The Republican journal., 1910-05-12
Annual Meeting of Belfast
Travellers Club.

home of Mrs. Amos Clement, and was of
unusual profit and pleasure. 1t was made
q delightful social function as we'll, and
despite the rain which came down in tor
rents outside all was sunshine and cheer
within.
The meeting was called to order at 4 p.
m. by the president, Mrs. Edward Sibley,
and the routine business was quickly dis
patched The address of the president
and reports of the secretary and treas
urer were submitted and accepted. The
two first are printed herewith by special
request.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
Members of the Travellers Club: Greet
ing: What more or different can be said
to YOU than has been said in the years
that have passed? l come before you to-
day with sincere gratitude in my heart to
each and everyone who has aided in so
many ways in the success of this years
work. Accept my special thanks for the
personal expressions of kindness which
so far outweigh my just deserts.
OF your individual work l will not
speak in detail for doubtless your secre
tary will particularize in her report. AS
club members you have been patient,
faithful, conscientious, ambitious. Along
literary lines your papers are deserving
of mention in any catalogue of the reci-
procity bureau, worthy of reading before
any literary club.
Although it is true that we believe in
''filling our pitchers freshly from the
springs Of culture" we are not alto
gether selfish We do cultivate the still
fallow fields of our minds and souls. We
are constantly filling and trimming our
lamps. We humbly confess that we
have need.
Someone, not member of any woman S
club, may ask why do you have study
classes? We went to school when we
were children. Why don't you just talk?"
And our answer is the same as that Of
Miss Katharine Girling: 1.-THE attitude
of a learner is humble one, good for
the soul. 1t is useful one, making wise
the simple 1t is gracious one, encour-
aging friendliness. When we say that
humility, usefulness and friendliness are
the fruits of culture, we need not apollo
gize for the word. We do not. We be-
Iieve IN it. For the opposite is of more
IduReI w PISoClI iAAS IhAah eAAI VI SkiC
wrongs and sorrows of the poor. There
is more to threaten our civilization in the
yulgaritv of the uncultured rich in our
country than in the deprivations of our
Door. Whoever then makes refinement
of taste and mental stimulus seem desir
able, is not living a fruitless life, especial
" in an age that we know to be turning
toward harmful and lowering pleasures.
We are not selfish and idle. The work in
the different departments Of the women's
clubs, even that of the art and literature
departments, binds US all in one, "a union
of all who love, in the service of all who
suffer- The lesson this afternoon in arts
and crafts has not only been delight to
the senses and enriched our minds through
the culture of the leader of this session,
Mrs. Clement, but it has also warmed
our hearts, so that we long to lmpart
this pleasure to others, to serve others
by placing in their lives something bright
and lovely. 1t surely is good thing that
We have taken up at this meeting the
subject of Arts and Crafts. We hope
we may have an afternoon next year de-
voted to the same topic. We earnestly
desire also in our next program another
paper or Forestry. We cannot do much
work here along this line, but some one
of our members can renew our enthusl-
asm and arouse the interest of others by
further study of this subject so far
reaching in its influence.
In one Club last summer, in another
State, groups of women met at intervals
and took long walks in the parks to study
and know the trees better. Love of
trees is general. knowledge added to
this love means power. DR.. Millspaugh
says that "a forest is the oldest and
most important thing on earth.
Is it Mrs. Browning who writes
Here Linden tree stood frightening,
All adown its silver rind,
For, as some trees draw the tightening,
So this tree unto my mind,
Drew to earth the blessed sunshine
From the sky where it was shrined.'
The sweet singer of Israel when he
wished to give expression to his noblest
thoughts, said: "And he shall be like
tree planted by the rivers of water that
bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither; and what
soever he doeth shall prosper.
And SC may this beloved club prosper!
Let US build better than we ever yet
have done. In my weak way, for five
years | have tried to guide your steps.
but your success has been due to your
own quick wit, your faithful study and to
your excellent topic committee. l thank
you all for your kindly charity for my
shortcomings, for your strong sup
port, for your perfect patience. 1t
is difficult for me to understand how
you can so readily and easily pardon my
numerous blunders at these club meet
ings- mistakes of omission and of COM
mission, Yet you seem to have done
this and more. In spite of my reiterat-
ed advice and Urgent request that
you should elect from your number a
more efficient President, who could so
easily be found, you invite me to hold
this position another year. On one con-
dition | accept the honor-it must be my
last year of service, and will endeavor
so far as lies in my power to make it the
best year of the Club. Shall we not all
labor together for its prosperity and har-
mony and ever increasing usefulness?
Let me assure you that it is pleasure
to serve this club as an organization, and
greater joy to serve you as individual
members and as friends. / thank you
for this privilege and for the strength
which your loving kindness gives me. If
only were better fitted to stand in this
place. You cannot conceive how oft
times l am overwhelmed with confusion
and chagrin and modification because of
my ignorance and inefficiency-and long
fo effaoa ro1-calf-to hide INV