The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-03-09 00:00:00

lithe ReoolJPtiftwere carried it would be necessary to pass :
I Sew Ace this year. But to do this before it was seen
lcow the Act waked would be to throw everything
into confusion, and to bring the educational systten to a
dead lock. By quotatines froie his speeth on intro-
ducing the hill he showed that I* had always contemplated
toakitig use of the eXistlng sellouts and of all educational
forces., slll chat compulsion was nut to be used mita
voluntary &ellen had been exhausted. After describing
the ditculties and labours of the E !section Mee hi
getting the Act into operation, he urged the inexpediency
of throwing the machinery into cent uilon just when
the gaps had been discovered and were about to be
tilled no. In relating what hat been done under the Act,
he pointed out that ten millions of the population
already collie under School Boards—six millions of them
voluntarily—and he defied anybody to point to a case of
violated conseience, or to suggest legislation which would
have done so much in so short a time. Certainly it
would have been impossible In 1570 to pass a bill with
compulsory attendance and compulsory School Boards
or to work it if it hal been passed. Though in favour of
both, and believing Gilt we should in the end come to both,
lie had preferred to lead rather than to drive ; and as to
making School Board, universal. In many of the rural distriets
It would be better that education should be in the hands of
school managers than of a reluctant School Board,
Created against its will and disliking the prospect of
S Rate. Ile was of opinion, however, that by next
year he should be ready tor a general compulsory Act, and
perhaps the best way of carrying it out would be through
School Boards. But certainly it would first be necessary that
schools should be provided. Passing, next, to a defence
of the 25th clause, he maintained that its sole object was
to assist parents, to get children to school, and to make
the working of the compulsory principle more just.
The grievance was, lie maintained, iufinitesitual, be-
cause do appreciable part of the Itatea went to pay
for religious education. The Government, however, would
he prepared to consider a modification of the datum when
the general compulsory law was brought forward, hut he
never would consent to deprive the poor man of his right
to choose to what school he would send hid children. Oeur
the religious difficulty Mr. Forster passed somewhat lightly,
appealing to the notorious fact that the country is not pre-
pared for the secular system, as was shown most recently by
what the School Boards had done ; and in conclusion he
defended the impartiality of the Department in working the
Act.
Mr. Liddell, in supporting the araendinent, maintained
that there had been a compromise wit.,n the Act passed, and
that the Church had made considerable sacrifices. If the
secularists believed in their own nostrttm why did not they
set up schools of their own
The discussion was continued by severalhon members, anti
.an a division Mr. Dixon's Reso.ittions were negatived by ;05
to 04. Mr. Forster's amendment then became the substantial
titte.tion, and a second divisive being taken, it was earned
by 323 to 93
Bills were brought in by Sir R. Blennerhassett for the pur-
chase of Irish railways, and by Mr. kinky to extend to the
whole of Sunday the present restrictions on the sale of
liquors.
• I The Deans and Canons Resignation Bill passed through
• committee, and the Rouse adjourned.

In the House of Commons, March 6, Mr. Charley reeved
the second reading of the Infant Life Protection Bill, and
said that thus was the first opportunity the mouse had had
of considering the iinestion of preventing by beneficent
legislation the wanton waste of infant life, winch
was the reproach of modern civilisation. The biß
provided that pergola who for a money consider.
atiou placed themselves in boo para./is to two Or
more infants for a larger period than a day should give
some proof that they and their residences were quali-
fied for the trade in which they hod embarked. It
won proposed that a certificate under the hand of a
registered practitioner, • minister of religion, or a jus-
tice of the peace, on the production of which a jus-
tice of the peace would be empowered to grant a
license, renewable at the end of twelve months, but
liable in the meantime to suspension. It was proposed
also that the bidders of licenses should be bound
' to register the names, d:c., of the children entrusted to their
charge. hiquesta would be rEquireil to be held in the case
of the decease of any of these infants unless a certificate of
death from natural causes were given by a registered prac-
titioner. The penalty for infringement of the provisions of
the bill wow,' be imprisonment for six months. All neces-
sary exceptions to the operations of the bill have lizen speci-
fied, and he asked the Ilouse to pass the bill its a measure of
social and sanitary reform.
After remarks from Mr. Hurst, Mr. Kinnaird, Mr. D.
Dalryniple, and Dr. Brewer,
Mr. S. 11. Walpole thought that the thanks of the House
were due to the hon. gentleman who hail introduced the hill,
but he feared that unless more stringent provisions were
made it would not work satisfactorily. What they wanted to
get at was the crime committed with regard to these helpless
children ; and unless they went to the root of the evil, viz ,
the transferring of these children to establishments for small
sums of money, the crime would not be stopped. He
thieight that the bill had better be passed subject to further
stringency in its provisions, in order to meet the simpler
class of clues, but unless the Government could establish a
compulsory system of registration of births and deaths, the
greater proportion of the cases could not be met. Unless
also there was a proper registiation of children, tracing them
from thsir parents to the establishment where they were
kept, and from there to the places where they were after-
wards sent, criminal cases could not lie met. Ile would ask
the Government whether they could not supplement this
bill lip another dealing with Um criminal part of the case.
N r. Bruce said that the President °tithe Local Government
Bonn! IV-3 engaged with the subject of registration, aml
would probably be able to introduce a bill during the pre-
sent session. the would undertake that the other suggestion
of the hon, gentleman should have conshis ratio's
After some further remarks from `lr. Mel Dr. Lyon
Plasfair, and Br. Whiterbotham, the bill was read a second
I time.
Mr. Wheelhouse moved the second reading of the Rance-
tion of Blind and Deaf Mute Children Bill Ile stated that
the pro Visions of tlic hill were identioal with those of the
measure introdured last year. The ohject of the bill was
to resider compulsory either upon the POOL Law Boards or ,
the School Boards of the kingdom the education of all blind,
deaf and dumb children, who, by themselves or their parents
and guardians, were unable to make provisiou for their own
education.
After a short discussion, the second reading of the bill was
negatived without a division.
Mr. Minds, in moving the adoption of the Adulteration of
Food and Drugs Mill, said that its object was riot no much to
interfere with the nefarious practices of trade, as to punish
the mixing of injurioes ingredieuts with ankles of food.
Many of its clauses had been adopted in the Public licalth
Bill, and be should therefore simply move the second read-
ing of the bill pro foriaa, with the view of withilrawieg it
If the Government measure should be passed.
3lr. Stansield hoped that the second reading of the bill
would be passed. Lie should he happy to avail himself of
any suggestion and amendments to the Public Health Bill
which tile hen. member might make.
Mr. Batillione 1110Vacl the second reading of the Minileloal
Officers' Superannuation BBL which seas seconded by Mr.
Birley.
Mr. Rylands moved. that the bill be read a second time
tbat day six months, and the amendment was seconded by
_ . .

sir. Diekenson.
im a division there were—For the second reading, PI);
against it, 27 ; majority, 72. The bill was therefore read a
second time.
The Charitable Trustees Incorporation Bill was, upon the
motion of Mr. ulna Palmer, read a second time ; and leave
was given to Mr. Sherlock to bring In a bill to amend the law
relating to municipal corporations in Ireland.
Nle Fykyn gave notice that to-morrow he wonld ask the
Home Secretary whether, in the absence of a public prosecu-
tor in this country, it is the intention of the Government to
undertake the prosecution of the person who laid claim to
the Tichheme estate, and of such other persons as may be
proved to have been implicated therein.
The House then adjourned.

SERMONS IN LONDON, ON THE
NATIONAL THANKSGIVING.
Thanksgiving Day was virtually observed in most of
the London churches and chapels on Sunday. Por-
tions of the musical service performed on Tuesday at
St. Paul's were repeated in several places of worship,
and the preachers made appropriate allusions to the
public ceremonial, besides commenting briefly upon
O'Connor's attack on the Queen.
A special service was solemnized in St. Paul's Ca-
thedral on Sunday morning, at which an overwhelming
congregation attended. The Bishop of Rochester
preached an impressive sermon in aid of the Restort,
tion Fund, and considerable sums were collected at the
offertory for that object.
The Bishop took his text from 1 Sam. xvii., V. 'Jo
there not a came.' Ile said his hearers Were surrounded
with the proofs of as great a mercy as could have been be.
stowed upon a nation. The scene which they had tt itneseed
on Tuesday was one that would never fade from the recollec-
tion of these who took part in it. Passing to another subject,
he would ask why the building in which our Sovereign, re-
presenting to wet ;Idly the nation over which she rules, and
' her Royal son, after his recovery, returned thanks to Clod,
which was so mageiticent in its dimensions end proportions,
was wanting in those tokens of love which almost every
parish church evidenced in their ornamentation and what-
: ever flowed from love and fervour of thankfulness
in the worshippers. During the past year he saw
the Cathedral of Mayen., which recently lay in the
dust of decay, dim and colourless, restored and redecorated,
glowing with bright and cheerful hues and worthy of the pur-
pose to which every shrine lathe Christian world is dedicated.
Yet the city to which he referred was not In wealth to be
compared with that of London, nor did fibtld a position corn.
pseudo with that of lonaon in the empire in which it is
situated. After alluding to the cause which had ltd to the
neglect of St. Paul's, anisseg which be enernirated the ab-
sence frau town of the wealthiest Inhabitants of the city,
the Dialled expressed his hope that now wheu learning, de-
votion, and zeal were exhibited by those to whom the niiiiis-
tration of holy things in that place wore intrusted the wealth
of the city of London would be bestowed in the embellish-
moot of the Cathedral. Be submitted that what Her
Majesty and the Prince of Wales had inaugtuated by
their gifts might Ise grated ully taken up now, first by
the wealthy in the metropolis, and aftsrwards by the
nation. If, as all men said and felt, loyalty to the Throne,
the }Wally affection of men °I illiterent classes, eiceits, races,
one toward another, belief in God's overruling Provislanee
had been quickened and revived among us by the recent
answer to prayer, was there not a cause why they should
hand down to posterity a memorial, some visible proofs of
their thankfuluesa t Whether it should be done or no de-
pended at this moment on the sentiment and conviction of
the people. They had it In their power to perpetuate the
memory of this thee by resolving that the house where their
thanks and praise to God were offered should bear some
proportion in the beauty of its decoration to the is ender! ul
material prosperity wherovith God haul blessed them and
that as its first Imitling was the record of a great calamity
whiell issued In undoubted good, soils towiPtitioii according
to the mind and design of the great architect who ',planned
it might convey to future generations the strength of the
impression just now made on the mind and heart of a whole
people.
SERVICE AT WESTMINSTER ABBEY.
(From the Daily News.)
The afternoon service on Sunday was arranged with
special reference to the national Thanksgiving, and the
occasion attracted a vast congregation, every seat being
occupied soon after the opening of the doors. The
Thanksgiving Anthem, composed by Mr. GOSA, was
sung after the sermon, and there was an offertory on
behalf of the St. Paul's Restoration It
The ...Men was preached by the Very Rev. Dr. Stanley,
Dean of Westminster, from Psalms ex xii., v. 1, "1 noss glad
when they said unto site, Let eta go into the house 0, the
Lord "—words which, he said, had met the eyes of thousands
its the course of the past week, as they were ascribed on the
western portico of St. Paul's Cathedral, and expressed the
feeling that filled the hearts of the whole metropolis on
that memorable day,. We rejoiced because our Sovereign
and her people had said, "We will go into the house of
the Lord." It was a gladness that made itself felt to the
moat distant extremities of the Empire. It was a
gladness for the gracious gift, as if sent direct from heaven,
of a precis,as life which we had eansestly prayed for. It was
the gladness of finding the Sovereign whom we loved once
mere trusting herself amongst us, and receiving with radiant
smiles, with unshaken courage, the tokens of her people's
loyalty. It was gladness even for the thanksgiving itself—
the mateful relief that a day so long expected with such
eagerness, and which we saw open with some awe as its
morning dawned with its mighty burden of innumerable
sculls had passed and gone amidst such almost unclouded
brightness, such almost unbroken order and pure unstained
enjoyment.
But it was not mere gladness, not mere thanksgiving, when
we felt that the centre of all these myriad movements was
not a scene of pleasure, of commerce, or of legislation, but
the consecrated honors of the Lord When one looked down
upon the multitudes covering the vast ores, or upwards to
the multitudes suspended in the soaring cupola—when after
long hours wilting there fell over all these dense masses a
tilluess as of an unknown presence. when Is the „voice of
praise and prayer went up front thousands of rips and
thullaainis of hearts, the whole atmosphere became as it
were chanced with worship—then, SUN; Y, it Might be
felt that tire age of had not wet gone out, bat that
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