20 



young friends our memliers must surely uumher many who, having- 

 their own establishments, are beginning to take a serious view 

 of life, and will require but little persuasion to join us. Xumbera 

 give power, and there is no reason why our Association should not 

 in the future be a centre of usefulness and intellectual activity. 

 I also til ink that the time has come when the term "member" 

 should ajiply to both sexes ; there are no questions, I imagine, 

 wliich concern an Association like ours that cannot be discussed 

 ill the presence of ladies, and I hope before resigning my office 

 to gain the consent of the Association to this proposal. As a 

 matter of fact, our Rules do not limit ^Membership to males, and 

 our ])resent treatment of persons of tlie opposite sex is to be traced 

 t(p a statement made by Mr. Brabrook at thr inaugural meeting 

 to the following effect: "It Avill be suggested that you should 

 resolve ' That the meetings should usually be open to hidies as. 

 visitors on the introduction of a ^[enilier.' " 1 am not awaiv that 

 any su(^h resolution M'as put. 



One hopeful sign of eilucational progress in our neighbour- 

 liood, I think, is the fact that the attendance at the I'liiversity 

 l-'xtension Lectures has increased in a very satisfactory manner 

 since the establishment of an independent Lewisham (Jentre. As 

 having relation to these Lectures, I may now read a letter from 

 tlie Kev. lirooke Lambert, whose unavoidable absence this evening 

 I mui-li regret. He says : — 



'•The Vicarage, Greenwieh, 



" '26fh Jannarn, JS87. 



"I am sorry that tln! Annual fleeting of the Provident 

 l)ispensavy is fixed for 1st February. It is the first meeting sim^e 

 tlie project was set on foot, ami I cannot therefore be pr-sent a.s 

 T should have wished to support yr)u at Lewisham. 



" In connection with the subject on wliich I see you are to 

 .-uldre-ss us, may I make a suggestion : There are several course.-* 

 of University Society Extension Lectures in the neighbourhood. 

 Many of the courses have been on Scientific Subjects, Astronomy, 

 (Miemi.stry, Physiography, Botany, Geology. To those Student.^ 

 our Lectures would be very useful. 



