of this great idea, he re-
would like time to consider. She soon afterwards joiced to discover that it was to be brought into prac-
returned to Leicester, and a correspondence ensued tycia operation.
between them. Some of the letters occasioned a Mr. T. Hughes having seconded the resolution, it
good deal of merriment in court. Defendant went was carried unanimously.
to Leicester to see the plaintiff's parents, afterwards
Among‘..thesulgse,_ subsequent speakers were Mr. Berry,
Captain Mercier,, Mr. Savage, &c. •
went over every third Sunday and WBB received by ~..,
them as their daughter's accepted lover. Plaintiff
presently, however, received a very cool letter from The Dean of Westminster, in summing up the ideas
him and went to Beesitin to obtain an explanation that had been started by the various speakers, said
from him, lie then promised to write to her ex- that these clubs were founded upon the important
plaining all. She received a letter from him, in which principle of endeavouring to keep out bad habits by
he addressed her as " Miss Dunniegton." He ex- creating good ones, or, LW Dr. Chalmers, of Scotland,
pressed his surprise that ishe had called on him, and termed H
it, by "the expulsive power of new affec-
asked her to return his letter. lie subsequently tions. ' e sometimes asked himself what were the
married another young lady. means by which the great failing of drunkenness,
The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff, damages which in the last centnry was as common among
Eat the upper classes as it was now among the lower,
hail disappeared. Surely the answer must be that the
upper classes had had their minds more open to
elevating pursuits, and he might say, why, in propor-
tion as institutions of this kind grew and increased,
should net this vice disappear from among the lower
classes also. Another boiiit which stood between
eta-ices, and which this system would help to do away
with, was the dissimilarity in ideas and in educa-
tion—a dissimilarity, he had often found in educated
people. When he had to preach he always found
gre it difficulty in preaching to a miscellaneous
colieregatiou, as he felt that different persons had
a number of different ideas which they expressed
in different language, and lie never could feel
sure that the chief idea he wished to convey was
not understood in a perfectly different sense by the
various hearers. There was nothing that tended to
bring thought, language, and feelings on a more level
footing than the bringing of classes together. One of
the great advantages of the clubs was the system of
exenridens to London. No doubt also they felt the
extraordinary pleasure of visits to the country but
surely there must be a great advantage in hying
in the centre of the greatest and most famous city
in the world, where there were 80 many objects
of interest, such as the British Museum, Ac.
Of course, a place that occurred to himself,
where he had been so glad to see so many work-
ing men was Westminster Abbey. When he saw
them there he felt that they had got eomething to in-
terest them in common, which immediately raieed
them above what was vulgar and commonplace, lie
had often inquired of the police and officials on great
holidays whether they had observed any intoxicated
persons strolling into the Abbey, and be had been in-
variably told "not one." In conclusion, the Be-in
wished the Union every success.
The vote of thanks to the chairman' which con-
cluded the proceedings, was seconded by Mr. Ayrton.