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LECTURE.

The Rev. J. Gibson Smith last night delivered his humorous and instructive leoture,' Scotland and the Scotch,' to a large audience in the North-east Valley Presbyterian Church. The interest was well sustained throughout, for all present, both old and young, listened with breathless attention to its clo?e. After humorously showing that both Scotland and the Scotsman were indefinable, and possessed wondrously opposite qualities, the lecturer said there must be something in the rugged and barren land that made a very deep and indelible impression on its inhabitants, for though the people were widely different—were in many points at the antipodes from eaoh other—yet they were at one in the love of country and home, and all could enter with sympathetic feeling into the sentiment of the song ' Oh, why left I my name,' and find its echoes thrilling them to the depths of their souls. Mr Smith showed that the sterner aspects of Scotoh character were the scars left from the long battling for civil and religious freedom; and so, though not very amiable at times, were honorable as the soldiers' scars got in righteous war. The lecturer emphasised the battle for civil freedom under Wallace and Bruce, for religious freedom under Knox and Melville, and for the freedom of conscience and the crown rights of Christ during the Covenanting straggle. No. man could understand either Scotland or the Scotch who dM not study well sad intelligently gratp theße periods in theirhistory, and realise that they were battling for all that men should hold dear ; for libertyftomanage their own civil affairs as to them seemed best; for liberty of conscience, and to worship God as they pleased. They were fighting for Christ as the true King and for God as the Lord of all. By the first struggle under Wallace and Bruoe they were welded into a nation, and for the first time took their place among the nations of Europe. By the second struggle they became a people, and the foremost people in the world. The real battle for civil and religious freedom was fought out and won on Scottish soil, and but for the heroio endareß.ee of the hardy race the brave Hollanders in their heroio straggle for liberty of conscience would havebeen overwhelmed, and the cause of freedom in England would have been lost under Elisabeth. These heroes and saints, our Covenanting fore* fathers, were, unconsciously it may be, fighting the battleoftheworld'sfreedom, and maintaining the cause of liberty and progress-, of conscience, and of God. The lecture was enlivened and illustrated by a few Scottish songs at appropriate parts of the lecture. Mrs M. Macdonald Bang ' Afton water' and ' Scotland, dear Scotland.' Mr Smith sang 'Why left Imy hame ?' and * Scots wha hae.' Miss Ness presided at the organ and played the accompaniments. The Rev. D. Borrie presided. A collestion was taken up during the evening for the Sabbath school; the leoture having been given under the auspices of the Sabbath school for this purpose.

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18890907.2.22

Bibliographic details

LECTURE., Issue 8006, 7 September 1889

Word Count
499

LECTURE. Issue 8006, 7 September 1889

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