The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-12-04 00:00:00

TI-1131 STOTITUBRIDGE

Mr. Turney did not think they were in a posi-
tion to give support to any schemes not before
them; but thought the Great Western Company
ought to be compelled to make the branch railway
into town. Till they talked to the Directors seri-
ously they should get nothing done. They were
obliged to make it, and the Commissioners ought
to compel them to do so.
The Clerk, in answer to one of the Commission-
ers, said he' had not heard from the Company for
some time, hut expected to do so shortly.
Mr. Kelly said the letters written to them by the
Company were only a " barney."
Mr. Turney said the correspondence was merely
a delay. It had been said the cause of the delay
was the high price asked for the land. He was
quite sure that was not so.
Mr. Kelly said that a deputation was appointed
at the last meeting to wait on Mr. Stringer in
reference to the land, and one of that deputation
was present. He, for one, should like to hear the
report.
Mr. Stringer: Shall I retire ?—Cries of No,
No."

Mr. Woolley said he was one of the deputation.
It had been asserted at that Board that Mr. Strin-
ger wanted an extravagant price for his land; but
he found that was not so. Mr. Stringer was willing
to sell his land at a fair market price.
Mr. Turney : A man has a right to sell at the
best price he can get; but that is not the cause of
delay, and I shall be piepared to move a strong
resolution at the next meetly,.
Mr. Franklin considered that the Company ought
to be written to at once, pressing upon them the
importance of making the line.
The Chairman thought it would be well to refer
it to the Improvement Committee.

Mr. Turney 3 Yes; and then report progress—
(laughter).
Mr. Perkin said that several purchases had been
completed by the Company.
Mr. Turney : Yes ; about three pennyworth.
The Clerk said all the land in Foster-street had
been purchased except that of Mr. Stringer.
After some further discussion,
Mr. Franklin proposed "That the Clerk do write
to the Directors, pres,;ing upon them to carry out
the proposed line," which was carried unani-
mously.
• It was understood that the subject would be
brought on again at the next Board meeting.

cemetery. But when one was built upon the con-
secrated ground it was imperative that another
should be. built upon unconsecrated_ ground
unless three-fourths of the vestry deemed it unne-
cessary. He (the chairman) thought the meaning
of that was simply that a decent place should be
provided for those who were not allowed to use the
consecrated chapel. The point he-wanted to men-
tion was this, was it possible to say to all persons.
interested that a consecrated building having been
erected, all persons burying at the cemetery could
use that. •

Mr. Platt said he understood that the Bishop
would not consecrate a chapel of that kind.

The Chairman wished to know if it would meet
with the general approval of the town.
Mr. Stringer: Decidedly not. We should find
a very strong opposition from the Nonconformists.
We should not be dealing fairly with them.
Mr. Turney said he had heard a feeling expressed
by a great many that it was unnecessary to have
more than one buildix)„,....
The Chairman said he thought that those who
used an unconsecrated building would mind using
one which was unconsecrated.
Mr. Platt said he was sure that no one would
object so long as the Nonconformists were allowed
equal access to it with anyone else.
Mr. Haskew said he thought great confusion
would arise from the meeting of a Nonconformist
funeral and a Church funeral. In that case, which
should have precedence.
The Chairman thought if there were two Non-
conformist funerals one would have to take prece-
dence of the other.

Mr. Haskew said that in the majority of the
cases whole that occurred both coffins would go in
at the same time,, and the minister would read the
burial service over both.
The Chairman said there were circumstances
connected with the idea of having, one chapel
which recommended themselves to him. They all
dwelt as living men together upon terms of
equality, and he should like everything that
tended to foster religious intolerance done away
with. If the law would allow it 'and the feelings
of the ratepayers were such as could be gratified
by a thing of that kind, he was prepared to do
anything he could to carry out an arrangement of
that kind.

Mr. Evers asked the Clerk if the Bishop had the
power to admit a Dissenting Minister to officiate
in a pulpit that was under his jurisdition. ,
The Clerk said he believed he had not.
Mr. Stringer thought that showed the desirabi-
lity of having two chapels. He thought the .Act
made it imperative on them ta have two chapels.
• The Chairman said a; clergyman inhis parish was
in a very different position to a clergyman in a:
building which belonged to the towu, and which
was paid for with the ratepayers' money. He (the
chairman) did not wish to exercise any personal
freak of his own in the matter, but he simply
wished to ascertain the feelings of the ratepayers
in the matter. He desired as a member of that
Board to do what would be most to the satisfaction
of the ratepayers of the town in a matter of that
kind. The preliminary question for the Board was
should they go to the parish for their consent to
build one chapel only, if. they found that was
legally sufficient.

-Mr: Haskew said he thought that there was but
one opinion amongst the ratepayers, and that was
that it was desirable to have two chapels as cheap
as :possible. As far as the members of his own
body were concerned he had ascertained that they
would not use either of the chapels. He, therefore,
simply wished to do what he thought would be
most convenient for the inhabitants of the town.

The Chairman thought if they had but one
chapel those who liked might use it as a consecra-
ted building, whilst thole who did not could use
it in their own sense. He agreed that the Act
usually contemplated having two chapels in places
where there was a feeling for such. But he thought
he could point out that in a place where three-
fourths of the Vestry desired to have only one,
they could, with the sanction of the Secretary of
State, have only one.
Mr. Stringer said in places where Nonconfor-
mists were very few he thought they might build
but one, but not in a town where churchmen and
nonconformists were so evenly balanced as in this,
He thought the Board should feel thankful to the
Chairman for elucidating this matter in the way
he had done: His way was very proper, but it was
one thing proper and another to be prudent. He
thought it would be better far to have two chapels
and behave liberally by the dissenters.
Mr. Turney said if the Act did not compel them
to have two chapels, where was the necessity for
having two?
Mr. Platt endorsed the words of the Chairman.
They were thoroughly in accordance with the
spirit of the times. Having two chapels when
there was no necessity for more than one, was
keeping up the spirit of a barbarous age. He
thought it would be much better to have one than
two.

Mr. Stringer: But if the State won't allow Dis-
senting Ministers to use the chapel?
It was remarked that a Dissentino. Minister
would not be allowed to officiate at a''funeral at
Oldswinford Church.
_

-
The Chairman said that what wis proper at Old 7
swinford Church and other churches, would not
apply to a cemetery. In sthose• places they were
bound by certain laws under which the licensetE;
were held. But he had it in his mind that such
an important distinction as there would be between
such places and a building erected by the rate-
payers might bring other important distinctions,
and consequently such a place as the latter might
be allowed to be used.

Mr. Evers asked if it would be possible to get
some counsel's opinion in the matter as to whether
the chapel in question not being a parish church,
but merely a building consecrated for the purposes
of burial, dissenters would be allowed to officiate
in it.

The Clerk said if they had counsel's opinion,
and acted upon it, they might afterwards have to
sustain an action at law, and that would be a very
expensive affair.
Mr. Ilaskew said he thought if they went over
the ground again, they would find that they had
advertised for tenders for the erection of two
chapels.
The Clerk: That is so.

Mr. Perkin: We were not aware of the public
opinion at that time. Now we are informed the
ratepayers prefer to have one chapel.
It was remarked that the Act made it impera-
five to have two chapels.
The Chairman said it was imperative to have two
chapels except in such a case as that pointed out
in the Act.

Mr. Haskew : A very limited alternative.
Mr. Turney asked if they only built one chapel,
could the Nonconformists afterwards compel them
to build another for their separate use?
The Chairman: Not if we had the sanction of
three-fourths of the vestry.
Mr. Turney said for his own part, he thought
for the sake of a thousand pounds, he supposed
that was what it amounted to, he thought it would
be better to erect two chapels.
Mr. Stringer: It would only cost .2700 or XSOO.
It would place all parties on an equal footing.
Mr. Evers said to obtain the money for what they
wanted to do, they should have to go for a certain
amount. If they afterwards found it unnecessary
to have more than one they could have only one;
but if they had to build two they must ask for
sufficient money to build them.

Mr". Ha.skel; was of opinion that it would be
best to be on the safe side, and have a sufficient
margin. He thought, as reffardedthe two chapels,
he was afraid they should have to go back to their
Own idea . .
again.Mr I think it *euid- be very,pliviSe to
,rouse any 4.41.ii1g' in fll6 IVAtte4... :We are
all at peace now, f
• Mr. :Platt: You;:an only Perpetuating4t:
Mr. *King :. No; we are only acting in aCcord-
fine° with the Act.

Mr. Platt; If that is so I have no more to say.
It was eventually decided to ti,§l?,te Vestry for
Permission to borrow sufficient money td.bnild two
I chapels, and then if. it was found desirable to do
So they need only build one.
It was also resolved that the amount -asked for
should be ..£6,000, which would cover the whole
cost of the purchase of the site, the erection of
the two chapels, entrance lodge, boundary wall,
and the laying out of the grounds. It was inci-
dentally remarked that the purchase of the site
alone of the Kidderminster Cemetery was £B,OOO.

ANNIVERSARY OF COURT BRIIRVOLEINCE —OR Saturday
the 27th ult. the members of the above Court, to the
number of 42 sat down to an excellent dinner served up
in first-rate style by Host Parkes. The cloth being
removed, Brother H. Matty, P.C.R., took the chair,
when the toasts of the' Queen and Royal Family " and
also that of " The Stourbridge District A.0.F.," were
duly given and honoured. The chairman, upon rising
to propose the toast of the evening, "Prosperity to Court
Benevolence " said "he felt the greatest pleasure in
proposing that toast to those present, because no one
had watched the growth of that Court mote than himself
during the time he had been a member of it now 14 years;
be had seen it rise as f•om its childhood to be what it
now was one of the foremost, he believed second to none
in the district. The toast was received with enthusiasm,
three hearty cheers being given. The Secretary, Brother
FT Mole, P.C.R., in responding expressed the p!easure
he felt upon seeing so many of the old members pre-
sent. He hoped they would be able to have many more
meetings of the same kind In the course of his remarks
he gave some statistics of the Court which gave great
satisfaction. Other toasts I.llowed' and the evening
passed pleasantly. Tile musical part of the proceedings
was ably carried out by Brothers W. Sefton. J. Davies,
E, Coley, J. rowel', and others.—Communicated.