Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1869-05-17
New YORK, 18th.

New York, 18th.
Some twenty years ago, the months
of May and June were filled with sue
cessive anniversaries of Bible, Tract,
Foreign Missionary, Anti-Popery, and
every other variety of societies. White
cravats and black coats were abundant
in New York. or clerical tea-parties
there was no end. Speeches and adj
dresses were innumerable. Reports
abounded, and altogether the liveliest
place in New York was the broad plat
form of the tabernacle. We'll, anniver-
saries have continued ever since, but
within few years past it has been re-
marked that they are neither so spirited
nor so numerous ~ formerly. Some So
cieties have entirely discontinued them,
and others are sborn of their vast pro-
portions. II would be interesting to
trace and to assign the causes of this
change. I have for myself very de-
cided theory on the subject, and find the
causes very simple, and indeed inevita-
Bile. Nevertheless some Of them still &C
on.
The American Tract Society ycstcr-
day moi ming held its forty-first annual
meeting at the Madison Square Presby-
terrain Church, with rather slim at
tendance. Bishop McIlvane, of Ohio,
presided. He remarked upon the di-
minishing attendance at the tract anc
other religious societies, but Gained
that the int rest in them was undimin-
ished Several reverend gentlemen
made remarks, and the Rev. Ur.
Schenck, of Brooklyn, in abiding to
the last rail of the Pacific Railroad hav-
ing been riveted with golden spike,
objected to gold as symbalical ofavarce.
He said it should have been composed
Of type metal. THE point of which l
confess am unable to see.)
Speaking Of religious societies re-
minds me of the fact that the Board of
Directors of the Mercantile Library AS
sociation have at last decided upon
opening the reading room of the inatitu-
AiOh O1 CuHuuNS duu iiOih w
10 pm. The approval of the Clinton
Hall Association, which owns the
building is only awaited in order to car
~ the decision into effect.
We are glad to see at last some such
movement as this. We have numerous
we'll appointed libraries and reading
rooms established, especially for clerks
and business men, in nearly all the
large cities of the United States. At
tempts have been made in several OF
them to throw open these rooms on Sun
day, but they have hitherto failed
through mistaken zeal for the sanctity
Of the Sabbath--a zeal sadly mistake :
indeed. The fact of their being closed
tons. Those who but know the man
ner Of life and peculiar position of young
men clerks, also best know how often
the library and the reading-room might
have been their sal ovation, both for this
world and for the next.
Fashionable weddings are still all the
rage. The thing to do is to have hand
sOmor, more showy, noisier, more
dressy, and--above all-more expensive
one than anybody els.
A young friend of mine-N OFT O'Kay
Esq.-being about TO be narried-or
what is more likely, to marry-has
nothing to do but let the fond parents
Of tho lovely Vela o. Spl de, his intend
ed, arrange the whole matter. You
may bet your PLEAS we used to say in
California-that they will hire the most
fashionable church, engage the most
fashionable preacher, invite the most
fashionable company, order the most as
founding breakfast or supper, as the
case may be, land if the former, it must
be called dcjeuner a la .tourchette]
engage, hire or purchase the most ex-
pensive presents, buy no end of flowers,
have an organist at church and an or.
chestrs at the house, array the bride in
incredible lace, the bridesmaids in silk.
attire, mamma in satin and point, and
pa with $4,000 check in his vest
pocket. Other absurdties, too, they
will perpetrate, too numerous to men
ton, and the guiding star in all theil
preparations will be to astonish the
Browns generally, and surprise the
Slows in particular, who had we'd
ding the week before.
And SO the world goes ON. p.
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