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

ENGLAND ASSOCIATION.

The auntie soirée of the above association
was held in the Corn Exchange, on Monday
evening last. About 200 sat down to tea; after
which the chair wee occupied by Lord Lyttel-
ton, who railed upon
The Rev. J. J. Welch to read the report, which
was as follows:

STOURBRIDGE CHURCH OE ENGLAND

kSSOCIATION,

REPouT FOR THY YEAR ENDINO DErEMBER 31sT, 1872.

In submitting the Report for 1872, the Committee
have again to congratulate the Members at the close of
another year, upon the general working of the associn
tion, espelially upon the healthy stae of the funds; for
although the receipts were considerably beLw those of
la.t 'ear, there in a very fair balance to he carried to thu
current account.

T:.cy regret to Mar. that it is probable. the pep. rt
premises will tie required for the purposes of the Orem-
mar School. so that the Association will have to look
out for tither rooms. 'rimy trust, however, they will 1,.
ali'e when the time arrives. td secare suitable premises.
The present reading room is found to be too small for
the numbers frequenting it in the evenings.
On reference to the ttslauee Sheet it will be seen that
the income was £t,2 13s tofu, and the expenditure t:59
lOs Si. tilts leaving a balance of £33. lid in favour of
the association.

Forty four new Members have been elected, since the
last General %win;
The total numb,r•,l members who have paid their sub.
scriptions to the 31st Deccmber last, is 1841. '1 he appa-
rent decrease in the number this year as compared with
the number shewn in the Annual Report for 1871, is
due to the fact that the names of members who have
failed to pay their subscriptions during the past year
have been erased from the books.

The Annual Tea Meeting and
wan of the uau d character— was held in the Cora Ex-
change. The tier. Hugh Sherrard, M.A., in the chair.
A profit of £l2 Is 10.1 was realised for the arvociation.
The Committee beg to acknowledge with thanks the
valuoble services rendered to the association by those
ladies who kindly provided trays on the oceaslon, and
aiso to those ladies and gentlemen who contributed to
the vocal and instrumental porii,n of the entertain-
ment.

The Committee regret that the funds have not enabled
that to make any ad.litio. to the librsry during the
past year, bat they earnestly hope to be ani• to do so
before the close of the present one. They would res-
pectfully remind the public that contributions of books
the library —addressed to librarian, at the rooms of
the association—would be very acceptable, and would
be thankfully acknowledged in the next annual report.
'rne Liorarian'a Re iort of the Issues during the past
veer, is as follows, viz. :—Religious. 59 ; Literary and
Scientific, 63 ; Vol age, and Travels, 70; Miscellaneous,
196; Biography, 59; Poetry, 74, History, 82; Fiction,
661; total. 1,564 Being an increase of 107 over the
previous year: due in a great weosure Li the large addl.
non made to the library towards the close of 1871. and
also to the Rule No, which is now stringently car-
ried out by our energetic Librarians. The total number
of colonies in the library. 55 666.
the Heading Room is supplied with the following
pavers . times, Stanasrd, Daily Uszotte, HaLy Pont.
orceatesshire Chronicle, Midland °unties' Herat],
,voiverhatuptcn Chronicle, Stourbrioge Observer, Brier-
ley Hill Advertiser, C. uuty F.zpress, Illustrated Loudon
_sews, the Graphic. A ;honer. News, English Churchman,
Ohurch Opinion. Church Bells, All ttie Year Round.
Puoen, Cornhill Magazine, Leisuie Hour, Hood Words,
Ulundi of hugland Sunday School Magazine, People's
Mag.zine, and British Workman.
Cuts'ea in the following subjects are now being carried
on Is the rooms of the Association, VIZ. :—Frem.b,
ducted by a Lad,; Bible Class, conducted by Air. A.
Preen; Snort.band, by Mr. S. (tendon; and book-keep-
ing, conduct-d by tie K Paddou.
these ciasses being tree to members, the Committee
are surpris,l to tiud so few of the younger members
taking advantage of them.

Au-Afteruo.44 Sooday Sable Casco ought to be a per-
Luaueui. pan of toe as.ociauou's 0* 0, hut unuapply Lu
cue!. at ju-toeut loon.] vriaulg to [wow Ulan toe teaching
of such a class.

Dialog tue rimier of 1071.72 a cla. wi.formeii, Coder
the supermteudence of two of the members, but ci.. dm.
coutiu.d Coring toe suu.sner mouth, Ail col...queue,
of the dathctuty of keeping the scholars together. Tlie
e miters tut/MO/Li kotvti,g u.td tluties ID JULidAy Schouls
in tue town, were un.tue to cite the cla s welt ottenttot.
as it requ.reJ, in consequim, e of the ditficutty experi-
enced tu nulling other, willing to supply weir p/11.141 ILA
tile bellool4.

I he t,ousznittee earneatly hope some competent teacher
will ofisr hit services for lit. really good ewe, alter Liam
pubic decisration of a great mid pievaing need.
ouuth btutordddire ,clutattonal .Schtnit for tht Pro•
motion of the 244,er h.ducution of Adults.—lhe Com-
mittee are much gratified LO bolter thst a large propur-
t,im of the students In attendance at the biourbrisigc
District CVLusug tdianae,, in couneCtion Can Um above
scheme, are uieUmers of tile Chords of Logiand AaaoCia-
'Lion, and List tile Fri., uff:_red for couigetwor Si
oldie Of ,at.t neasam Were, With one edMeglaua, ISWILIIIIIu

'Zoe Cuusuattee are also glad to notice that the four
classes originally formed, Viz.. kreucti, conducted by
Mons. de Yat ; Lana, by the Bev. B. ellrrard
Mance, by air. Anderson; .uid nushau I.,,telatuse, by
sir. J. B. oheisherd, are cull in active operatauu, cud thai
,au °Were nate bevu lonised ourieg the pleats:li aaaiwu.
cououcteu by Mr. 1. osand, sod
LeuLtutu), by Lev. IL biag...as.
npecial auvautagea are Offered to members of this as.
bocibt.oll jullAlllg iliebe classes, by a renotaion of a pus.
Lou of tase

CliEsS.—lhe Chess career of the associatiou has been
ereetuiegly ytuavereas curios the pest year, sic unnen,
bnvieg beth played, Wee et sOich cave been slaw hi
atom ertrige, tau trace, aika ate 100 t.

a .
.0 here laO soca& Seal of zeal tor the game miturfsetrii
by many of tile young ineumers of Um society.
lhuy one iac.tice Ilas been 141 Val in COUUtetiOn with
111116 aalooiguoU LtUriug Um putt y tar, Va. :—A
••Ole It a.ter Scutt, ' atthert by the ltev. Or. ttubtita,u,
U. the 11114ouldatuO atounuet of ~tntlryiup.e p,„q., yip.
Lao t..f.tket 1.411 b, br .u4nil,ll, wtre Uulttit
twill a Seim tor pluttlee thalug .a•L elluautr, but us Ilupt
arraugtilictit may as made WILLI tut OttAlturtuge
iub itir a .hare of teen venue tor nest aesauu, as it
t,ry tirsttabin to beep up tile CAW Zr obvious reseous.
,Ilrlng Oise peac yea/ Inc coutus,ttee have lust tue ser•
lice, of a very setae member, Air. Colours; fur several
yens, lit was most cUtrgtat ILL the tuteteats of toe si6u•
elation. am* hie ionl am be much feat. they wish him
oral), success lii ute 1110 vOtitiult.
the toilowing are the °dicers for the ensuing year President: ttev. 6. J. J. V. slob, M.A. • Vice•PresAients:
her. J. o. boniero, rmarrarti, kiev. Ti. 161bau1i5.
Ite. M. Robertson, A. tereer, Lett., It. libber's, neg., A,
I.eq , A. Robert., hog , it. M. Frau., t.sq.,
Futhstune, Esq., V. 1. LOOOO-1,1,mq., L. B. Starter., Lay,
Captain Walker, Si. lirazebroAi, 'l'. blunt.,
Corbett, r..sq., V.. ebb, hsq., Ic. Webb,
VV. Sternest, tO4; Committee: neasra. Chss. 13
Jos. rtird. A. C.rke. J. U. 1666,
istlttou, Auttater, Lt. Ittuicy, J. 6. 6 raik;111; trek,.
A.r. Is. buutlu dun. Detre/A.les: sir. J.
mud J. 6. 6 utiusaid ; Cm.. atCauttlil : Sir. S. tr.
Fitt...own); Librarians: Mr. Y. G. tionemay and Air. ka.
A. Itarsupuril.

the Rev. W. J. J. Welch said they wished to
return their sincere and hearty thanks to the
ladies who had given trays, and to the friends
el the association who had give', uunstious to
ail those who were about to take part in the en-
tertainment ; to the lady who taught the French
CAses ; and to all those who took classes. If lie
nail omitted any one he trusted that they would
excuse eiw, as lie could assure them it was not
intentional on his part, and iii the name of the
association he wished to pubiiciy ,xpress his
thanks to all friends who had assisted them in
any way—cheers).
Lord Lyttelton then rose, and said it was
much to his satisfaction to find that in a pecu-
niary respect the report was an improvement on
lab: year. The number of theinbeis was pine( d
at 160, which, though an apparent decrease in
the number this year as couipared with the
number shown in the report last year, was, he
believed, a slight increase in the number of
financial members, as all those bad been struck
WI the books who had not paid up their sub-
scriptions. This increase was no doubt owing
to some wholesome discipline on the part of
those who superintended the operations of the
association. In estimating the vsjoe of a so.
ciety like this, however, they must not only look
at its prosperity, but at the work which it was
doing. It was something for a certain number
of persons having the same religious opinions
to be able to meet together, and discuss as to
what won:4 be the best means for furthering
the common object they had in view; and in
providh,g such is place of meeting the present
association was doing a useful work. Though
the association was called the "Church of Eng-
land Association," he was not aware that any
religious test was required from those who be.
came members, and he believed it was the same
with them as it was in their church schools—
it was competent for persons of any denomina-
tion to join them. They only stipulated that
their officers should belong to the Church of
England. This would account for the fact that
he found, on looking over the report, that one
of the classes was takon by toe Rev. D
a dissenting minister. This was a sat isfac-
tory thihg to observe, as it showed au absence
of any ill-feeling between them and other reli-
gious bodies. That this association should con-
tinue to flourish was, therefore, to him a source
of great satisfaction. The foregoing facts
showed that there was a growing opinion in
favour of religious unity. St. Paul, in one of
Its epistles to the Corinthians, had told the peo-
ple that there should be one agreement and one
"Onion. He (Lord Lyttelto t could not recol-
lect the exact words, but that was the spirit of
them. It wee very desirable that they should