WAREPA.

Clutha Leader, Volume XLI, Issue 1, 10 July 1914, Page 5

WAREPA.

"SCOTCH HOTCH POTCH." (From a Correspondent.) The second of the series of lectures arranged under the auspices of the Warepa Presbyterian Church was held on Monday last, the lecturer being Rev. M. Morton, of Lovells Flat, who took for his subject "Scottish Matters," or, as lie humorously termed it, Scotch Hotch Potch, there being so many ingredients "intil't." There were pieces from Jan McLaren's "Bonnie Brier Bush" } "Bits from Blink Bonnie," Norman McLeod's "Starling," and many others. The whole formed a delightful evening's entertainment, and the mingling of humour and pathos offered endless variety. Among the pathetic pieces the most telling was the description of Dr McLure of Drumtochty and his faithful mare Jess (with whom .he held converse as if she were human) crossing the river in high flood with the famous physician who liad been brought from London to save Annie's life. The disciples of Isaac Walton were no doubt thrilled by Jock Haw's description of the landing of a fine trout. Mali, wasn't it grand? The wonderful expressiveness of the Scotch over the English tongue in its great variety of words which seem tame and commonplace when translated, viz., "a bounie wee lassie," "dinna be blate," "a feckless, fushionless body," was also commented upon. Nor did tke reverend gentleman spare the pulpit in

his wealth of anecdotes. One or two will illustrate this: A minister who seemed most at home dancing was described as having educated the wrong end. A conceited young minister had his opinion of himself considerably lowered when he overheard one of his elders at worship telling the Lord how the people were now being fed with a "very puir spoon." The fine serious traits of the Scotch were not forgotten and.most telling was the description of an aged Scot who lay dying and who would have nothing but the Psalms of David (none of these human hymns) read or sung to him as he entered into eternity. With readings and anecdotes, not to mention little extempore pieces, Mr Morton made the two hours pass all jtoo quickly. A number of Scotch songs, rendered by Messrs E. Ayson and A. Tweed, gave a pleasing variety to the lecture, and. little breathing spells to the lecturer.