Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1903-02-26
IL was the 37th Annual Meeting
Banquet in the Evening was
Great Success.

the past 81 years or Its history.
Organized in $50 at the home of
John Ashley with II charter mem
bers, it has grown since that early
day to membership of 100, to which
number the bylaws of the club limits
its growth.
Each year the attendance at their
annual gatherings seldom falls below
95, and occasionally, when members
bring a guest itoyer runs the hundred
mark. The attendance last Friday
was very large, when the dinner call
sounded, SO took seats at the tables,
and at the evening banquet there
were l0l.
Before Dinner
President T. Frank ireland called
the company 10 order in the spacious
parlors of Hotel Belding at noon, and
after welcome song composed for
the occasion and sung by the COM
pany to the tune of Auld Lang Syne,
he invited Rev H. n Spear, pastor
of the 1st Baptist church of Belding
TO offer prayer. Henry J. Leonard
delivered very cordial address of
welcome, extending to all the glad
hand in emphatic terms, making the
guests feel at ease and that they
we're thrice welcome to our city. He
thought we could not impart too much
sociability in our every day life and
wished there might be more of it.
Fred f Ranney responded in his
usual unique way, throwing in an oc-
casional bit of wit and humor, which
was pleasing and made a fitting re-
sponse to the hearty welcome of Mr.,
Leonard.
Next came the presidents annual
address, and T Frank Ireland, whose
term of Office expired with the cleo
tion of officers, made good one In
part he said:
NJ. DeValois writes, "He who knows
his incapacity, knows something" and
l hatter myself that your president
knows that something" when he
arises to present the annual address.
/ also know that the honor of being
the president of the Washington Club
might have been more worthily be-
slowed, but no one can appreciate
more than he the honor you have con-
ferred upon him.
In opening the 37th annual meeting
of the Washington Club, it affords me
great pleasure to look into your dear
and familiar faces and see so many
present, and my wish is that the
pleasures of this day may be long re-
membered.
1t has been privilege TO work and
plan with the various committees and
with our loved Secretary and his able
assistant, and the only cloud that
darkens the happiness of this day, is
the fact that Secretary Merritt cam
not be with us. Our sincere prayer
Is that be may soon be well aud strong
and again assume the duties he has
performed so long and so perfectly.
We all look forward with so much
pleasure TO the 22nd of February. Es-
tabrook says: February is an Am
erican holy month. In it were born
Washington and Lincoln, two names
so blended in popular affection, that
TO mention one is to recall the other.
Washington, the patrician, whose
name and heart, like the cups of the
chemists balance, seemed to weigh
each other, TO whom religion was a
rule of action, divine command.
recommend that we have less lit
erary talent and more sociability;
fewer toasts, and more laughs "a
laugh is worth hundred groans in
any market" Let us have many
hand-shakes and few bows; no scien-
tific reviews but larger appetites, no
gossip but many kind words. "To
repeat an unkind truth is just as bad
as TO invent a lie " Ask no one TO
Join who would not add to the good
cheer of all.
If the Washington Club would live
and thrive all nust help to give 1t life,
which means some effort and work,
but am sorry to say Like cider,