BISHOP COWIE ON RATIONAL RECREATION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 85, 9 April 1878, Page 4

BISHOP COWIE ON RATIONAL RECREATION.

(From the Auckland Star.)

At the opening of the Working Men's Club at Auckland recantly, the Right Rev Bishop Cowie, D.D., said he had experienced much pleasure in accepting the invitation to be present there that evening, and as soon as he received it she replied by letter intimating bis intention to be present. He felt quite sure that the establishment of the Club was a move in the right direction, and he knew it to be bo from his long experience in other parts of the world. He had seen the necessity that existed at home in England for working men's clubs in the country towns, and he had seen the advantages that had resulted from their establishment. He considered the main object of such an institution as this was to afford recreation to those who were employed in mind and body during the day. He thought it would be a great mistake to think that only those were entitled to be called working men who were employ.cd with their hands from 8 o'clock in the morning until 4 b' clock in the after* noon. He considered himself as much a working man as any man in that room, — Cheers.) There were very few mornings in the year at which he was not at work at 6 o'clock, and he did not consider the day's work over until 6 o'clock, in the evening. — (Cheers.) But recreation was necessary in order to enable a man to continue work effectively. The word recreation, as they were aware, meant creating anew or refreshing the powers of our minds or bodies. How was this to be done ?In two ways. First by rest and quiet, and secondly by diversion. They knew that moat young men when they came Co this country were not in a position to secure for themselves quiet in lodgings or their own homes, and therefore it is desirable that they should have a place like this in which they may feel that they could be as quiet as they like, and where they can talk as they like, and where men can meet as friends. Quiet, then, was one of tbe necessary things iv order to enable a working man to recruit the body and mind after a hard day's work. He (the Bishop) knew what a treat it was to be quiet after 6 o'clock in the evening, when the business of the day was completed. He remembered perfectly that Bishop Selwyn told him in England that the want of quiet had nearly killed him. He said after a hard day's work ia New Zealand he could always depend upon enjoying a quiet evening. For the reasons which he (Bishop Cowie) had referred to, they all knew the value of that quiet which might be obtained in an institution of this kind. The second means of recreation was diversion, and therefore they should take care that means of amusement were connected with this Club. There should be a good billiard table, and a good racket and tennis ground. He hoped as the club progresses thesa two latter would be added with a skittle alley. ' These afforded a change from bodily labour, and were means of recreation. He would have in addition some means of mental improvement, which certainly might be called a means of recreation, and this would be provided in a good library. He hope r l to see a room set aaide fer this purpose, and he would be glad to coutribute -ome books to begin with.— (Cheers.) That was one means by which hehopeii recreation would be provided for members of ibis Club j ami now a word or two as to the manner in wbich the Club should be conducted in order to ensure its success. First of all, it should be made attractive. Do not let it be given up to some few gentlemen in Auckland, but let it be a bona fide working men's Club, providing what a working man wants. Let the rooms be bright and warm in winter, let no man be afraid of having to sit in a draught let it be at leas* as comfortable as the most comfortable bar in Auckland. Secondly, when the club was fully established let the amusements which he had mentioned be provided. There was one of those amusements, by-the-bye, about wbich he would say a special word. He noticed a card-room as he came up-atairs. Now, he was not frightened by a pack of cards, but he would say as the result of a very considerable experience, as a member of a University, as a member of several large Clubs, as having Berved with the army and lived in encampments, that in this club there Bhould be no card-playing in the afte.rn.oQp, and

none before seven o'clock in the evening, — (applause) — and that their should be a fixed hour at which cardplaying should end. He must say another word upon the principle upon which the Club must be conducted, or it will come to an end in six months. It must be conducted on the principle of temperence. That was absolutely necessary. But what is temperance in one man is dissipation in another man. — (Hear, hear.) But they should be strictly temperate, and by temperance he meant the right use and not abuse of anything that was good. Do not let them think that temperance was only to be shown with reference to the quantity of liquor they poured down their throats. Some people made a very great mistake on this subject. They had heard lately of societies being founded with all zeal and earnestness for the purpose of suppressing the drinking habits. But these societies did not fully observe the principle of temperance in some directions ; there w»3 no temperance in the intercourse between the sexes, the hours of meeting at night, and tbe amount of romping that went on in connection with these societies. — (Cheers.) The consequence waa that the general confidence of the public had not been given to those institutions. — (Cbeera.) Therefore he would say, let temperance be tbe leading principle that characterised every department of the Club. If the Club is to be a success it must be managed by bona fide working men. There must be no honorary members in tbe management, no drones, but men who would work for the good of the Club— men who know what is wanted, and will not grudge the time and tbe efibrta necessary to secure success. — (Loud cheers.)