MAJOR DANE'S ECTRE.

Auckland Star, Issue 153, 1 July 1887, Page 3

MAJOR DANE'S ECTRE.

i -■" • ■:■■ ' ~~- n . L . Major Daxe delivered lasiight, jfore a ' crowded audience in the JcklandTaber- ' nacle, his lecture entitledfUp thjßhine and Over the Alps With a lapsact' The '. KeT.THomas Spurgeon pjHded, }d the ■'• proceedings, were opened|ith detional i exercises; ' • : ■' §' I • i In hisintroductory reraajs the C|irman jj expressed ..the hope thl the (resent "Danish" invasion of Audand -Wild be •■ the precursor of many othemvasioi of our | shores by celebrated men.f j .;.■ Major Dane began his lecjre by araphic i description of a sunrise Rhe, and c .thetjca he proceeded to d|cb, in oquent .; and with great f elicit, nd picif esque , ; expression, Cologne audits magficenb I cathedral on High Carnivojay. Fjm this '; city he set out on. his lijrels, a? com-(•'.pleted-them seven month|nd a-h| later at the gates of Rome. Inielineatg Ger- ! man peasant life the lectu|said thpeople forked early and late, |n ancU'omen , alike, and were so diligentn theii\irming operations that they to? their j), 50, ! 60, aye, and even 70 bushfof whefjto the •acre out of the soil. Injmerica |eseed ■ was.pretty well left to tse care Ojitself, : whilethefarmer attendees caucdmeet- • ings or cast his vote in ettions, 4 con ' 'sequence being that | harvesj time he ;.was able to tqi one ivheat and-three weeds out | the $otmd. (Laughter.) After speakg of Bon, redolent of memories of Qtius, Melahcthon and Beethoyi, the Ipturer > deacribed an ascent of theDrachenf© and ' r l6 ruins to be seem all ticieighbour_ngi lje ights within thjange cj jision. -lnthe.e.o-_-boundfortre|supoiit(i|Rhine wasbomEuropeanliberty ?dtheri wr ealso horn customs, tariff, and riionalty. The | narration of a legend of | Rhiie rppect- ; Mg a faithful knight whdbuilfc Uirself a fewer commanding a -vievjof thl onvent within which was immt|d hii v.'tuous afforded Major Dan an ojpotunity ; wr displaying his powers jdeclanajon as i| he contrasted the laxity o|he. injrrlge tie : in this age with the encring inajire of ...irnilar contracts in an earjr epfch.i Next •'came a humorous exphatidi if the ',■ system ; of espionage fl slrvOlance 'to.-which all travellers !ie siiijeied in ; Germany with its vast mil|ry _f stem As 'thelecturer described thearicis pints of ■ interest in the romantic frt dtbißhine , between Coblentz and Bjige. he i "Ad his audience at lie time con.vnlsed with laughter, ! anSthe! time ,-pell-bourid with curious ileref, ail anon ;• enthralled in rapt and ajiou! attntion. -.". He pictured the castle of -irksmrgJnd its . .horrors in the shape of i&triiienti of ingenious torture with a'ialiai tlit exhibited his descriptive |wcfe ai: their :' nest. Having caustically the ': good A old times," an|: he ieople who eulogised them, thelecirer iassed on to picture the hus| of 1 John uuttenberg atMajence anihioomti'here . the printing press was fbcivrfd at this • stage he burst intj _j spleididly ~- poetical; panegyric upon! «3 ,pitting press, and its incomparali. plessigs to a humanity. Equally finely his ivivid 1 description of Martin Lutl&hEore Harles tw and the ? a Pal emissa.|s J> Pra4- forfc--1 ™>st powerful, minute, aflkfiralUg was of the toillmdsediitii one Pfthe highest peats of tq Aps/anij very of

If:i .Rhino journey and the rigours of the g. untam ascent to the joys, sorrows, and I, -d experiences of human life. This figure |Hly and fittingly formed an impressive | ].oration. Ihe lecturer resumed his seat ? nidstloud applause. ;in proposing of. thanks, tho.Rev. rt B. Monro said he had never before ytenedto so brilliant a and he hiped they would be privileged to hear it ifeain. KThe vote was passed with acclamation, an_ Major Dane briefly returned thanks, after which the Benediction was pronounced, and the audience dispersed.