The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-13 00:00:00

?RICE 5d

Hence the introduction of marine insurance. At
length the principle was extended to the life of man,
and to the casualties of sickness and old age, which
was the principle, in fact, on which their Society was
founded. He would particularly urge upon the mem-
bers of the Society the absolute necessity of a continuous
infusion of new members, without which it would neces-
sarily did a natural death. He would also urge upon
them to watch jealously the proceedings of the Com-
mittees and the leading members ; for (said he) you
d.in Owen
cannot always guarantee the conduct of your affairs
abyloi an
is Mr.
ne
aangdreata mMera.sur jeohntheexisenc
Davis,
t to
of the Society, and who have devoted much time,
and displayed great zeal, in conducting it to its
present apparent prosperous condition. He would
mention a circumstance which bad come to his know-
ledge that day, as showing the absolute necessity of per-
sons entering Societies of this description while young.
A person of the name of Thomas, a carpenter, who, he
believed, was known to most of them, and who had al-
ways been considered an industrious and well behaved
man, but who had neglected to join a Benefit Society,
had met with an accident, which deprived him of the
means of obtaining his livelihood. He was now resident
in an hospital, and he had been informed that the Rev.
Mr. Williams had made an application to the Religious
Society of this place on his behalf. He (Mr. Jones)
could not help regretting that this unfortunate individual
should be obliged to ask charity from persons, many of
whom were themselves paying to cover their own risks,
when that individual might himself have provided for the
calamity which had now befallen him. Mr. Jones then
proceeded to animadvert upon some observations which
had been made at a previous meeting by the Rev. Mr.
Williams, on the comparative value of Benefit Societies,
and Saving Banks, which he regarded as calculated to pro-
duee an unfavourable impression on the minds of the
audience with reference to the advantages to be derived
from Benefit Societies a he was induced particularly to
speak on that point, as he knew that any observa-
tions and advice emanating from that Reverend
Gentleman, he being one of their pastors, would have
very great weight. He (Mr. Jones) would certainly advise,
and he thought that the Chairman would concur with
him, that provision should first be made to cover the
contingencies to which they were all liable ; and that
after that had been done, whatever surplus funds might
be possessed by the members, would be very advantage-
ously deposited in a Savings' Bank. The speaker then
remarked on the extraordinary difficulty experienced in
inducing persons to join the Society—and observed that
we are commanded to love our neighbours as ourself ;
but he could not conceive how a man could do that and
run the risk, or even contemplate the idea, of dying and
leaving a wife and children dependent upon the cold
charity of friends and the world. He felt he was oc-
cupying the time of the meeting, but he would, never-
theless, say a great deal more if he thought it would
have a good effect ; but he would only observe, in con-
clusion, that he himself could not conceive that man to
be a conscientiously religious man who neglected those
things, for it was distinctly stated in one of the com-
mandments, that the Lord our God was a jealous God,
visiting the sins of the father upon the children, unto the
third and fourth generation of those that hated him and
kept not• his commandments. Now he was well aware
that it was the fashion of sceptics and infidels to
dispute the justice of that command, but the
punishment threatened was not to be regarded as a
direct punishment. It was not the transportation of a
son for the robbery by the father, but it was the evil
arising as the natural consequence of the father's sin ;
and who can tell the extent of injury to the third and
fourth generations, to that man's children who is im-
provident, and neglects providing fbr his family in the
event of his early death ; and, on the other hand, in the
fulfilment of the remainder of the Commandment, " And
I will show mercy unto thousands of them that love me,
and keep my commandments ?" Who can tell the extent
of the blessings to, and the prosperity of, the future
generations of children of those parents who have
obeyed the Commandments, and have consequently,
among other things, discharged their duties, as parents,
in providing for their children to the best of their means,
so as to enable them to be independent, and to hold
their heads up as decent and respectable members of
society ?
Mr. Wm. MOaGAN addressed the meeting in Welsh ;
after which he made a few observations in English,
stating that he was aware that a great portion of the
meeting did not understand the Welsh language. He
remarked on the additional interest which was given to
the meeting by the presence of so many ladies. He
said it was impossible, when ladies and gentlemen met
together, for a very great attraction not to be produced;
and where ladies and gentlemen thus saw each other, it
might lead to their going to church togetber—(Laughter)
and thus ',promoting the objects of the Society, by en-
rolling themselves amongst its members. He had no
doubt that the Society would continue to flourish, and he
heartily wished it success.
The Rev. WILLIAM WILLIAMs was then called upon
to address the meeting, and stated that he must have
been altogether misunderstood by his friend, Mr. Jenkin
Jones, in the allusion which he had just made. As far
as he could recollect, he (Mr. Williams) had said
that he certainly approved of such societies as benefit
societies, and should himself be a member of one, be-
cause he considered them essential societies ; but, at the
same time, he intimated that he should not only be a
member f a provident society, but should also lay a
little money iii the Savings Bank, that he might be
enabled from the one and the other, in times of difficulty,
to relieve himself. He would say, by all means be a
member of this Provident Society, for it was the very
thing to support the spirit of independence which their
worthy Chairman had recommended. His aim was to
be independent—and yet depending entirely upon
Divine Providence ; he hoped and trusted that
Welshmen as well as any body else, would be
independent, dependent only upon the blessing
of Gcd.—(Cheers.) He would just make one other re-
mark which had occurred to him, which was that when
it was urged that great care should be taken that the
members admitted were healthy members, it had struck
him what must become of the delicate and the infirm.
Should another Society be formed to support them, or
would that healthy Society reach out a hand to them. He
should propose that ne one should be rejected except the
drunkard. lie concluded by saying that he hoped the
blessing of Providence would rest upon their heads.
Mr. J. JONES requested to offer a few words in expla-
nation. He stated that on the former occasion Mr. Wil-
liams had addressed the meeting in Welch, and the mis-
take under which he (Mr. Jones) had laboured, with re-
spect.to what he had said, must be attributable to his
not understanding the Welsh language so well, perhaps,
as lie ought to do ; but lie was not sorry that he had
fallen into a mistake, for it had brought his friend out,
and lie was sure that the observations he had made this
evening would do the Society more good than any which
had fallen from any member of the Society. He
would, however, with all due respect to his friend,
put himself in antagonism to him again. He
(Mr. Jones) knew that a great deal too much sympathy
existed in the Club already. Benefit Societies were not
made for those in a weakly condition, they were only
made for the strong and healthy. The tables were cal-
culated upon the average chances of sickness among
those who were strong and healthy, and to afford them
the means while young and healthy to provide against
the casualties of sickness and old age.
Mr. OWEN WYNNE THOMAS addressed the meeting in
Welsh.
Mr. JAMES, in addressing the meeting, said that it was
one thing for which the Welsh were to be blamed that
Societies like .the present were not more general, and
that other demonstrations of public spirit in London or
elsewhere had not been evinced ; and he considered that
want of spirit to be a reason of the degree of contempt,
if he might use so harsh a word, in which the Welsh
were held among other nations. He was quite sure that
there did exist in the Welsh a great deal of spirit, but
from some cause or other that spirit was not manifested.
Mr. Maso, an Honorary Member, being called upon
to address the meeting, stated that it afforded him as
much pleasure, he was sure, as it did any individual
present to have witnessed the mark of esteem which
had been shown to their respected Secretary. He was
glad to hear of the steady though gradual increase of
the benefit members, because he considered it was upon
those members alone that the Society ought to depend,
and not upon the casual accessions to their funds which
might be reaped from excursions and from the sub-
scriptions of honorary members. He therefore trusted
that that meeting, as had been the case with previous
meetings, would have a beneficial effect in
producing
the
increase in the number of those members
The Rev. P
ICHARD JONES •
Welsh. addressed the meeting in
A rote of thanks to the Chairman for the kind sup-
port which he had afforded the Society from its com-
mencement, and for the able manner in hw ic the chair
had been filled that evening, was moved by Mr. 0.
by r. LOYD, and carried
unanimously.
and seconded L
unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN, in returning thanks, said that
although he knew it was customary, and did not elis-
pate its being done with a good intention and good feel-
ing, yet for his part he would rather never have a vote
of thanks passed to the Chairman when he was in the
chair. llowever he would not trespass on their time by
making a speech, but would only say that whatever ser-
vices he had been able to render to the Society, as he
had done heretofore so he would endeavour to do in
future.—(Cheers.)
Themeeting then separated.

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER BURNT TO
DEATH.—An inquest was held on Monday last, at
Bevercotes, near Tuxford, over the bodies of Elizabeth
Whittington, aged 52, and Elizabeth Whittington, the
younger, aged 15. The daughter, who was an idiot, was,
on Sunday last, left in the house by her mother whilst
she went to feed her pig, and, on her return. she found
her enveloped in flames ; as soon as the girl perceived
her mother returning she ran up to her, and, in endea-
vouring to extinguish the flames, the mother's clothes
caught fire—their shrieks were heard by a neighbour,
Mrs. Baker, who ran to their assistance, when she saw
the poor idiotic girl burnt to death, and lying on the
fear, and the Tother trying to stop the progress of the
flames by pumping water over herself. The poor woman
lingered in a state of extreme suffering until evening,
when she expired. Verdict, Accidentally burnt to death.
_—Nottingham Review.