Sunday Afternoon Meeting.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 14, 17 July 1893, Page 2

Sunday Afternoon Meeting.

There was an excellent attendance of young men at Short's Hall yesterday afternoon, when the usual meeting of the above was held. Mr Barker presided and called upon Mr Anderson to address those present. Mr Anderson stated that he belonged to a similar association in tbe Old Country, in a town of 65,000 inhabitants. From a small attendance they worked up in a few weeks, until they often Tiad as many as 1000 present at their meetings. They had a full band, music, and singing, together with discussions on interesting subjects. Mr Payne next spoke, and said that the idea of these meetings was to get young men together and thus enable them to become pleasant and sociable and make them feel at home. The main purpose was that these gatherings should be ot an unsectarian character and that all denominations could join them. A scheme which worked very well at Home was a system of giving prizes, in the shape of useful books, to those who had been most regular in their attendance. A leader was first appointed, also other officers such as a secretary, treasurer, Working committee, and a sick committee, whose duty would be to look after those who were ill, and where necessary lend a helping hand. The speaker carried his hearers with him, and was frequently applauded during his interesting address. Mr Barker endorsed the remarks of the previous gentlemen, and in alluding to the prize scheme stated that it was customary to stamp all the books with the P.S.A. motto, " A Helping Hand." Flower services were also a distinguishing feature of the P.S.A. at Home, and by these means large sums have often been handed over to hospitals and charitable bodies. They must strike at once, work manfully together, and show they meant to make the affair a success. At the close of the meeting the following officers were elected : — Secretary, Mr Downey ; treasurer, Mr Svendsen ; general committee, Messrs Anderson, Payne, Fenwick, Groves, and Bowater. Before separating, sufficient support was given to defray all liabilities incurred up to next Sunday, on which day it is expected that Mr Dixon, of Bunnythorpe, will be present.