Dowieism.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XXXV, Issue 1942, 19 June 1905, Page 5

Dowieism.

EXTRAORDINARY ADDRESS AT AUCKLAND. The feeliDg which the Rev J. S. M Cullagh, member of the Christian Ca holic Apostolic Church of Zion, is creating in Auckland by his sweeping denunciations of almost every association and organisation excepting the Church of Zion was shown at the Federal Hall yesterday afternoon (eays the New Zealand Herald of the 29th ulfc), when the 'elder in charge of New Zealand ' gave another or. bis addresses, us he calls them. Long before the 'service' commenced the hall was crowded to the doors—not by sympathisers, but by an audience who evidently went there for the ' fun of the thing.' There were, however, a number who went to liaten, and listened, and with righteous indignation. Attired in robes, the elder commenced by reading a chapter from the Bible. Without signifying that he had finished it, he commenced a crusade against the ministers of the Gospel, who, he said, were steeped in their own sins. Next, he attacked the medical profession, who came in for a remarkably bad time of it, the lecturer declaring that while not two doctors were of the same mind in performiug operations and administering medicine, which were but ' games of chauce,' l we all bad a right to die without the doctors kicking us out.' 'No doctor,' he said, ' had ever healed a wound ; there is only one who can do that, and that is God.' The medical profession, according to him, was the most diabolical, evil and devilish profession upon the face of the earth. The medical Btudents were also attacked, but escaped with being called 'a lot of incarnate young devilß.* The Press also got a turn. • This vicious, villainous Press,' he declared, ' was really the enemy of the people. It could not be otherwise.' If a man wanted to find God and truth he never went to a newspaper office. At last he confided to the audience, which by this time was in a state of uproarous laughter, that there were twenty-one editors of the newspaper Press in London who ought to be beheaded. Having dismissed these subjects, Mr M f Cullagh broke out in a fresh place. It was then that he ruffled the audience, who started a running fire of interjections, and began to get excited. In the midst of the uproar the elder made some remark which jarred on the feelings of a matronly old dame, who rose to give vent to her opinions on the speaker. The speaker, however, continued, and (he audience, seeing that the lady champion was not going to get a hearing, demanded that she should be allowed to speak. ' No,' declared the speaker. ' I won't give her a hearing, because when a woman gits up to s-«y one thing she will say twenty.' ♦ Give her a hearing,' cried the audience. ' Let her be heard.' ' No,' retorted the speaker. * No, I won't. I know that whereas Mary Magdalene, of the olden days, was possessed of seven devils, the women of the present day are possessed of forty.' •Shame, shame !' cried some of the audience, whilst others hooted and groaned at the speaker, and others cheered the lady, who stuck gamely to her guns. The ball at this stage was a pet feet pandemonium. After the speaker had continued his address for a little longer, further interjections oc-i curred, and be had to request the audience not to make asses of thempelves, as this was not a political meeting. •It is not a religious meeting, either,' yelled somebody. 'Give us the Gospel,' cried someone else. ' Ye a ,' echoes another, ' wby don't you try and convert someone instead of ranting on like this 1 ' To the last speaker Mi MCX.Ji replied : •It's about time you got converted yourself, or else you will go to hell.' Finding that his remarks were not welcomed, Mr M'Callagh passed on to Freema'.onry, in which he started to make his so-called 'revelations,' but was greeted with such epithets as ' i ou're a liar.' At last the pveacber, who was unable to get a heating, ordered someone out. «I see him,' he yelled; ' it's that man there.' All eyes were at once diverted in the direction of the ushers, who pounce! upon the alleged offender. 'That's right,' cried the audtence, ' pick upon the smallest man.' The alleged offender was not ejected, and the elder then issued a challenge to Masons, saying he would be willing to allow any Mason who liked to back up his Order upon the same platform as him for two hours. * Then I will ppeak,' he said ' Is that not fair 1' 1 No,' was the response. ' What you want to do is to learn to suck out his brain o .' The preacher here threatened that he would pronecu'e anyone who interjected again, and the meeting, quietening down, dispersed soon afterwards. The only p*op'e who seemed to take tho speaker seriously were a faithful few in fro'.t.