Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1876-1883

Association Vol. 3. 27-1 mo. 1876 to 20-9 [mo] - 1883

Vol III Minutes of the Association From 1/27-1876 to 9/20-1883 84 meetings recorded [meetings recorded] previously

To the Ladies of "The Mutual Improvement Association" of Sandy Spring:

Having been invited to write a few lines in the way of Dedication to the third volume of the journal of your proceedings, I find a special pleasure in complying with the request.

This Centennial Year, so full of memories of the deepest interest, seems to call for something that shall unite the idea of your Association with the moving recollections of the great Anniversary. It invites to reflections on your own history and the design and objects of your organization which has held the even tenor of its ‘way’ for so many years. The first meeting was held in the 5th month, 1857: so that your pleasant monthly gatherings have been kept up with great regularity for nearly nineteen years. How satusfying must be the view with which you can look back over this long period during which the world has been shaken with such violent commotion, and feel that the harmony of your Association has never been disturbed by a single break! It may well be doubted whether as much can be said of any other Society of its age. I may be allowed to extract a paragraph written in “The History of the neigborhood” for 1871, referring to your Association, and its course in relation to the exciting questions of the day regarding “the sphere & duties of woman”, stating

that "it pursues its quiet way, neither turning aside on the one hand to urge disturbing political privileges, nor on the other, to directly oppose them; but devoting itself to moral and social improvement, and ready to aid all proper benevolent enterprises for feeding and clothing the destitute at home and in the far West."

Your Association may not have accomplished great or dazzling achievements. Life is not made up of great, but of small things. The Poet is right in considering us "the best portion of a good man's life,

"Those little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love."

Such acts it is, that daily and hourly repeated, tear up the noblest moment: and such, I believe, you endeavor to keep in view.

But lest these prefatory remarks may seem to run into that grievious fault of flattery, so common in other Dedications, I must bring them to a close; only venturing to express the hope that the famous year of 1876, may be distinguished also in the annals of your Association, by the discovery of new methods for promoting your great object, and by still more satisfying results of Mutual Improvement.

W. H. F. [William Henry Farquhar]

197th meeting

Prospect Hill, 1st mo 27th 1876

Thirteen of our members assembled here today and came to order in good time.

Wm. H. Farquhar very kindly wrote a short dedication for our new book which was read by A.F. Gilpin. The members appeared much pleased with it, and returned the Author a note of thanks.

J. Porter read a short article, the substance being "anything which is worth doing at all, is worth doing well." R. M. Thomas selected an essay on "Harmony of Character." Cultivate all the faculties - mental and physical to make a perfect character. The beautiful tree grows high, sends its roots down low and branches out wide. M. L. Hallowell read from crumbs swept up. City Fools in the Country. Showing agriculture to be a science to be learned, not picked up as many find to their cost.

R. E. Gilpin. The secret of happiness.

S. H. Stone.... Denise Harrison (a guest) favored us with an original poem called "The Legend of the Bear's den". M. Farquhar read a letter from a daughter on the help subject, also "Consideration for others" which is deference to others in minor matters.