The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-06-19 00:00:00

DAIRY FARMER'S CONFERENCE.

The last day's conferen?,e of the British Dairy
Farmers' Association ended by a Meeting and discus-
sion in the Town Hall, at Derby. Mr. J. A. Stephen-
son, of the Cumberland Dairy Company, read a paper
on "The utilization of separated and skim milk." A
long and lively discussion took place. A resolution was
passed expressing an opinion that the fraudulent sale
of butterine as butter should be stopped by Act of Par-
liament, and hoping that Lord Vernon's Bill would be
passed. Professor Wallace deprecated an entire
support of the bill; ard in reply to his remarks Lord
Vernon defended his bill. He denied that it savoured
of protection in any way. Protection meant the
taxadon of the poor for the benefit of the rich,
but this bill meant the protection of the
poor at the expense of no one. He did not
wish to stop the sale of butterine, but he did
object to its being palmed off on the poor artisan as
butter. Mr. Isaac Edwards read a paper on " Winter
dairying," whiah brought the proceedings to an end.
It was decided to hold the next year's conference in
Dublin.
THE OXFORD EVANGELIST.

Of all imaginable tasks there are few, one would
think, that would more tax a man's self-possession
and courage than that of preaching in the open air in
a university town. Some zealot, possessed with the
idea that the learning of this world is foolishness
with God, might do it indeed with a good heart, but
it must be a tremendous effort for a cultured man to
stand forth in this character before his fellows and
equals. And this is what Henry Bazeley (whose
memoir, written by the Rev. E. L. Hicks, M.A., has just
been published by Macmillan and Co.) did for many
years. Sunday after Sunday, for a dozen years or so.
he took his stand within sight, and it might be added
within shot, of the windows of Balliol, and preached
the Gospel or what he believed with his whole heart
to be the Gospel. "Noisy undergraduates," as he
describes them in his diary, scarcely disturbed,
and certainly did not deter him. He hid is answer
for them On occasion, and on the whole he was
left unmolested, an interesting proof of grow-
ing tolerance, when we remember that not
much more than a century ago the university
autlacrities actually expelled some juniors who per-
sisted in holding a prayer-meeting. But it was not
only within the civilized precincts of Magdalen-street
and of Christ Church Meadow (where he used to dis-
tribute leaflets to undergraduates returning from the
races) that Henry Bazeley earned the title of an
evangelist. He was to be seen doing the same work
amidst circumstances which often meant peril to
limb, if not to life. He would go in his B.C.L.'s cap
and gown—it was always a point with him to empha-
size his academical position—among the noisy and
drunken crowds which assemble at racecourses and
fairs. There was not a gathering within accessible
distance of Oxford which he did not attend. Some-
times he was roughly treated; on one occasion he
good-humouredly records that only the board of his
cap had been broken; on another, he was only saved
from being thrown into the river by the intervention
of an " unfortunate," who, touched. by tome of the words
which she had heard from his lips—and they were
always words instinct with tenderness and sympathy
' —declared to the crowd of threatening roughs that
what they did to him they should do to her also.
This poor creature, perhaps, knew something of what
the preacher was doing for her unhappy fellows; or
some instinct made her feel that he was "the friend-
less people's friend." No side of Bazeley's life
showed a more singular devotion and courage than
the work which he did among fallen women. Most
men, however pure and zealous, would regard with
hopeless admiration the man who, still in his first
youth (he was little more than 30 when he died),
would speak words of advice to these poor wanderers
as he met them in the street, or would even follow
them to the houses of ill fame. This is one of the
things which it wants a saint, absolutely unconscious
of self, of others, of everything except his mission,
to do. _ _

All the while that Dueley was busy with these
evangelistic labours he was doing work which most
men would consider sufficient occupation for their
lives. A good classical scholar—he took a First in
Moderations—he had soon developed a special bent
to theology. A little more than two years after his
degree he had obtained a university theological
scholarship, and when the School of Honours in
Theology was instituted—or rather developed, for it
had existed many years as a name—he devoted him-
self to the work of a private tutor in this branch of
study. For the last ten years or so of his life he
gave many hours of the day to his pupils and to the
reading which this work rendered necessary. His
success in this occupation was great, his help being
sought by men of all shades of opinion. Indeed, his
knowledge of theology was nothing less than pro-
found. Mr. Hicks tells us that when a candidate
for the scholarship be askect permission to treat the
thesis set, "The Argument for Episcopacy," from an
adverse point of view, and, obtaining it, wrote a paper
which gained what must have been the unwilling
admiration of the examiners. Dr. Pueey was one
of them. - - _ _

This anecdote introduces us to another side of his
character—the strict logic of his intellectual con-
clusions, and the severity of conscience with which he
carried them into execution. Study of Scripture and
of antiquity had persuaded him that Presbyterianism
was the nearest possible approach to the Apostolical
ideal of church government. An English Presby-
terian he would not become, for he loved the Church
of England, and abhorred the notion of being a schis-
matic. Accordingly he Rntighf. the
Established Church of Scotland, first as a licentiate,
allowed to preach, but not to administer the sacra-
ments, and then as an ordained minister. It was a
curious, and, one would think, not very happy compro-
mise. One does not see how an Englishman, still living in
England, can become a Scotch Presbyterian; and if
schism is an offence, it is practically committed by one
who gathers a congregation in a convention of his
own. This is what Henry Baze3ey did. How strong his
innate attachment to the Church of his fathers con-
tinued to be was shown by the fact that at one time
be did overcome his scruples and took deacon's orders.
But his logic was too much for his heart, and he
went back after a year or so's trial to the Presbyterian
communion. One of its attractions for him was that,
according at least to the ritual of the severer schools,
it does not allow the use of music or of any hymns
other than the Psalms in public worship. This was
with Henry Bazeley almost an article " stantis nut
cadentia ecclesitc."

calm conductor: "Can't take that sixpence, sir !'•
Indignant passenger: "I'd like to know why not."
C. C. • "Its too smooth." I. P.: "Well, that's cool!'
You gave me that very sixpence on this car this morn-
:ng, I took it from you in change." C. 0.: "Well,
you see, we are more particular than you are."
There are many people in the world who spend the
first half of their existence trying to taste all the
sweets of life, and the second half in trying to get the
taste out of their mouths

Clergymen, as a rule, make the worst husband's in
the world. Editors rank nest. The reasons are that,
while editors are away day and night, clergymen are
at home night and day.

"I bring you my dog to be cured," said a man lead-
ing a large dog. "Has he shown any signs of hydr
phobia?" asked the professor. "go; but he will
show some pretty soon." "Hag he been bitten by a
mad•dog?" "Worse than that. He bit a Socialist
in the leg." " Ah, there is no hope for the dog. The
virus of a Socialist is too strong to be cured by science.
Kill the doe, before bites anybody eIRA."