THE ST. VALENTINE'S PRIZES. A WOMAN'S REPORT OF THE ALL SAINTS' ANNUAL MEETING.

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 19, 22 January 1881, Page 182

THE ST. VALENTINE'S PRIZES.

A WOMAN'S REPORT OF THE ALL SAINTS' ANNUAL MEETING.

The Second and Final distribution of Observer Prizes takes place on February 16th, when the following valuable gifts will be drawn for in the presence of a Committee : — First Prize.— A Superior Electro-plated Tea and Coffee Service, comprising Tea-pot, Coffee-pot, Sugar-basin, and Cream-jug. Second Prize.— A Beautiful Electro - plated Inkstand with Cut-glass Bottles. Third Prize.— A Handsome Black Leather Desk and Despatch Box filled with stationery and all necessaries. Fourth Prize. — Lordßeaconsfield's new novel, "Endymion" (just received by the mail) superbly bound in three volumes and quite new. Fifth Prize.— A Beautiful Electro - plated Marmalade Dish with glass centre. Sixth Prize.— A Nickel Clock and Alarum. Seventh Prize.— A Valuable Bookcase inlaid with silver. Every person taking a copy of this and the ensuing three numbers of the Observer (viz., Nos. 20, 21, and 22) will stand a chance for these prizes. A coupon will be published. in each issue, which must be cut out, kept, and sent in when required. The coupon in the present issue is numbered thus : 1 ; that in the paper of January 29th, 2 ; that in the paper of February sth, 3 ; and that in the paper of February 12th, 4. One coupon will be of no usewithout the others. To stand a chance, all four must be carefully kept.

The men have had their say about this meeting in all the other papers, supposing that the Obsekver, by way of a change, inserts a woman's report. Parishioners had been warned from the pulpit on the previous Sunday that subjects of absorbing interest would be brought before the meeting. A large attendance was requested; and ladies especially, with a stress upon the word, were invited. Accordingly, the softer sex mustered in force ; but for the life of me I couldn't see the use of it, because, without loss of time, they were informed that women were incapable of voting on any subject; that they were not church members, &c, &c. ; and Mr. Upton was particularly severe with his " males above twenty-one years only can vote." I thought at once of the Grand Turk and all his seraglios, and wished myself comfortahly at home in my lounging chair; but there I was, and there 1 had to 'stay, for the meeting was numerous, and the means of exit not easy. However, Mr. Lusher came to the rescue. He said he thought it a great shame. There was Miss Hill had been in the parish for many years, had paid her church rents, and always given liberally— in fact the ladies gave quite as much as the gentlemen. Whereupon Mrs. Boardman murmured sotto voce that she had been longer in the parish than Miss Hill, and was always giving to it in one way or another, and it was shameful, &c, &c. But down came Mr. Upton with the rules and regulations of the Synod, and soon settled the question of the women, who were turned out of the fold neck and heels. Then came the questions of the finances of the parish, which the chairman cle- 1 clareel to be in a most flourishing condition, and which Mr. Upton denounced as hcing about £100 to the bad. Now, being a woman, I could not quite reconcile these statements, but I came away rather inclining to Mr. Upton's opinion, only if I had been a man I would have proposed then and there some means of liquidating the sum "to the bad." Then the meeting proceeded to elect the churchwardens and vestry, the chairman imploring them to give him a vestry with whom he could work amicably. Mr. Calvcrt was named by the chairman as his warden ; and Mr. Evans, who was not present through illness, was, with a warm eulogium well deserved, re-appointed the people's warden ; but nothing was said about Mr. Oswald, the retiring warden, who equally deserved a similar vote of thanks. It struck me that the voting for vestrymen was done in a very informal and clumsy manner, and not in a way calculated by any means to elect the best men. Unfortunately vote by ballot appeared to be too much trouble, "and that way was rejected. The climax of the meeting, however, was reached when the vestry, having been duly appointed, proceeded to mention their functions, one of which is to hx and pay the salaries of church ofiicials. Then Mr. LJpton rose and said, "We have to pay the minister's salary, but what is the salary'?' "Why," said the rev. chairman, "the salary which is iixed by the Synod." •' The Synod has nothing to do with fixing the minister's salary, it must be voted now by the vestry." "What! am 1 a paid nominee of the vestry?" cried the incumbent, and a war of words began. Mr. Maseiield rising put a stop to it by saying, in his very manly voice, " I propose that all salaries connected with the church be the same as last year," which was carried, "although," continued Mr. Mascficld, "there is nothing to prevent this meeting from from voting Mr. Bree £500 a year." "Neither," said Mr. Upton, rising quietly, "is there anything to prevent it from voting him £200." Soon after, with the usual vote of thanks, the meeting terminated ; but it struck me that on both sides— both on that of the vestry and on that of the incumbent — there was a something kept back which might have been better brought forward, and that the harmony visible on the surface was an outward harmony merely.