Rev. Charles Clark.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 6018, 8 December 1890, Page 2

Rev. Charles Clark.

Although by far tho larger portion of the community must have either read or heard of this (faiuoue man, there must be many who in the twelve years that have elapsed since Mr Clark was last hero who hate gxowa to man's estate and to whom tho name of this world-famous entertainer is nearly new. A »hort sketch of hju Jifo may consequently not be doomed, out of place. Twenty years aorc Mr Olark oaute to Melbourne as paator of tho Albert-street Baptist Church, aud it was while holding that position that his rare gift of publio speaking was directed into tho pleasing channel of popular lectures. More by way of holiday than anything else he rondo a lecturing tour throngh Now Zealand, which wan such a success that in 1875 he entered into arrangements with Mr B. S. Smythe for a tour in America, England, Australia, and South Afrioa, extending over no less than four yearn. _ His last appearances in tho colonies was in 1879, and no ono who heard him no«d be reminded of the extraordinary succoss with which they wero attended. His wanderings at an end, Mr Clark wont from tho Capo ta England, and for seven years had chargo of a Baptist Church at Baling, in the west end of London, whero do remained till 1837, since -which time ho has been living at Clifton, Bristol, preaching flud > lecturing constantly throughout bo provincial towns of Entriund. Latterly M> Clark has had thoughts of devoting himself again to church work in England, iind, as ho could not relinquish the ploasure of feeing hia friends in Australia once again, hu resolved to seize the opportunity to como out now. Tho word "lecture " scarcely desoribos what Mr Clark's outer, tuinment ia. Besides being an orator of the very first magnitude, Mr Clark ia endowed with very rare dramatic talent, which enabled him to pourtray the principal characters of Diokons and Thaokeray to the life, while hia memory is eomethiug prodigious. In on interview with an Auckland journalist recently he is reported 1o have confirmed- the statement that he could road a newspaper leader oft:, once and then recite it almost verbatim. During tho last throe days Mr Clurk has been taking a well-c-.irnod rest in Wellington, which town ho loft to-day for Napier. Ho will make his reappearance here to-morrow evening, when he will present his " New Dickens' Entertainment."