The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-02-29 00:00:00

TIM, STI

—r—
hesenug—Rev. D. Robertson.
lluet—" Could a wan be secure "—Mr. Goddard and
Mr. Spen2er.
Concertina 5 Ohl —Mr. Broughton.
slo—Mra. L. Freer.
_ .

The Her. T. Williams nett gave an addreas,rind urged
Upon the members of the Association to splay themselves
to Sunday School work, Ho also suggesied the denims-
wit! ot forming a kissloperj Society in connection
with the Association.
Tianoforta solo—Mina A. Collin.
Iluet—Mrs. and Miss Freer.

Mr. A. Freer, on rising, Said that his address, as Pre-
sident, would be chiefly manifested by speaking but a
few words. He had intended to address the meeting
more at length, but many points on Olii,.li he wished to
touch had already twee enticed by the reverend speakers
before him. As to the Charch of England Assoeiation
of Stourbridge, he liiid not the slightest doubt that it
was of use to many, and had been of use to hpndrcds of
young men, since itis,f4ndatlon, years ago. It acted as
a cement whilib tended to cement the union of those
who professed to be hound by a common attachment to
the Church of England. It afforded a rendezvous at its
rooms for such persona. suit the value of a meeting
place for study Or for reading for young men bound to-
gether by the same faith was not to be underrated. They
knew that members of a family would tube pleasure In
meeting together on Christmas.,lay. When they met
they did not employ the time in proclaiming aloud how
they loved one another, but they Were sensible, never-
theless of an under-current of sympathy affecting them
all, because they were nietnbers, ore of another—they
felt that " blood was thicker than water." At the same
time their regard for those not a the family was in no.
wise lessened. Many young men were strangers or to •
parolees in the town, and bad not the comfortable op.
portunities for reading or study that many of the ladies
and gentlemen there present had at their homes. A
place, then, where they might meet their fellows was a
great boon to them. With regard to the classes they
certainly were not well attended, still they had been of
Use to many in the aggregate. But lie *Aid here stop
to say a word—to especially some of the younger mem-
bers—about the Bible Class. He must say, considering
they professed attachment to a church whose Chief glory
lay in the fact that she was a scriptural churelt, that it
wee not credit ible that the Bible Class *as no thinly at.
headed, and this notwithstanding it had the great advan-
tage of being at present coinimaeil by such a good Bible
'choler as Mr. Shepherd. Ile hoped they wOulit see to
this. He was glad to any that not a few prizes of the
Worcestemhire Unian of Institutes, end of the Society
of Arts, had fallen to members at different tithes. To
those who found funit wlth the Association saying,
n What good does it do? "—he would answer "Much;
but not so meefi as it Might to do." He would add, to
those who foiled fault with them "Come in among US,
and dithise fresh life and vigour." And now to touch
span a matter not immediately connected With the .'.otiriff
Men's Association, but yet of greht moinent to all mem-
bers of the Cherch of England. He wished to remind
them that they were not members of the Church of
England, but of the Established Church of England and
Ireland. And a great crisis was near, for men seeking
for a reined}, for tho continutainsitatlou of Ireland wished
them to listen to tht allggestion of enemies who said,
cunt/settle tins revenues of the Established Church in
Ireland. A curious remedy for darkness, to begin by
lessening the light; for no unprejudiced person could
doubt that the energy, commercial activity, consenlfeenl
and clemdieees of tr,larel.'olUstered roiled its Protest-
antism as 4 eullthl, typified and prominent especially, in
the F. stanitslied Church. If the quacks were called in
to cure the WoeS of Ireland, they proposed to E•gin by
cutting oil' a 1.11111.1 limb—thee would weaken its Protest-
ant power. And why was halal' neeellse, Say they, the
.4°,4 of the reili;le are not of that religion. But let
not the la...milers of this Association be carried away by
suet, is snare as this. As Lord Bandon well said in Dub.
list lately, " If we are to look with favour only to the re-
ligion of majoritieei lee had helt,r go hack to heathenism
at Omni, let the ebtliiiity of the world at large are at this
present monient worillipping, Wood and stone." Let us
red selliAlly isotite Ourselnei is, oar sympathies with our
brethren in Ireland. Seeing the coniimin danger already
have the Presbyterians, Hie Indi•pcinlesits, end ether
Dissenting bodies niet llt lergh tigiblioi a to sitimort the
Clitifeir al a einlillloll meeting; Mid shall it
be said that English Churchmen can permit that four
hours passage between Ibilyhead and hi ng,lon to alienate
us from our Irish Church brethreli in such a crisis?
The hope of Ireland lies not in tho extinction of Protest.
anlidu, hut in its extelision—febeereb
illee--. Sleep; *rutin Left'-'
'tile pfneiffailligs Of the evening were of a very enjoy-
able eliamet,r, and the music was very good.
Mr. E. W. Bernard proposed a vote ot thanks to the
Chairman, whicli was seconded by Dr. Dixon, laid duly
acknowledged ; mad the proceedings terminated.