The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-01-25 00:00:00

REPORT FOR THE YEAR, 1867.

Stock-taking hi one of the inevitable acts of the pen.
dent man of business at the year's end, and he generally
performs this duty as much with a view to making his
preoent position his starting point for fresh enterprise
and exertion. no to ascertain how he stands after the
transisstiors of the previous twelve months. In taking
stock of our Association at the end of another annual
period, it would be advantageous to unto follow this en.
ample, and not feel content with merely making a reck-
oning of past doings and of work in hand, but resolve
to throw ourselves more thoroughly and heartily into
what their is to do in the future. Supineness and inanity
are easily generated in ouch bodies, and no thoughtful
person can deny that there has been • great lack of that
esprit decoys which should animate this church itiatitn-
tbm of all others. In turning over the occurrences of
the past year, there may he some which afford a certain
degree of eatiotaclion. but there are othero which cannot
be so regarded, and whioh tend to ahow there has not
been that desire among the members of the Association
te farther its beneficial working which those who watch
over ita interest, would fain see.

In regard to numbers, there is an Improvement upon
the preceding year. At the elotie of 1868 there were 28
annAtl, add Sd ordinary inembera. Now there are 33
annual. and 107 ordinary members, the totals bring in
ISX 12.1 ; and in 1967, 11d. The number of new mom'
hers during the year wits 10 ; but flghinitt this there were
18 names erased—one from death, and the others owing
to withdrawals. The tot) reesipts of the vonr were tii7
Ile 100, on compared with e7l 0. Ai in I 9i. The en-
rniliture haa been Vdi 11a lid. There are, as visual.
some arreara to he brought forward, and ono or twosmail
accounts remain to be paid.
. . .

Ms reading room anrd library are the principal 'Wee.
tons of the ilk of the members. An addition of 27
volumes has been made to the library, and these consist
for the most part of works if a superior class obtainet
through a grant from the trustees of liebeec s Hussey's
Book Charity in London. The Committee beg in this
place to reiterate their obligatiols for the kind assistanee
thus rendered to the institution. An ad lit onal bookcase
has bueu purehued during the year, and the bookv where
lloeded have been covered with strong material to cow,
teract the wear and tear in passing throngli no m iny
heads. The Dumber of books issue I itt 1867 has been
561. which the librarian thus closaifies
works. 61; biography and memoirs, 88; literary and
scientific, 27; poetry. 22; voyages and travels, 85; his-
tory, 41; Latin toil French, 1; works of fiction, 214 ;
Worcestershire Union selections of books, 43 ; miscella-
neous, 77. The iSRII,II were 229 less than in 1866; but
the diinimiti in is pi incipally is the ligliterkind of works.
A larger selection of books is wanted in the library, and
• this would no doubt be followed by renewed expansion in
the number of in-lion.

The reading room is soppllsd with the following papers
and peri,,djegh, Time e, Standard. !Maly Ilot,
Cheoniele, Matte, d Conntiev
Herald. Prierley !lig Adoerilser, Shavbridge 01,8,,ver,
Ilastrated Sewn, 1110cktrnod's Atari:ant, I ',Ail( Maga-
Nam, ers's row!, Leimire Hoer. Our Olen Fire.
aid , ellarchqf England S'anday School Magazin:, C tureli•
mao.'s ,Ilaga,ine, and Ilritidg Workman,
The allusion to the classes cannot be in very encourag-
ing terms. D. ,spite of notices, and meetings, awl poi.
tonal invitations. the generality of members bold stay
aloof from the chtsises, and though they might to be the
mehistity of the Association, they are at present Gain r
it name lion II reality, at least to the extent which could
be drained. Mr J. B. Shepherd has kindly c inducted a
Bible elites, awl the other classes in operation liii bit,
a Latin e'ais, condected by the Rev. H. Snerrard • an
arithmetic Clans, bv Mr. W. 0. Goddard ; and a stUirt.
hatet dans, by Mr. Bitten The attendance at these
four el AMOS never exceeded twenty at the best period.
mei it has now fallen mulch lower. Three eertiticates
were gained in the examinations of the Soeietv of Arts.
vis.: —Arithinetio, lad clays, Josyolt Bird ; 3rd close
George JetTeries ; freehand drawing, aril class, Henry
Chance. There were five eandidates. In the exisinine-
Grins of the Worcestershire Union of Institutes, Mr. 0
obtained a prize of fl for the Lest examination
in French. and George Jefferiwa is prize of Ifis in the
pau exarniention to the Society of Arts. There wore
other condidates, end one or two Union certificates were
to them. Pricea are now offered in connection
with the elsa:ra which have been in operation during the
last few months, in addition to which there are the
annual competitions of w higher kind.
The annual excursion for a time caused serious per-
plexity to the eominittee. The spot fixed upon was Apley
Park. perniiotion ta visit which was kindly given by W.
0. Foster. Eq. The trip war undertaken in conjunction
with the Wollaston Institute; but when the morning for
it arrived, a drenching rain had get in. The sale of Soil
tickets bad been sinaranteed to the railway company, and
as lees than half that number fared the t bluetits, there
wits the prospeet of a financial d.lllculty which the funds
of the Association were quite inadequate Ii hear. Lord
Lyttelton aud the lion. and Rev. W. H. Lyttelton neut
donations towards the loss ; but ultimately tt e ruilooy
company conceded one half the guarantee, and the emn•
mittee wore enabled to relnrn the xubeeriptimisthev hail
received towards the defleiency. As it was, the total loss
by the picnic was £2 Cis, of which the committee eventu•
ally received one half from the Wollaston
The Rev. J. IL 'I hompson was kind enongh to give a
lecture on his " Recent Wanderinga on the Elbe," the
refeipts at which wore set against the loss by the piente,
leaving the charge upon the ordinary funds only a few
shilling, Mr. 'Thompson to ever ready to lend his help
when solicited, and the committee cannot bat regret that
so few of the members supported the above lecture with
their presence.
_

ThC committee made an effort in the spring of the
year to enlist more of the members in the work of Sun.
day school teaching Circulars were issued inviting
those who did not already teach to connect themeelves
with some one or other of the Church Schools of the
neighbourhood. This led, the committee are every to
say, to little or no result. so far as obtaining additional
teachers ; but it was found that about one-fourth of the
members were already engaged in Sunday School work.
A conference of Sunday School teachers and members
of the Association •ais held in the St. John's Schools on
July lot, and after tea of which about ttO partook there
was a general discussion OD subjects connwed with the
Sunday School question. The feeling of those present
was in far lsr of future meetings of the same character.
A petition against the Sunday liquor traffic, signed
exclusively by members/4 the Association, was presented
to the House of Commons last session, through H. V.
Vernon, Esq., one of the patrons of the society.
The forgoing is a detail of the general operations of
the past year. Those who mark its shortcomings cannot
do better than unite heartily in making the future career
of the Association more useful by their personal exer-
tions. It is essentially a co-eperative society, and there
is no member but can help in some degree in promoting
its welfare. May there be a general impulse to this end,
sod in the ensuing year let one and all resolve that some-
thing more be attempted and done than in the year whisk
has gone to its account.

Mr. Moore, treasurer, read a statement of aecounts,
which showed a balance in band.

......
Beth reports read were adopted, and two buildr_il
copies of them were ordered to be printed for the pur-
pose of distribution among the members and friends.

THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

Mr. Freer said the first to elect was the President, and
as he was the present president, he should prefer to leave
the room while the question was being discussed, and he
accordingly left the room.
The Chair was nellollied pro. tem. by Mr. Moore, who
spoke in high terms of the conduct of Mr. Freer, and
reminded them of the good services he had rendered to
the society during the past year, so president, arid rug-
gested that he be reelected as president, during the
ensuing your.
Mr. J. Fowler proposed that Mr. A. Freer be re-eleeted
no President during the ensuing yu or, which was seconded
by Mr. A. Boynton, and carried unenimously.
Mr. Freer, on re entering the room, Woo informed by
Mr. Moore that Ire bad been auaninaously re-elected as
chairman for the ensuing year.
Mr. Freer said he should not decline the humour,
although he was not ambitious. If any member thought
they slbuuld like to elect any one else, he should be most
haspy to give way. He afterwards thanked those pre-
sent for re-electing him, and said he should be happy to
do all ho could for the society.
The following Vice-Presiulents were elected :—Rev. H.
Sherrarul, Bev. W.J. J. Welch, Rev. J. H. Whiteloy, Roe.
Gilbanks. Rev. J. S. Boldero, Rev. D. Robinson, E.
W. Bernard, Esq., R. L Freer, Esq , W. C. Firmstone,
Esq., T. F. Raiford, Esq., E. B. Marten, Esq , Captain
Walker, and the Rev. J. H. Robinson, were added to the
list of Vice-Presidents.
Committee :—Messrs. H. Newuam, P. Lavender, A.
Boynton, I). Bottomley, H. Payne, W. Wheeler,— Bate-
man, arid B. Fowler.
Mr. E. Moore was re-elected as treasurer, Mr. G. Roden
as bon. sec., and Mr. B. Fowler as assistant secretary.
Messrs. F. G. Holloway and R. Staines were re-elected
as librarians.
The President said that notice had been given to omit
some of the words in Rule 1. At the present time the
Association is called the " Stourbridge Church of Rug.
laud Young Men's Association." It is now proposed that
the words "Young Men's " be left out, and that it be
called the " Stourbridge Church of England A%socia-
lion."
After some discussion,
On the motion of Mr. Moore sesonded by Mr. B.
1 Fowler, the resolution was carried.
I On the mustiest of Mr. H. Newnam, seconded by Mr.
Moore, the secretary was directed to send the thanks of
the committee to the proprietors of the Stourbridge Ob-
server and the County Expren, for Use gratnitoas supply
of paper to the Institute.

Mr. N. wotin calledtC tter t ion of the oteethio to
some net'eu that !,‘,l hnedistleurei by name nunehen,
and if wan nrarn.d that in fatur: the notiou be plue4
on n I.oned, fro harm in the pls,gp.
Vat, 0! f' nee rnn,ed tn the uriou °Meer* 444
cornroitt, et, tlwir service doring the put roe.
A vote of timel, t, the ehairronn aloud the OilletiAt