But this is not all the London Club does, nor is it all the Canterbury Club offers. There is one room in that vast building in Pall Mall more prized by a select few than all that has yet been enumerated—it is the library. Formerly the young man about town, so soon as he had devoured his chop in the aforesaid eating-house, fled from it as from an uncongenial place; and what was there to receive him?—the streets, the theatres, the saloons, the Cider Cellars, Coal Hole, &c., &c. Now, he need not leave the house he dined in to find a quiet, comfortable apartment; with all that is most enticing in the field of literature.
Are not the colonial settlements still in the former position of the young club member? Assuredly so; the library is wanting, and the consequence all know who know aught of our colonial youth. The food for their minds is, at present, prepared and served up in educational establishments, no better in degree than the London eating-houses of former days, and the unfortunate scholars are turned out from them to rush into dissipation and vice, to look for their mental training in the sea-port towns, billiard-rooms, grog-shops, &c.,—the coal-holes and cider cellars of colonies.
In the Canterbury Settlement the library will not be wanting. Educational provision will be one of the first thoughts of the promoters. It is even hoped that the Settlement may soon be able to boast a college which, for learning and piety, may take its stand with those of the mother-country.
Clubs are invariably class communities, the right to choose their associates is always recognised. They are held together by the ties of common interests, pursuits, habits, and inclinations; and by a similarity of opinions in matters temporal. This is the case with the Reform, Conservative, Athenæum, Travellers', University, Military, and East India Clubs; and, in fact, with all. All bear out the old saw, 'birds of a feather flock together,' and adopt the motto, 'unitate fortior.'
And now, step by step, we have arrived at the most important consideration of all. Here we must do more than our London Club; for happily the club member could, if he chose, as well formerly as now, enjoy the advantages which are not to be obtained by the colonist, in any other way than by making them an integral portion of his club.
This, being the most vital question of all in the consideration of a joint society, has been chosen by the Association as the ' bond of unity. '
Men cannot be induced to co-operate heartily unless there be some great end to be obtained, equally sought after by all. It may be a great thing to give them a worldly inducement to hold together, but it is surely a far better to bring about that end by creating a higher and purer motive—by substituting the Bible for the purse—by raising the Cross as the self-imposed yoke. There is everything to facilitate this. Those holding similar opinions on religious subjects rarely differ widely on other important points. An individual's opinions on most topics may, generally, be very readily inferred from a knowledge of his religious persuasions. Sectarianism of opinion as regards his church will assuredly carry with it peculiar sentiments on worldly affairs. This is shown by the readiness with which we guess at a man's political bias the moment we hear to what sect of the Christian church he belongs. Religion, in fact, is, as it should be, the main spring of action with all right feeling men.
To return to the question of temporal benefit. In the London Club,
