Denbighshire Free Press

DENBIGH. CHURCHMEN'S PROTEST AGAINST Disestablishment and Disendowment of the Church. CROWDED MEETING- AT THE DRILL HALL. The Churchpeople of Denbigh and dis- trict met in great tiumbars to protest against the dise.'tfiblisliiuent and diseud >w- ment of the Welsh Church efc the Drill on Friday evening. The gathering was of a most enthusiastic character, and the hall was crowded to the doors, Mr C Cottom presided, and wa3 supported on the platform by Mr P P Pennant, Mr Haroid ildwards (St Asaph), the Rev Meredith Hughes (vicar of Preslafyo), Rev T Redfern, iN-,I.A., Lieut-Col Ward, Mr Swayne (churchwarden), Alderman James Hughes, Mr D E H Roberts (churchwarden), Mr John Daries (Bryn-y- parc), Mr Dalton, Mr John Williams (churchwarden), Mr Drury (churchwarden), Mr J T Hughes, &c. The meeting opened with a hymn aDd prajer. The Rector read letters of apology from Mr Frederic Burton, Mr J P Lewis, and from Col Mesham, who wrote as follows I am sorry I cannot attend the Church defence meeting to-morrow evening. It is unfortunate that such a great and im- portant question as the Disestablishment and Disendowment of the Church of England in Wales should have to depend on the result of the general election. Other great questions, such as Home Rale and the 'statns of the Hoose of Lorus also seem to depend upon it; and it is not fair, in my opinion, to ask the electors of this country to decide such momentous questions by voting for or against the Budget.. Parliament of course has power to pass n Act for the disestablishment and disendow* ment of every religious body in the land, ill advised as it would be to do so. Parlia- ment has the legal right at the wish of the great majority of the people to disestab- lish the Church, i.e., to cease to recognise it as the sole and exclusive Church of the State, but Parliament haa not the moral right to rob the Church of her endowment* any more than it has the right-the moral right—to seize the property of any charit- able institution. I cannot believe that the great bu k of the Welsh people approve of tbe disestablishment and disendowment of their ancient Church, and so long as the Church is left in possession of her endow- ments, I shall be one of the first to resist any attempt to interfere with the endow- ments of Nonconformists. We can all unite in combating the evils of the day, but to weaken the great work that the Church has done and is doing in Wales, and for Welshmen to trust in wrong and robbery will be, I fet 1 sure, a coarse fraught with disaster and unhappiness to us all." The Chairman, in bis opening address, pointed out that' was not a political gathering but a meeting of Church people in defence of their Church. The Church embraced men of all shades of political thought; it was not the Church of a party or faction, but of the nation and the people as a whole. As members of such an in- stitution they Had a right to defend their spiritual H jcne, and he exhorted all Church- men, no matter what their general politics, to realibe lioe extreme gravity of the crisis and the danger to the Church, put aside their gene.1 politics, and as Churchmen to stand firm and true in defenoe of their Church. The Chairman then introduced Mr Harold Edwards, tae boa of their reverend Bishop, who had a most enthusiastic reception. Mr Harold Edwards said:- When I was asked to speak in Denbigh in DEFENCE OF THE CHURCH 1 accepted the invitation vacti gratitude, because I think that no one who believes as I do that the issue which we are met here to ducass is a live one, would for one moment dream of nnder rating the immense importance to the country and people which it affects; ncr therefore would such a person willingly lose an opportunity of asserting the principles which he holds with regard to it (applause). At the aame time I felt that I was labouring under some difficulty. This question is being brought so much under disoussion at the present time that it is no easy matter to throw any fresh light upon it. Also I hold a strong, though perhaps-an absurd prejudice against using the words or ideas of tnose who are obviously much better fitted than I am to express their opinions. It seems to me that the only possible direction in which I can approach this discussion is from the standpoint of the ORDINARY MAN IN THE STREET, and therefore having resisted the tempta- tion to pilfer from any professional store to which I may have had some special access, I am compelled to come before you with nothing but the modfst equipmeur, of the ordinary elector. I propose this evening, with yoar permission, to say something about Disendowment. As you know Dis- endowment is brought before us as part of a general measure of Disestablishment. As a matter of fact there is no necessary con- nection at all between them, and to my way of thinking the production of these two distinct measures in the form of a single bill is a vicious attempt to graft a purely practical proposal upon an academic principle. There are many personti- Churchmen as well as Noncoaformists-wbo honestly believe that the Church would benefit rather than suffer by foregoing the legal tie8 which bind her to the State persons who would frankly support the Government policy if it aimed solely at the severance of these ties, and who only now oppose it, beoause it Is discoloured by the attempt to take from the Church money ivfeich they believe is being well used in the service of Christ (applause). There is, no doubt, much to say against the STATES' CONNECTION with the Church, but we must take the facts as we find them, and it is an indisput- able fact that there is not the smallest ohance in the world of our getting from the present Government a measure of Dis- establishment without finding a schema for Disendowment tacked on it. Disestablish- ment is usually given the place of honour in the argument* of our opponents, but disendowment is the spring which drives the wheel. Diaendowment. 18 the practical proposal, and I don't think I need make any apology for dealing with the practical proposal, and leaving the academic princi- ple to a more suitable occasion, or to those who are better fitted than I am to diseuss it. I s&id that disendowment was a practical proposal. I go further than that and say that we shall find that DISENOQTVMENT is not only a practical proposal but an ac- complished fact, unless those of us who are friends of the Church take effective steps to prevent it. Lord Robertson once said that if a Disestablishment bill was ever pasted it would be rushed through with a erowd of other measures (hear, hear). We Ola all of us remember the last campaign ftgftitttt the Church; and looking back four- < teen years, it is interesting to compare tl e ¡ character of thm attack with the present one. In 1893 Mr Aoquith, who was then Hone Secretary in Lord Robbery's ad- ministration. introduced a Disestablish- ment Bill in the House of Commons. It is not neoesiary for my purpose to revert to ttla detJiila of that measure. You probably J remember as well as I do the drastic pro- posals which it contained for dealing with Church property, among others the hand- ing of our Cathedrals and Parish Churches to the County Councils. That Bill never got beyond the House of Commons (eheer). In the general election which cams soon afterwards, the verdict of the country was sought upon that measure, and the verdict of trie country was given with no uncertain voice against that attempt to despoil re- ligion. In 190G a Liberal Government again appealed to the country. Sir Henry Campbell Binnerman, as Lit3aral Premier, cacao down to Wales and outlined his policy in a big speech at Wrexham, but not one word did he say about the Disestablish- ment or Disendowment of the Church in Wales, aud few of the candidates, if any, mentioned the subject in their speeches or ejection addresses. The Liberal Govern- mont thought the subject safely shelved, and to prove that they thought so they appointed in 1907 a ROYAL COMMISSION to discuss it. We are stiil waiting for their report. Bat though the Government and the country thought that the subject was safely shelved, the Welsh political leaders thought differently. As Mr Ellis Griffith is reported to have said, if the funds arising from the. diseudowroent of the Church of England in Anglesea went to supplement the old age pensions for the county, the pensionable age -in Anglesea would bo reduoed from 70 to 65 or even to 60" (oh, oh). This was an ingenuously irank admission that the property of the Church is regarded by Mr Ellis Griffith and his friends as spoil to be divided among the spoilers (applause). It was too much to expect the pursuit of this treasure to be lightly abandoned, so in April of last year, to satisfy the Welsh political agita- tors, and I use the word political advisedly, I Mr Asquith once more introduced a bill for disestablishing and disendowing the Church in Wales. That bill was never intended to pass. It did its duty as a sop TO THE WELSH POLITICAL LEADERS (applau&e), and after being read a first time it was dropped. But now once again a Liberal Government is appealing to the country, and the Prime Minister in unfold- ing his programme at the Albert HaU, in December last, has shown us that the Disestablishment and Disendowment of the Church in Wales is to be a definite pari of the GOVERNMENT POLICY. You may have noticed that m a speech of some five nundrad and forty-six lines of printed matter, his allusion to this import- ant matter only occupied seven lines, and you may have also noticed that in the speeches recently delivered by the Chan- cellor of tne;Exchequer, and in tbe speeches and addresses of subordinate members of his party, tue Church question has been conspicuously ignored (hear, beai). Are we to believe that the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the other Welsh members have como to think so little of this question that it has-been superseded in their minds by other and graver matters, or that it has been roiegated for ever to the limbo of those visionary measures whose advent is heralded by no loader trumpet than the small voice of a private member, and whose s!:a..aeful destiny is the waste-paper basket of the House of Commons ? I reoall to yonr minds once again the words of Lord Robertson, It a Disestablishment Bill is etrer passed it will be rushed through with a crowd of other measures." Unless we bestir ourselves that saying is likely to be proved a prophetic utterance (applause). The Government are appealing to the country for a decision on a number of measures whose gravity I would not for a moment dream of questioning. But it is not always the moat important measures which the largest share of attention at the time of a general election (hear, bear). I have a distinct, not to say painful, recol- lection that the question of Chinese Labour played a very prominent part in the election of 1900. But I don't think it would be untrue to say in the light of subsequent events that Chinese Labour was noc the most vital question upon which the electors were then aakod to give a decision (ap- plause). If the Government are returned to power, whether as the result of one cry or of maay, they are pledged to abolish the veto or THE HOUSE OF LORDS, and if they succeed in abolishing that veto, they will be left with unfettered hands to do whatever they please to the Church and to the Church's property. The single sentence of the Prime Minister uttered in the Albert Hall will have cloaked them with the so-called authority of the popular mandate, and Churchpoople will wake one morning to find, too late, that they have sold thuir birthright for a mess of pottage. The situation is now critical. It is the business of Churchmen and friends of the Church to be prepared to meet the crisis (cueers). It will dangerously be easy at the election which ii now upon us to turn towards the other measures which loon so largo on our hocizou, shutting our eyes to this vital iisue, thinking perhaps we oaa leave it with safety to another day. But if we neglect the Church now we must be prepared to see her suffer. If we neglect the Church now we shall be deliberately playing into the hands of our enemies. Is ii their obvious policy to put us OFF THE SCENT. THey have been beaten on this question onod (cheors), and if it were made a clear istue they would bo beaten on it again (cheers). Personally, I am profoundly con- vinced that if the question of Disendow- ment, I purposely omit Disestablishment, could be put as a single issue before the electors, there would be an overwhelming majority against it. I believe that if this proposal wore put before them in its naked form our Nonconformist fellow-countrymen would not admit it for one moment (hear, hear). I Ufelieve that the patriotism which is the hall mark of every true Welshman, that their sense of justice, their reverence for the purposes on which the Church's money is now being spent, would make them revolt against this injary to oat common Christianity, and it I believed otherwise I should be ashamed to call myself a Welshman (loud applause). Jt is a matter of common knowledge that the agitation against the Church has been slowly dying down for the last fifteen years. Those of you who go among your fellow electors have probably remarked the fail- ing interest which is taken in this subjeot. f It may be that the SPECIAL EFFORTS which the Church has been making to fulfil her mission, efforts which arc now uni- versally acknowledged, are making them- selves felt and appreciated. I think this is so. I think also that the education of the last twenty years has shown our Noncon- formist friends that it would not be for their good or for the country's permanent welfare to divert this money from religion in order to devote it to purely seoular purposes (bear, hear). Twenty years ago tha tithe war was at its height. Tne battle cry was then "No tithe I" but it is a remarkable fact that as soon as the Welsh farmers Qi"oovfT$<t that tMseatfowmeofc did not mean NO TITHE, but meant instead that he wa to pal ili in the future to some Welsh County Council, the agitation ceased (applause). The Welsh farmer felt that if he still had to pay the tithe he preferred paying it to a parson who spent it in his own village instead of to a council I who would lavish it on libraries or museums in towns in which he might never go. The feeling against the Church from being national has become POLITICAL. The agitation, to put it paradoxically, is more noxious, but less obvious to our senses. But the danger is nono the less real, but as loug a3 the political agitation continues there is no security to be found in indiifereuce (hear, bear), our only safety lies in converting that inditference into active support (applause). In order to do this we must prove to our fellow country- men that the scheme for diverting the Church money to secular objects as laid down in Mr Asquith's Bill, would be an injury not only to the Church but to the whole of Wales. If I may then I will for a few minutes turn to MR ASQUITH'S MEASURE. It is substantially the same as that which he introduced in 1895. According to Mr Asquith's soheme three bodies are to be created, Firstly a body which he calls the Welsh Commissioners, secondly a Churoh Representative body, and thirdly a Council of Wales. All Welsh eccleRiastical property and all other property which can be described as Welsh Church property is to be vested in the first instance in the Welsh Commissioners. The Welsh Com- missioners will then transfer to the Church Representative body the four Walsh Cathedrals, together with the Parish Churches, of whioh there are some 1,500, and the Church buildings. They will also transfer the Bishops' palaces, the deaneries, and parsonages, of which there are some 800, and all benefactions which date from 1662. The Welsh Commissioners will further transfer all tithe-rent charges to the 40OUNTY COUNCILS, and they will then transfer all other property to the Council of Wales, who will be responsible for its allocation and division. The Bill goes on to state that the money so transferred to the Council of Wales is to be used for the erection of hospitals, the provision of trained nurses, the provision and maintenance of public, parish or district halls or institutes and libraries, and any other charitable and eleemosynary purpose or public purpose of local or general utility for which provision is not made by statute out of public rates. Well, what doe9 this amount to ? It amounts tu this,, that the State have absorbed a total income, irrespective of the annual value of churchyards and of tithe and land belonging to the Church in England, of 2244,680 (" Shamo "). The Churoh on the other hand will retain after Disendowment a total income of X19,882, which would mean for OUR DIOCESE here a sum of something less than £ 5,000. You see at once, of course, what tbia means (hear, hear). In the words of Mr Dibdin "The Church will have to begin its new career with a vast organisation of four cathedrals and more than a thousand parish churches to serve and repair with parochial machinery of all sorts, to be kept up with four bishoprics and an endless amount and variety of centralised business to be main- tained, and substantially no means at all to provide for these gigantic responsibilities ("shame.") The nearest analogy is a great business like Harrod's or Whiteley'a with the capital invented in it suddenly withdrawn." This is the scheme uuder which we will suffer uilesi wo make our voices heard. In contemplating this measure one is afflioted with an almost overpowering temptation to use STRONG LANGUAGE, but the injustioe is so gross, so palpable, that I believe that we have only to state the case quite simply as it stands to win over the vast majority of our fellow- coantrymen to our opinion (applause). I do not want to labour the results which would come about if this measure were passed. If there is a social grievance in tne minds of the Nonconformists, would disendowmant give them the equality they desire? Would the clergy value less the historical prestige, the antiquity, the Catholic authorit/ of their Churoa to n they do no^f ? Would the laity of the Church prize less the worship and the ritual of their Church than they do now ? Would disendowment be iikely to induce the Church laity to view with greater favour the claims of Nonconformists as spiritual teachers ? These questions have only to be asked to be answered (applause). Disendowment would only AGGRAVATE TENFOLD the grievances of which Nonconformists complained in the past, beoause the Church when disestablished and disen- dowed would no longer be, all at present the servant and the minister of all, but would then be compelled to devoto all her energies to her own children, and relying upon privileges which Parliament neither gave noJ can take away would make good a title to pre-eminence, a title which nnder existing conditions it is not necessary for her to wasert. If the Church were a decay- ing Church there might be some justice in depriving her of property, bat it is a universally acknowledged fact that this is not so. Mr Asquith himself said, when he introduced hia mat Disestablishment Bill, As everybody knows during tho last seventy years at any rate the Church of England in Wales has opened a new chapter, a new, beneficent and fruitful chapter in her history (applause), and now by every means which enlightened ecclesiastical statemaoship and a strong spirit of devotion to the needs of the Welsh people can dictate is endeavouring to overtake the arrears of the past (ap- plause). There was a time when the Church in Wales, as in England, went through a period of stagnation, but that time is past, I hope never to return (hear, hear). She is now doing her duty faith- fully and perseveringly, not perfect, not perhaps always saocessful, what institution dependent on human agencies can be, and I believe is honestly striving to profit by the lessons of the past, growing not only in power but in the sense of responsibility, which power should carry with it, patient- ly working towards the ideals of the great Master, a Welsh church ministering to a Welsh people (applause). Ia it wise to cripple and discourage her eff )rts for the sake of some phantom benefits dangled before our eyes by a few hungry poli- ticians? Surely it is a better thing to help her forward in the newer and brighter chapter that has opened ont before her, to aid her efforts with our own that we may say with a philosopher of old, length of days be in her right haad, and in her left riches and honour, may her ways be ways of pleasantness and all her paths be peace (loud applause). The Rov Meredith Hughes, vicar of Prestatyn, then delivered a most eloquent and masterly address in Welsh in defence of the Church, which was listened to with rapt attention; his telling points were again and agaip loudly cheered, his apt illustrations and tolling jokes keeping the audience in good humour and full enthusiasm. He was especially telling in showing that the tithe would not oease, as some thought, but have to be paid ffgolarly, wad also pointing out the ridiculous uses to whioh the tithe would I be put-and further showing the vust amount cf tithe in tho handv. of lay proprietors, aud the iniquity ol the S'ata seizing Church property zkriii leaving the gifts made in endowment to Nonconformist bodies. Mr P P Pennant, who was accorded a a cordial reception, sai'l he felt it w&i hia duty to bo present. It wa<3 now over forty years eiuce he coajmeuced work in Churoh Defence, and ho believed that he was nearly the oldest member of the Chnrch Committee—Sir Francis Ball, who gave up up Parliamentary life at the age of 84, on the dissolution of Parliament, being the driest. Having been engaged in con- nection with Church Defence for so many, uiaoy years he felt how very important and critical an occasion like the present watt. They must remember that if once the Church was disestablished and disendowed it would be irrevocable, no matter what they did, and it would be a great ano, I staggering blow to its work. However, he bad that faith in the Church and in God Almighty, that even if it was dis- established and disendowed it would still go on (applause). This measure b .ad been rejscted by the people three times, and he trusted it, would be the same again. Hav- ing dealt with the alteration of date in the present Bill to 1662 as regards taking en- dowment, and the reason for it, he said: Some years ago many people said that what the state gave the state could tak-9 back. But according to Lord Selborne, who had written most distinctly on this question,, the State did not give the Church anything. Everybody who had studied the question and looked into it knew that the original endowments were purely the gifts of Christian people for religious purposes. It was proposed now to take this money away, and give it to useful or beneficial objects such as hospitals, libraries, etc. But it must not be used for the support of religion in any way. It must be used for secular purposes only. Wasn't that idea horrible, to him it was shocking and painful that tbese ancient endowments of their forefathers for the sole support of Christianity were to be taken away and used for any purposes except religion. If this measure had been made uniform it would not have been so bad. If it had been proposed that these ancient endowments should be taken away and divided up amongst difiarent religions he would not have objected to it so much. But at the same time he should have strongly opposed the proposal. He knew that some people had been misled by the fact that the ancient endowments of the Church were in tithe and land. Well the fact that they were in tithe and land waR simply an explanation of their extreme antiquity. These endowments had boen given to the Church when there was no other property except land, there were no such things as railway debentures, stocks, etc. The endowments of the Church dated back to the time when there was no State as they understood it now, the State at that time was broken up into dioceses, and became a State as it was that day by copy- ing the instruction of the Church. Dioceses of the Chursb were older than counties, and in some cases in Eogiand the counties had followed the boundaries of tho dioceses and the parish boundaries throughout England and Wales were taken from the ecclesiastical boundaries. This showed the extreme antiquity of the Church, and showed the folly of anyone saying that what the State had given the htate could take away. He maintained that they were I doing an injustice to their Christianity if they allowed such a thiog to happen that tho funds of the Church should be devoted to secular purposes (loud applause). Mr Swayne proposed and Mr John Davies seconded the following resolution in brief and pointed speeches:- "That this peoting of friends of the Church in the Borough of Denbigh, re- cognising the gravity of the Prime Minister's intimation at the Albert Hall on December 10th in reference to the Disestablishment and Disendowment of the Church in Wales, earnestly appeals to all Churchmen and to all friends of re- ligion to regard this issue as a matter of first importance in giviog their votes at the General Election (applause)." The Rev T Redfern also supported the 1 resolution, and in the course of an interest- ing and convincing speech said, they as Churchpeople must realize that they were in a very dangerous position, and that the question of Disestablishment and Disen- dowment was a very vital issue of the forth coming election, and the real object of the meeting was to press home that question. The Church was a non-political institution, and they had Liberal as well aa Conservative Churchmen. They had no wish to interfere with their politics, but on this occasion they wanted them to put their Church before their politics and vote against the confiscatory proposal of dis- endowment. The speaker then went on to deal with certain misrepresentations made at a Liberal political meeting on Saturday evening and conclusively proved that all the endowments of ttfe Church had been voluntarily left by Ohurchpeople for the purposes of promoting Christianity. He proved that the tithes were not taken from the Catholics, as certain speakers had said nor had the Church or clergy, kept back for their use, tithe given on behalf of the poor. He proved this by the testimony of history and the groatest writers on the question. The resolution was put to the and carried amid much appluu^o by an overwhelming majority, only four hands being held up when the Chairman put the question those against the resolution." The Chairman said as the hour was lite they would dispense with votes of thanks, but he would in their namo tender grate- ful thanks to Mr Harold Edwards, Mr Pennant, and the Vicar of Prestatyu for their able addresses. Tha meeting^ closed with tho benediction and thus terminated the most successful meeting ever held in Denbigh on Church I defence.

"RATS PLUNDER PEOPLE, but Rats absolutely parish after eating "RODINiS" RAT POISON. Millions vanish. Total extermination sure. Escape impossible. Never fails. Od, Is, 29, 33, and 5B; post 2d.—Chemist, Perth. Agent -it. D. Hughes Clemist, Denbigh,

KUTiiiN. RUTHIM NOTES. It will, indeed, he a relief to everyone wnen all this electioneering excitement dies down, and ono is able to talk of souae- thing less wearisome to the ll:)h than the merits and demerits of Tariil Reform aad Frae 'J:ra.:1e, of th. aecuffiulatei sins of the House of Lords, and of the vagaries of Mr Lloyd George. Ruthin, at the present moment, is a mad whirlpool of politics, into which no cann who values hi* peace of mind dare enter. The working-man has become suoh a voting power in the land that every street corner has its little band of animated politicians. Now thai tho election is over and the bogey of bribery and corruption passed away, I trust the Town Counoil wiil con- sider the matter of a soup-kitchen once again. There has been much sickness amongst the children, this winter, all over the town, and the usual amount of poverty, partly due to avoidable onuses, has been augmented by the unavoidable one of un- employment. The parents frequently manage to get food which they are unable to share with the little ones, because it comes to them in part payment for work, eo that the real sufferers are the children whose pale, pinched faces about the streets tell of want of good, nourishing food, and warm, comfortable clothing. No one, pro- bably, sees more of the poverty existing than the postman, and as one of the Councillors belongs to the ranks of the Rothin P.O., he can, if necessary, testify to the need there is of repeating the Council's well directed effort of last- winter. The soup kitchen wants to be organised in readiness for the cold snaps that are sure to coma before we see the spring again, in order that no time may then be lost in setting it to work when required. GWYNEDD.

Ruthin Board of Guardians. Mr J H Simon (chairman) presided on Monday. Present: Messrs William Jones, Price Morris. T H Edwards. G R Edwards, T O Jones, William Ellis, Lewis Jones R Lloyd Williams, Robert J ones (Llanarmon), John Evans (Llanbedr), Joseph Jenkins, William Davies, J R Lloyd, Owen Williams, John Evans (Llangynhafal), David Owen, Rev E Stephens, with tho olerk (ivlr R Humphreys Roberts) and tho other officials. It was reported that the religious services of the House had heen conducted by the clergy and ministers of the town, and gifts were aant to the inmates during the last fortnight by Mrs Pattinson, Mr Owen William* (Glanolwyd), Mr Williams (Cross Keys), Drs Fish and Calvert, Mrs Roberts, Ruthin; Mrs Daniel, and Mr T J Rouw. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the above for their kind services and gifts. THE MATRON'S SALAITY. Mr T H Edwards raised a discussion, objecting to the increase in the matron's (Miss Hughes) salary by £ 5. Several members spokt) of the excellent services rendered by the matron, and the action of the last meeting was confirmed almost unanimously. THE BOARDING OUT SYSTEM. Another communication was received from-the Local Government Board on this question. Mr T 0 Jones proposed that the whole matter be deferred until after the elections in March next. The Clerk said this would be no answer to the Local Government Boird'a letter, in which it whisn it was desired to koow what steps the Gaardians intended to take to provide more accommodation for adults. If the boarding out system were put in operation half the children would have to remain in the Workhouse, and sufficient accommodation could nob therefore be pro- vided for the adults. A long discussion followed, and the resolution was eventually oarried.

Post Office Dinner. On Friday night, the whole of the Post Oftioe staff enjjyed an excellent dinner at the Castle Hotel, provided by a very respected and kind-hoarted lady who has always taken great interost in the welfare of the Ruthin P.O. employees. (Wa are not at liberty to divulge the name of the benefactress). Following the dinner a miscellaneous entertainment was held un(er the presidency of Mr Parry, postmaster, when songs, readings, and recitations were rendered by Alesiri Caradoc Roberts, C A Rickford, E Tnomas, J P Williams, J R McGowan, J J Thomas, and J Clwyd William,i. A hearty vote of thanks to the kind hostess, proposed t)-7 Mr Thomss Jones and seconded by Mr W E Grime, was paused with acclamation. The catering of Mr and Mrs Tegid Owen gave every satisfaction, and on the proposal of Mr R Roberts seconded by Mr W E Lloyd, they were heartily thanked. Mr Owen responded in a very humorous vein. The following was the programme:— Address by the Chairman selections on the gramaphone (kind 1y lent by Mr Booth- royd for the occasion), Mr A Lloyd song. Merch y Cadbea" and Gw^no F',V.Vn (as encore), Mr J R McGowan recitation, "The Slave's Lament," Mr J Clwyu Williams; song and chorus, Mr C A Rick- ford reading, Mrs Caudle's enrtain lecture," Mr E Thomas song, Dim ond Dei Ion," Mr J Clwyd Williams; comic song (encored), Mr J J Thomas; song, Mi goilais y Tr6a," Mr C Roberts short, speech by Mr J P Williams; National Anthems (Welsh and English). Miss Ada Jones kindly actod as accom- panist.

1t-. -U n Iy ATS, MfcE, MOLES, COCKROACHES V and BEETLES, greedily eat Harrison's Reliable Rat Poison. Cats and dogs will nob toach it. Vermin dry up and leave no smell. Prioes fid., Is., 8s. 3d., and 3s. 8d., Postage 2d.—G. W. HARRISON, Chemist, Reading. Sold by Chemists. Agent; for St. Asaph J. Emrys Joues. Chemist. Denbigh Harrison Jones & Co., High Street. Ruthin Rouw & Sons, Obetrists, St. Peter's Square. Bettwsycoed R. Parry. -jio South and East Africa Royal Mail Route. Union-Castle Line. LONDON AND SOUTHAMPTON to Cape Colony, Natal, Delagoa Bay, Beira, Eaat African Ports, an.1. Mauritius. Calling at-.— Madeira, LKS Palmas, Tsneriftt, Ascension, St. Helena, and Lobito Bay. Weekly Bailings, fast passages, superior accommodation, best route. IflonJhly direct East African Service To and from United Kingdom and Continent. For rates of Passage Money and all further Information apDl1 to the ManUars-Doxiald Cttrrie & Co., Loadon or • to Loeal Agonts Phonographs SHSS 8 Superb Records for 8/- and nine monthly payments 21..?'" Absolute 8ati«f»otioa. Tn ftOAUKCru WrtU» lot our Talking Muhlne ,G WnM¥ B^Ltd iWWtaft*. 0mA Dlnrant. rhoa*. D«t.i SbsfllsM (_ v I Ul*l ■ in m n V THAT! CDUCH. I effect la a daageraoB tiling tvlien ft concerns yoar «Hrftat. chest B lu.igs, no mutter how slight the cough or cold may be. YOB ■ what neglect will develop into aad If you don't want ■ Take FRANCIS' BALSAM I £ S? ssrasissj I fo ♦ £ I a. -pa £ and completely cure you. There's danger H Cough eSLm! C°a* °r bUt thCre'S abSO,Ute S8fety *« Frauds' H EM. owsn EVANS. D.D., London, writes— |H sa &wtth em,nro an* wewnmwa 1* B i., Tt2lKe FRANCIS' BALSAM I £ S? ssrasissj I fo ♦ £ I a. -pa £ and completely cure you. There's danger H Cough eSLm! C°a* °r bUt thCre'S abSO,Ute S8fety *« Frauds' H EM. owsn EVANS. D.D., London, writes— |H tried FRAEGIC! B sa &wtth em,nro an* wewnmwa 1* B lso LD EVERVWHIRIM, In bottloo, 13id. eaQh" jj E. B. 'i JONES M6" TJ FOR BREAD! I.I.. There are two Candidates for you, Poll 1 THE BEST and THE REST. BIIId S 1 Our First-Rate BREAD! w- E B. JONES & CO., Bread Specialists, St. Asaph, Denbigh, & Ruthin. Buy a Sample Loaf and test it top yourselves. =r IF YOU CAN'T THINK I WHAT to give for a CHRISTMAS PRESENT, let us help you with suggestions. We have a 14rge and well selected stock of Novelties, useful and ornamental, specially suitable, which we shall be only too pleased to show. There will be no importunity to purchase. Ties, Collars, Gloves, Umbrellas, Studs, Links, Underwear, Slaii-ts, Silk Squares, Braces, Mufflers, &c. Also a large selection of Ladies Handkerchiefs in Fancy Boxes and Cases, &c. W. H. WILLIAMS, Gent's Outfitter, 39, High Street, I-!c- DENBIGH. I i, —— ~T THE F free Press. 1 1N CIRCULATION. MffS 1 IN INFLUENCE. W IN ADVERTISEMENTS AND li LOCAL PAPER nr 1 FOR NEWS, j FOR ADVERTIS ElfINTS, 0 -MAlt4] PAT NT LE VER lop aa4 Lifht. Equally eomf*rtakl« ia f Jy o* raoliniu ponftioB. OoniultatSoM The Reigning Song Successes "TO THE END OF THE WORLD WITH YOU" "NO ONE KNOWS" I Sung everywhere by everybody. The Latest Parisian Waltz Success "MON BIJOU" Sent post paid on receipt of 1/6 each or the three numbers for 4/ M.WITMARK & SONS, 186 and 1H8, Shaftesbury Avenue, London. >W| FOB WtTMARK S "AID TO ENTERTAINERS" J Hand Brewery, t 17, Well Street, RtJTHIJl R. ROBERTS, Wholesale and Retail Wine and Spirit Merchant, Brewer and Malste begs to oall the attention of the Gentry and Publio to his celebrated Home-Brewod ALES (pure Extracb oJ Malt and Hops), which may be supplied in Oaks of 36, 18, aDO 9 gallons at the following prices 36 gls. 18 gls. 9 gls. XXXX (Mild) 50s. 25s. 128. 6J, XXX (do.) 42s. 218. 1 Os. 6d, XX (do.) 36s. 18s. 98. 6<i' B.B. (Bitter) 50s. 26s. 12a. 6d' P.A, (do.) 42t3. 21s. lOse M Guine39 a Extra Stout; Barclay and Perkinfl London Stout; and Bass & Co's Burton Aiel in Cask and Bottles. Finest Scotch and Irish Whiskies anJ Ports, Sherries and Champagnes of well-know" brands. David Thomas, Plasisa, Ruthin, i Licensed Valuer AND Estate Agent. Valuations for Tenant right, Farms, Mortgage Probate, Dilapidations, Fire LosO and Furniture. Stock-taking and annual Valuations of FARMS and other CONCERNS undertaken for private and Income Tax purposes, and Balanoe Sheet* prepared showing Prcfit and Low. INVENTORIES carefully prepared and examined. 1173016_09 LLEW. JONES, butcher, Market Hall, Ruthin. Beef and Mutton of the very Best Quality at Lowest Markeb Prices for Cash. LL.J. was the Pioneer Seller of Good Meat at a Fair and Reasonable Price in the District- NOTE THE ADDRESS Market Hall, ftuthin, FRIDAYS AND SATURDAYS. 125 The UNiyeS'iTY EXAMiNATMH rOSTAL INSTITUTION preparwj candidates by means of postf.i or oral lessons for almost ',)1 L Diversity Examinations and for entianc • to the vanMs nrofegsions. Terms moderate. Manager: Mr. t 1 WtniOUIB, M.A. am.). 17, fH Uit Spirt. UNwTi.C. I