"AWFUL" BROKEN HILL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 201, 19 May 1908, Page 8

"AWFUL" BROKEN HILL.

vCLERCYMAHIS DENUNCIATION. EVEN CHURCHES..DEMORALISED. 1 • The following /report .of the;' sensational .denunciation of Rev. Johii : Pat.erson ..Nov/' South/.Wales ;.Presby- . .torian Assembly,-isfrom the Sydney .Morn- ; i.ng, Herald V S//'-,; ■'.It the...third'city 'of : New.'Sbuih, Walts,' ;; he *sud; : a"placfi witK-^ifepsMf'ol• 50:000 into .which the mass ;of -young- manhood was pouring, but in almost, every ease that young niinnoo'd :was; clestroyed.;:' If ' Broken- Hill ■ wero a Christian city, .with'influeribes'that made,for\rightcousness;.param(>u'nt,' the'effect would bo -felt throughout' ,the .;lonctli!'arid' breadth of Australia,; and .part.bf! tub: religious tiro- ? ~ Australia l would, bp,.solved.'.:- ,-The grainiest irion - tliere,.while .mcst:of.;our young:-Aiistrajiari. engineers S n C^Lr st>mo • 'y M . rs V.therer; ;Wh'<in'' away * frorn jL'.' ."9. 1 ! 10 'Christian innuence-Sj' : with : ihelpiiig hand' and: loving heart;''should be/brought to bear'at a-most siisceptible-.timejn'.'thciT'lives'. > If tKo Church failed -to -reach ..themj'' they.- passed. ,fram. that city often moral, wrecks. ...The Churchcs raust riot bo;; surprised if. in ' later years' these • people -.turned .with scorn' from the appeal of ;the .Churchcs. A ■ H l /; . Person , painted 1 a-.'vivid picturo *of conditions in Ijroken -Hill/- the corrugated roofs,• soorching. sun, and. ooiise^uent thirst.of the popfiilation.y- A.tr everyf street cornor were palaces- calling to.-hieh, .who. thronged tho - hotels ;from opening till , olosin&' time', arid a great .dear after'that.-'- Even on„Sunday. everybody in Broken Hill ' knew he could get •as much as. he wanted.;;":lt v Was' very'hard'' to havo moral courage in Broken-Hill; Almost .every day men bearing- honoured names- canie to'his study pleading-, with- him. to writo to parents • for-- money to get ■ awav;;' The fbroes ' o f''! l j^?^i^-r w^®'-.'^.VawfiU".l for.' ? Bitoi to " Tho Church was fehtmg^against^ • o F.^ e -yWrcnes/oren- -Ited^feohio. inoculated with ;the.spirit.of .the place, an-d'had 'lowerefdthoir. worship-till- they were,-practically Sun'--' ■day .concerts;; When- hb,/saw tho' fon^s-zWi 1 • at'/Brbkeh' Hill'hff fclfc;that, ..pleasant'Sunday afternoons " "and psaudo. efforts.of .portrioiTiin science-were forie3 out; of .place:'. f Apblausc.')-- , 'i- i• • - Hill ;the-forces ohpo°jcdio : .Chasi tianity-were.organised 'as, 'pbrhaps, tliev were, -in mother city in 'the iCo'mmonwoaltl;,' The.v iY- r " a lri:'bst.',triumph'ant -sWialiTOi, that' .i"ade. a';,scorri', ; bf:-, tho thirics -•^ y - i M , Sh sac r^.-^; T bey;; gathered;/ohildrbri siiito.their- taucht them to' . boWare' M the Church' and ' its' mimst.ersV : -' The' ■meetings, were held,on ' Sundays; 'Broken; HilP ; tho message of i_ the Cross, ;and the'goldbn/oppbrtumty -fras ;being let shn:,.;- The Chiirch w»S : not touching lereji-iHe fnnge'.of th? wprk;;';(Applausß.) :