Page:Item 8 1860.pdf/139

calling a meeting for the purpose of repairing existing Benefit Societies of this place or if necessary to create a new one I was therefore naturally attracted to a letter in your excellent paper [The Hastings News] signed by the Rev. Dr. Crosse. Poor, conceited mortal, that I was, instead of getting a gentle pat on the head, with a ‘Good boy, go on and prosper!’ I was rebuked. I could not understand why, but in the letter there was clearly stamped on me ‘Naughty boy.’ I took myself to task. I read over the requisition again and got courage to look at the letter once more. To the second paragraph I said – All right, that’s just what we are about; the Rev. Dr. I see is in our boat. Then in the next paragraph he talks of the doings of judicious men, of strangers coming to our delight(sic) town, of charities; all well, but wide of the subject; for, charities are just the antipodes of Benefit Societies. Well, sir, I read on to that which perplexed me greatly – ‘Therefore we regard not without anxiety the new project for forming a fresh Friendly Society which now comes before us, leaning on that suspicious support so indicative of essential weakness – an overwhelming influential patronage.’ How this patronage could spring out of a requisition calling a meeting was to me a puzzle; or how patronage is essential weakness is a mystery. The Rev. Dr. gives no proof, which is a pity – for our gracious Queen patronises many societies, and I take it, her patronage is more overwhelming than ours. But have those societies yet found out the essential weakness arising therefrom? To proceed, he says if we merely mean to co-operate with societies sound in principles and in management, the public will owe us thanks. Our proposal is if possible to repair existing societies or if necessary to form a new one. For that purpose was the meeting called – not merely meaning, but earnestly, honestly, openly meaning to get all classes to co-operate in this most desirable object – the formation of a Benefit Society as perfect and as safe as present knowledge and experience can make it. Well, sir, I cannot see in this the serious results anticipated; but I read on, and again the bugbear starts up. ‘The comparatively humbler classes’, he says (of course kicking out patronage) ‘founded, worked, supported these Benefit Clubs’. Is it so? Did not the other classes of society co-operate? Is there any society without honorary members, by whose help and advise it began and flourished? And I find such patronage – for such only finds in these most valuable institutions is as overwhelming an essential weakness – but as a co-operation deserving thanks?, yet to be used only with the greatest hesitation and as a last extreme; being an interference which can hardly be otherwise than aggressive, and not in accordance with -