SERMON LXI.

A CLUB SERMON.

ECCLESIASTES IV. 9, 10.

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up.

THESE are the words of one who in his day, and ever since has passed for the wisest of men-the words of King Solomon-king and also preacher, in that book so full of the lessons of experience, so rich in the observation of human life-the Book of Ecclesiastes.

They are words, I think, not unsuitable for us to meditate upon to-day-not unsuited to the purpose now before me, which is, to address some short remarks to you about your Friendly Club.

In these remarks my aim will be, not to say new but rather old things-to shew you the advantages of belonging to a society like yours-to shew for the benefit of the younger members more particularly, what a help a

Club may be, not only in providing you with support in sickness, but in forming and deepening in you a truly Christian character—a help in correcting that selfishness which is naturally so strong in man; a help in exercising you in that chiefest and most indispensable part of our religion-charity!

First, then, let us take the verses of the text, and notice how true they are: how wide and far-reaching is the principle they contain. Two are better than one. We may see this in many ways-e. g. If there is a piece of ground to be ploughed or reaped-if there is a stack of corn to be thrashed-or a garden to be dug-two we allow will get the work done better than one. Again: if a man be taken with illness, it is not well for him to be alone, he will be better for having some other person to wait upon and nurse him. Or again: if a man be in affliction, or in perplexity, the presence of a friend to soothe and counsel him, is an acknowledged good.

And so in all things-everywhere "in the tangled business of the world"-in work, in want, in sorrow, in difficulty, in defending ourselves against enemies, in carrying out plans of benevolence, two are better than one. What one lacks his companion supplies-if one falls his fellows will lift him up-but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, for he hath not another to help him up!

And this which is true in so many matters is especially true in societies like yours. The very bond which brings you together is this-your belief that two are better than one-you think by combining to get benefits which you could not get by working separately.

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And you are right. By co-operation-by joining hand in hand, you may now secure a provision against sickness, or the coming on of old age, which you could not else secure. It is then for your advantagelooking for the moment only to your worldly interest, to what will be for your bodily welfare, for your personal comfort and convenience-to belong to a club.

and

But there are much higher reasons to be produced: among them I would put this as a very chief reason for belonging to a club-that you thereby keep your INDEPENDENCE.-And what we Englishmen most pride ourselves upon-what has served, under God, to make us what we are—a strong and free people, is this same spirit of independence—a determination not to be beholden to others for what we can do ourselves.

This, I repeat, is the characteristic of Englishmen -taken as a people, to beg we are ashamed. And in this we afford a remarkable contrast to what all who have travelled in foreign parts must have noticed. There, abroad, you will see begging allowed as a trade. Both in town and country, you will see numbers who make that their occupation-who prefer to live on casual alms, than work for an honest maintenance.

But it is not so, or at any rate, not to any great extent, here in England. Many a poor man amongst us will sooner starve than beg. Many a man will go through great hardships, and put himself and his family on short allowance, rather than be beholden to public charity— rather than "trouble"-so he calls it-rather than "trouble the parish."

Sometimes, indeed, he must trouble the parish. In

cases of severe and long-continued illness, in cases of accident, a man, however reluctant, will be driven to apply for relief. And in such cases it ought not to be imputed to him for blame.

Still the feeling is a good one-a feeling to be respected and encouraged-which prompts a poor man, while he can, at whatever pains and self-denial, to be in debt to no one-no, not even to the parish, for his living!

But strive as he may, it is only by belonging to some Friendly Society, that a labourer or even a tradesman can be sure to keep himself independent.

For a labouring man's earnings, winter and summer together, may be enough to make him very comfortable while he is well-he may even have something to spare out of them for charity; something to give-and I testify from experience that none give more gladly-when a collection is made amongst us.-But they will hardly be enough when husbanded ever so carefully, to furnish him with the means of recovery in sickness; not enough to pay for his support, and the support of his family when he is laid by and no, longer able to work.

But let him belong to a club, and then if sickness should overtake him, he is prepared. He can without shame-without any loss of independence, apply to the "box," for he has himself helped to fill it. It is out of his own money that the relief is afforded him.

And therefore as I said, and I cannot say it too often, these Benefit Societies ought to be supported-because they help to keep up a spirit of freedom and independence, and honourable self-respect in the working classes of our country. Therefore it is that I would exhort you

young men who have not yet joined, to lose no time enrolling yourselves in a club.

By so doing, you provide, as I have shewn, against sickness and what is more you keep your independence -you secure to yourselves a refuge in the day of necessity, so that when your strength fails you, and you can no longer go forth to your work and to your labour, you yet eat the bread yourselves have earned. You are maintained, not by charity, not by the parish, but by what you have helped to lay up while yet in health, the honest fruit of past frugality and past self-denial.

And this leads me to mention another advantage which a club offers you. By belonging to a society like yours, you become bound to make month by month, or week by week, a certain payment. That payment must be saved out of your wages.-But suppose you did not belong to a club, where in many cases would the money thus stored up have gone? Would it not have been consumed upon your appetite? Would it not have gone, -where alas! as it is, too large a portion of the English labourer's wages go-to buy drink?

Then what a good thing a club is were it only for this, that it teaches you to deny yourselves. What a good thing is it for a young man, who earns more than he needs for his immediate wants, to be obliged, as it were, to put by, either for the use of others, or for his own use, at a later day, what else he would have been tempted to spend on mere selfish indulgence! What a good thing is it for any of us, brethren, to learn, by whatever way, that great lesson of the Gospel-the great lesson of our Lord's whole life-thought for others-how that labour