The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-05-23 00:00:00

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STOURBRIDGE CHURCH MISSION-
ARY ASSOCIATION.

The annual meeting of the Stourbridge Auxiliary of
the Church Missionary Society was held on Tuesday
evening, is the Union Hall, The attendance was much
larger than it hi, been for many Tears, the Hall being I
crowded. Mr. E. It thefts presided. The Rev. W. Han-
cock and the Rev. 11. Johnson attended as a deputallou
from the parent society.
Prayer was offered by the Rev. J. J. Welch, secretary
of the Association.
The Chairman said they had met that evening to hear
the proceedings of the Church Missionary Society, and
to encourage each and to endeavour to support that
most useful associetion. He trusted they were deeply
sensible of the benefits which they ell received from the
Christian covenant, and the means of grace to give to
them ; as well as of the civilisation, the freedom, and the
liberty which followed in its train. All the menus end
appliances of civilisation were in afar greater degree the
heretage of Christian nations than of heathen. and of
Protestant nations than R man Cethilic. la England
they had received the blessings of the Gospel, and they
• ought, therefore, freely to give what they had received.
He had lived in a Boman Catholic country, and there he
bad seen the priesteraft, with its accompanying servility,
, ignorance, and improvidence. These things he hoped
never to see in England ; and he trusted they would do
their utmost to hand down to posterity the church they
had received from their ancestors, mid that they would
not assist that political patty or its leader, who, he was
afraid, from personal motives, was now attempting to
, destroy the Protestant Church in Ireland, and lie (Mr.
I Roberts) was afraid would be easily induced to take the
same steps in England. He regretted that the funds of
the society had not, during the past year, furnished no
large a sum as iu former years. No doubt the prevail-
ing poverty, bad times, the failures, and strikes had
something to do with that unfortuuate state of things
Still there was 110 want of money. There was money
for amusements and secular characters around them,
cricket clubs, ride corps, chess clubs pie-nics, examina-
tions were not without their votaries. in conclusion the
ehairmsn conjured the meeting to assist earnestly in the
discharge of the duties of the Church. (Cheers).
The Rev. J. J. Welch, read the annual report of the
Association up to the list December, 1667. The report
Sot forth that the duty of laying such a report before a
meeting was a pleasureable one and sometitilea a painful
one. That one answered the latter character, for he Was
compelled to announce a further decrease in the funds of
the association. The ass iciation fomented to the parent
society for the year 1966 the sum of £llO 7s. 69., but
for the last year the sum forwarded Was only £lll 10s.
allowing a decrees° of nearly £9. There had been a
gradual diminution of the receipt: of the local society.
In the year 1052 the now of £l9O lie. 79., was forwarded
to the parent society, on which senility amount forwarded
in last year showed a decrease of nearly £9O. The anni•
versary sermons produced the following results :—Old-
swinfonl, £l9 Is. hl.; St. John's (fitourbridge), I6s.
21,1.; Christ's Church (Lye), £7 Lis.; St. Thomas's
(Stourbridge), LI do.; Trinity Church (Amblecote), Li
9s. 11. The total contribution of the three associations
were as follows tourbridge and Oldawinford £OO
91; Lye, X 2-2 9s. 9E; Amblecote, £6 0.. ud. It could
not fail ta strike one who heard (tat statement how vast
the disproportiqu between the anumet contributed by
8 ombrelge and Otilswinford proper on the one hand,
mil the Lye on the other hand alien they compared the
wealth of the hunter district and the poverty of the
other. In conclusion, the report urged to greater ear.
amine .s and e I in farnialling the means for the pr -
peg thou of the Gospel.
The Rev. D. Robertson, of the Lye, next addressed the
meeting. Hu was glad to say that his parish, which they
all knew in times of depression suffered far more then
Stotitbridge, had made an increase in its annual contri-
butions.
, Rev. W. Rancor, missionary, Peshriwur, gave an no-
count of his journey to the scene of his labours, the cf.,
'meter of these labours, and some of their results which
were very interesting.
Mr. A. Freer, Gena ldressed the meeting, and was fol-
, lowed by the Rev. H. Johnsen, a native missionary from
; Sim a Leone. Ile sail thit I t gave him great pleasure to
sinus in that meeting and say a few words on the subjeet
of missions, and gave an interesting ACCOllat of his la-
/ hour as a missiouary, which Was listened to with marked
L attention.
Other addresses wire also delivered, and a vote of
, thanks to the chairman aud the benedict et, cliti,tl the
i plug, e hugs.
THE LYh.
•

TEMPERANCC MEETINO.—On Wednesday evening last,
the usual Annual Temperance Meeting was held at the
National School-room, Lye. Messrs. T. SW'cock. A.
Barker, anti W. Ba her addressed the meeting. After
the meeting was opened, Mr. Shilvock wis called on to
address the meeting. He said ho was glad 1J meet them
on that occasion. The temperance cause wins tusking
progress in England. It was a blessed work to be em•
ployed in. If working men would save their money and
take it home to their wives, what sweet end comfortable
homes they would hive; end if working men wou!d oath
eat, their childreii, and instruct them its the prim:Ml-is
of virtue and honesty, trolls and religkon, what a blessed
thing it would be for our country. lie hoped men would
! be brought to see lite folly of throwing away their time
1 and money, and filling the country with igitormee and
pauperism. Mr. A ll.trker also showed the evil elfsets
of strong drink. Mr. W. Barker followed with a speech
On the ildvantages of t milkman,. Melodies were sung,
anti like meeting closed with the usual c kretnoutes.