Club Minutes: Mutual Improvement Association, 1883-1889

30

S. H. Stone gave a preventative against mosquitos "Camphor gum"

A.E. Hartshorne read a long and interesting letter, written by an English lady now residing kn Manitoba - giving an account of the domestic life, hardships, suffering from the cold, and other items connected with this until lately almost unknown land.

The present secretary has stated her inability to serve the Association after this time, a committee; J. Porter, R.E. Gilpin and A. F. Gilpin were appointed to offer the names of a suitable member to serve in that capacity.

After a pleasant hour of social communication and tea, we adjourned to Oak Grove, on the 23rd of next month at 2 O'clock, P.M.

"It is a hard lesson, but one which some people need greatly to be taught that God sometimes desires for a time, the service of passion, obedience and waiting, rather than of bustling movement.

Lat minutes written by that very efficient secretary Annie F. Gilpin during her first term

31

Oak Grove 1oth Month 23rd 1884

A wintry day - bright but windy & cold & disagreeable to be out in. Not half our members were in attendance, but the oldest three - each in her 73rd year were all present.

After waiting beyond the usual time for other arrivals, and no secretary being present, Margaret Farquhar was requested to perform the duties for the time & complied. First came the minutes as usual, & next a note from E.B Smith resigning her place in the Association, which was received with regret.

A.E. Hartshorne then read an article on "Tact", defining it to be an innate faculty for putting others at their ease, & pleasing them, sometimes - not necessarily, at the expense of truth.

M.L. Roberts. What is the best use to make of coal ashes? Answer put them on paths to prevent mud & slipperiness; or use them to lighten heavy soil in the garden. As a fertilizer they are of little value.

M.S. Hallowell read from "The Ladies of the White House" a sketch of the wife of General Jackson - very interesting, & with the very pleasing portrait annexed, giving a very different impression of this lady from the one received in our youth.

L.G. Thomas had several short articles; 1st What to teach girls, naming a number of good habits not taught in the schools. 2nd Lucky "Fridays & fatal Saturdays", giving from history numerous instances of success & good fortune occurring on Friday & distress & death on Saturday & 3rd. "The hardest & the easiest thing to do", first to see faults in oneselves, second to find them in others.

J. Porter "Ask & be doing", another good selection from her favorite book - " Thoughts that breathe" find something to do for the benefit of others, & do it earnestly. Dont allow yourself to become slothful.

32

E. Hough read remarks about "Common Sense", declaring it to be the most common kind of sense, but very desirable to be associated with.

M. Farquhar read an account of the Hospital Camp for Small-pox convalescents in England, its arrangements & the great good it must be effecting.

Adjourned to the 21st of next month - 5 weeks from to-day - to dinner at Fair Hill.

Sentiments.

Boast not thyself of tomorrow; thou knowest not what a day may bring forth - and for the same reason despair not of to-morrow, for it may bring forth good as well as evil; which is a ground for not vexing thyself with imaginary fears; for the impending black cloud which is regarded with so much dread may pass by harmless or, though it should discharge the storm, yet before it breaks, thou may be lodged in that lowly mansion which no storms can ever reach.

Selected by M. W. Kirk.

33

Fair Hill , 11th month 27th 1884

The Association in nearly full force, and numerous guests beside, assembled at this hospitable mansion to-day, all apparently disposed to enjoy the goods provided - mental, moral & material - in a thanksgiving spirit. Two, only, of our members were missing - M. M. Miller & M. S. Hallowell. On coming to order after dinner the first business demanding attention was the report of the committee to appoint a secretary. They had agreed on Sarah E. Stabler, but she declined to serve; then Sarah J. Miller was proposed & after a little urging, she accepted the Office, to our great satisfaction. Then the minutes were read, and contributions called for. The first one was

H.J. Moore, who read three short selections, enjoining us to cultivate a spirit of cheerfulness; - to guard our temper especially when the health is not good; - & to let any contention there may be between us be which of us can effect the most good.

E.G. Thomas read Miss Proctor's lines on "Thankfulness" - very appropriate to the day.

M.B. Magruder gave a good sentiment - never speak ill of any one, however true the tale may be.

S.T. Miller read part of an address of Miss Willard before the Women's Christian Temperance Union meeting at St. Louis, which she attended, with great interest, a short time ago.

E. D. Bentley read a considerable part of the address of Mrs Lynn to the Women's Congress of Boston, representing very forcibly the propriety & expediency of appointing women as well as men to various offices, as Directors of School-boards, Asylums - prisons - all institutions having both sexes in charge.

L.G. Thomas, "Fretting", a very good little extract.

34

S.A. Bond some good lines called "Rest".

A.E. Stabler, Another good little poem "Growing Old."

Miss Seabury, "The penny I meant to give" an anecdote of a miner who gave for the poor a guinea in mistake instead of the penny he meant to give.

M.L. Roberts, a selection of Sydney Smith's including a calculation of the amount of good anyone could effect by doing something every day to benefit some one person.

A.E. Hartshorne read a pretty poem called "Spliced".

M.B. Hall, an appeal to Christian parents, especially fathers, to be more affectionate & confidential with their sons, & to encourage freedom of intercourse between them.

R.M. Thomas, the 23rd Psalm turned into poetry, The Lord is my Shepherd.

A.F. Gilpin, part of a newspaper slip, being a letter from Morocco, describing their mode of making & drinking tea & other customs.

M.W. Kirk, two selections from a scrap-book, one "Ancestral Portraits".

& the other "There ought to be two", the old, old, ever new story of the insufficiency of filial & parental love to satisfy the young.

M. Farquhar, a short account of the cultivation of Cocoa.

Adjourned to Leawood, to dinner, on New Years day.

Sentiment. Your work is your servant, so long as you retain it, but it becomes your master when you suffer it to escape. It is worth a word as with an arrow; the arrow once loosed does not return to the bow, nor the word to the lips

selected by M.W. Kirk.