“The members of the Society assert that the Competitive system assures the happiness and comfort of the few at the expense of the suffering of the many and that Society must be reconstituted in such a manner as to secure the general welfare and happiness,”

Then the minutes go on, indicating already a rift in the Society:  “As the resolution referred rather to the material or economic aims of the Society and not to its primary spiritual aim, it was agreed that it should stand as No. 3, and that another resolution setting forth the spiritual basis of the Fellowship shall be passed which shall stand as No. 2.”

It proved impossible to formulate then and there the spiritual basis of the Society, and after several suggestions had been made a new committee was appointed.  Resolution No. 1 had already been deferred.

The next meeting was held on December 7th, when only fifteen were present.  Hubert Bland occupied the chair, and Dr. Burns-Gibson introduced a definite plan as follows:—­

   “THE FELLOWSHIP OF NEW LIFE

   Object.—­The cultivation of a perfect character in each and all.

   Principle.—­The subordination of material things to spiritual.

   Fellowship.—­The sole and essential condition of fellowship
   shall be a single-minded, sincere, and strenuous devotion to the
   object and principle.”

Further articles touched on the formation of a community, the supplanting of the spirit of competition, the highest education of the young, simplicity of living, the importance of manual labour and religious communion.  Nine names were attached to this project, including those of Percival Chubb, Havelock Ellis, and William Clarke, and it was announced that a Fellowship would be formed on this basis, whether it was accepted or rejected by the majority.  These propositions were discussed and no decision was arrived at.

Up to this point the minutes are recorded in the writing of Percival Chubb.  The next entry was made by Frank Podmore, and those after that by Frederick Keddell.

We now arrive at the birthday of the Fabian Society, and the minutes of that meeting must be copied in full:—­

   “Meeting held at 17 Osnaburgh Street, on Friday, 4th January, 1884.

   “Present:  Mrs. Robins, Miss Robins, Miss Haddon, Miss C. Haddon,
   Messrs. J. Hunter Watts, Hughes, Bland, Keddell, Pease, Stapleton,
   Chubb, Burns-Gibson, Swan, Podmore, Estcourt, etc.

   “Mr. Bland took the chair at 8.10 p.m.

   “After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read and
   confirmed Dr. Gibson moved the series of resolutions which had been
   read to the Society at the previous meeting.

   “Mr. Podmore moved as an amendment the series of resolutions, copies
   of which had been circulated amongst the members a few days
   previously.