Young Men's Mutual Improvement Society.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1689, 20 April 1886, Page 2

Young Men's Mutual Improvement Society.

The openinc meeting of the winter session of the above Society took place at the Weßleyan Hall last evening, but on account of the inclemency of the weather the attendance wns not so large as bad been expected. The proceedings were opened by a solo from Miss Linton rendered with much expression of taste, after which the President addressed the meeting. Self-improvement, he said, virtually meant that they should he their own schoolmasters and instead of despising what had been expended upon them they should make nse of those talents with which they had been gifted by a, beneficent Providence. Tho last | 30 years he considered had been characterized as a period of development more than one of invention, The latter was, he thought, more belonging to the present era. Invention had never leached to such a pitch as the results of man's Qonatruciivt) genius showed at the present day. First of all it waa very necessary that the; BhQul4 kqpw

selves. PiiiHip of Mace lon knew about artill»ry and tho armaments of war, but he <!id not know himself. Demosthenes was an enthusiast m the art of photography. Alexander, tho Conqueror, was the «lavo of oti« particular lust. Napoleon knew all aliout kings, but oven this groat man confessed that he did not know himself. There was a great deal m each of us, which we might eauily find on examination could be developed. Useful for the world, useful for the Council, useful for Parliament, and uitful for those with whom we daily come m contact. Thcro never were such groat facilities for tho acquirement of useful knowledge, as there was at ths present day. Illustrations of successful on the part of young men m tlis experience of the speaker were her* given, notably that of John Falkner ot Tasmania. The syllabus for the enduing session was not yet completed, but ha knew there were a number of interesting and highly instructive subjects set down for debate and ensaye. Some of of their best men, he was sorry to say, were absent that evening. He would advise those young men present, however, to take whatever they had m hand with a determined intention of being master of it. They ought not to give every evening: up- to a variety of pursuits, but take up some particular matter for study and investigation. It would be found of much assistance to them if they would read up from a certain book on whatever subject they were at work and get another to study with the same book also, and subsequently discuss and argue the varions points and questions arising from their perusal. Why should thevjiot follow the studies they had taken m hand at school, arith. metic, mathematics, algebra, geometry, &c, were all good for the head and would be found perhaps m after rears to be ot valuable use to them. They above all should get to know the worst of themselves. They should get np early and should not be intemperate m anything. Whatever came before them at the present session they should take an interest m it and apply themselves with a determination to gain at least something of use to themselves and their fel- > lows. They should speak as often as passible at the meetings and stow ai much logically into their heads as they could. Criticise whenever an opportunity offers, and give their whole minds to • whatever they took m hand. There should be no apathy or half-hearted--1 ness. ' Mrs Bunn then sang with her usual success " Bothesay Bay," and was followed by Master W. Dixon reciting ft ' descriptive tale of the sea entitled " Minnie aud Sailor Ben." Mrs Kibblewhite and Miss Grace then sang the duett, " Flow on thou Shining River,'* and were succeeded by Mr R. L«ary 1 reading the celebrated speech of Sheills m reply to Lord Lyndhurst. Mite Hartley having sung very prettily, "The Vacant Chair." refreshments wen hand fid round, and for a time all were biu'sily engaged disposing of the numerous good things provided. On resuming Mrs Kehblewhite sang " The Harp that once," and was followed by the Mayor addressing the meeting* i He said he had no connection with the , Society which had called that meeting together, but he had been a member of a similar society m Ireland. He thought that perhaps the best thing he could do ' would be to give them sonio of his own , experiences. He did not consider that these Young Men's Societies, were thi . best institutions of the day, but he be* lieved they were one of the best. It depended entirely on how a young man conducted himself how he would turn ■ out m maturer years. Younz men m , New Zealand were subject to more temptation ihan at Home. There wag not tho same restraint placed on them m tho Colonies as at Home, and a young man had te be very careful how he conducted himself m his youug days m > order to be successful m after lift. Societies of this kind he believed kept young men out of such mischief. They must have something to occupy their ; minds, and if they did not do something ' good for themselves they would an* doubtedly find out something which [ would lead them astray. He thought it was a grand thing to have a Society of ■ this kind m "Palmerston. He was also ' glad that it had succeeded so well so fan He did not know what the rule wag amongst them regarding the fair sex ( ' but he had found at Home that having; the ladies present at their meetings cen- ; siderably conduced to improvement m 1 the young man's addresa. When young 1 men met together they were more likejy to appear as it were m the surface, but when ladies were present then the gentleman was more likely to be noticeable. Another thing they should try and attend? every meeting, or they would ' 'find that they should lose their interest 1 m the subjects of debate or essay coming 1 on. They should read up on the sub- ' jects sst down for discussion and be able to express themselves on the questions arising put of the readings of papers or ' arguments of debate. They should also , make an attempt bo speak at every meet] ' ing. He remembered eighteen yearg \ ago, when he belonged to a class of this 1 kind, how nervous he had been, but he overcame the. difficulty by a detertnina- ! tion to succeed, and the way he managed it was by speaking a little at every meet* ing. It did not matter whether he knew anything about the matter or not he spoke, and so by degrees he became suf--1 ficiently self-possessed to take an active part m the various debates, &c., that weje brought forward. They all knew 1 he- expected the recorded statement of Dickens, viz., "Beading made the full man, writing made the correct man, and . speaking made the ready man." None ' of them knew how they might be situated : m after life, and it was their duty to i prepare themselves for the possibUitieg of the future. It very seldom happened that a man was not some time or other called upon to speak m public, and while he was young was the time to practice, so that N he might acquire the ease and necessary flow of words to make hie speech firm and bis thoughts collected He hod not attended the meetings of the society during its previous session, but he had read one of the member's papeie with a good deal of pleasnre, and he was really astonished that so young * man could have produced to excellent an essay. The speaker then concluded hie remarks by stating that he mipht perhaps be giving the young men so much advice that the effect would be a very small one. He would therefore conclude by hoping that their winter sessioa would be a thoroughly successful one. The Mayor was followed by Master Dixon and Mowlem rendering a most laughable dialogue very creditably. After which Mrs Kibblewhite contributed the song " In Paradise." Mr B. Leary then recited " Clarence's Dream," and the usual votes of thanks having been carried the meeting concluded with the Kinging of the national anthem.