The herald., 1898-03-19
CLUBS RESPONSIBILITY
! LIVELY DISCUSSION FOLLOWS AN
ri ABLE PAPER
DIFFERENT POINTS. OF VIEW
Hrs. c. N. Sterry Suggests Radical
Changes in the Policy and Finds
Many Supporters

ItQe dtteuOduCe at the crludy MOTuilS
plub yesterday was large, as is always
the case when papers are to be read
on vital subjects. 1t proved to be one
Of the live1iest sessions held for some
time. 4.t
The paper Of the day was read by
Mrs. G N. sterry, on "The Responsibility
}f Clubs" Mrs. Sterry has the courage
bf her convictions, and voiced sentiments
Mat many members have entertained
)or some time but have not expressed
h such plain language. A spirited dis
icussion followed the paper, and variety
If opinions were expressed. The paper
was as follows:
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CLUBS
A club is an association in which
every one contributes his share, so Web
eter tells us; and is organized for the
promotion of some common object, as,
eor instance, art, literature, music, poll
tics or religion. 1t has become dis
finctive feature of modern life, and to-
day there are too many kinds Of clubs to
enumerate. They range from science to
cooking; they embrace people of all
sorts, kinds and aspirations. A strange
cohesive power is drawing together these
knots of people out Of the general mass,
forming them into nerve centers for the
common body of humanity. They are in
tellectual telephone stations, scattered
along the highways and byways of life,
through which and from which the vital
current Of thought may be transmitted
from one to all, unless, perchance, the
cline is busy" 1t Is an open question
whether all these clubs are, on the whole,
detrimental or beneficial, with many ad-
vocates on either side, and certainly with
many arguments pro and con. 1t is a
question that, 1t seems to me, cannot be
answered in general, as every club must,
like every individual, be judged and
stand upon its own merit and every
club, like every individual, ought to re-
member that "merit lives from man to
man, and not from man, o Lord, to
Thee; ought to remember that in order
to have and hold the esteem and conf
dence of the community of which it is
g. part, 1t must do something and
be something in and for that community
The religion whose chief thought was,
what shall I do to be saved?" has
passed with its hour. and in it's place
the universal spirit Of the Nazarene is
flooding the earth. 1t speaks to us from
the pulpit. rostrum and stage; it is
the underlying thought of the world.
All questions, social and political, tend
toward it and are freighted with it.
Never in the history of the world, II
seems to me, has individual RESPONSE
bility been held SO great as it is today,
and all live people and organizations
are answering to it. This is an age
of specialists, and it is unquestionably
the proper thing to have one doctor treat
your head and another your feet; to
have your family physician, surgeon,
chiropodist, dentist, oculist, ETC.; and
without question it is all right and
natural for clubs to specialize their
work. But there is an element
of danger in this process; it is mar
rowing. The man who views an
object always from one standpoint
are perfectly willing that a chiropodist
If he be proficient in his speciality, should
know no more; but we want our family
physician to be broad, many-sided, COM
prehensive and progressive.
Now, there are, and always will be-
clubs and clubs, some of which are
capable and content to do forever one
line of work; but they must of neces-
sity be small as to numbers and limited
In influence; and, again, there will be
clubs which form important factors in
their community and in the lives of their
members. These will be the clubs of
large and varied membership, of large
ideas, ambitions and sympathies. A club
can easily outgrow the scope allotted
to 1T by its founders, even as a child
often sets entirely aside the views and
plans of its parents in working out it's
own individuality; even as a story will
sometimes, seizing an author in it's grasp,
hurry him off into unwonted and un-
sought-for byways, and, much to his
surprise, bring him to an uncontem-
plated end. Was it not Oliver Wendell
Holmes who said, 'I change nv opin-
ions, as I change my coat, when neces-
sity demands? 1 understand that the
Friday Morning club was organized as
literary club; that at some prior time
an attempt or attempts were made to
broaden out its work; that, meeting with
only modicum of success, it doubted
lts own powers, and has since devoted
itself to literature. What it has accom-
plished in that line is better known TO
you than to me. If am wrong, correct
me; but it seems to me that this club
has accepted as it's policy and creed "No
Progress" Now
hold 1t truth with him who sings,
10 one clear harp in divers tones.
That men may rise on stepping stone
| VI their dead selves to higher things" :
OBVIOUS DUTIES
The time has come when this splendid
concentration of womanhood should
arise and become a power in the land.
should open its eyes to the fact that
one. at least. Of it's founders, the one
whom 1t always delights to honor. had
In mind the development of the strength
and originality Of the women of this city,
rather than merely mechanical literary
work. What is literary work? 1t is
good thing to review other peoples
thoughts and opinions. but better to have
and create our own. Literature is that
realm wherein life Is reproduced by the
pen, instead Of the brush or chisel; and
we must be in vital touch with life itsalf
before we can appreciate or criticise the
human Interpretation Of the divine crea-
lion. We must have grasp of the real
before we can comprehend the ideal.
chls Club IA possessed Of strength and