A NICHT WI' BURNS

Evening Star, Issue 15481, 1 May 1914, Page 2

A NICHT Wl' BURNS

AT BURNS HAL&. ■f Tb« Rev. John Miller's "Ni*&t wi' fj/Baras" attracted a large audience to l» Bums Hall last night. In nwaio, song, % and story the life of Scotland's..famous * $ bard was told, the lectuier contributing the narrative part of the entertainment And the Burns Club Choir and a number of amateurs providing the music. The Mayor 8 (Asr W. Downie Stewart) was ohaimian, and in introducing the lecturer said that although the present was the Rev. Mr Miller's first appearance {Wore a Dtmediii audience with bis Secture, he had delivered it with great success elsewhere. The object of toe entertainment, wae a good one, and fee hoped the result would mean a very substantial fund in aid of the St. Ckir Presbyterian Church Sunday School building fund. The Rev. J. Miller introduced his subject by saying that the characteristic of *he present time was somewhat hard and fttecha-tieal, but he did not believe that the lore of poetry was a thing of the past, and was sore Burns, as a man and a poet, ~ would neveT be forgotten. The lecturer then outlined the life of Burns, and gave appropriate selections from his poetical writings. Referring to the social life of the poet, Mr Miller eaid that it was formerly believed that Burns was greatly' addicted to drink, and died a drunkard s death, but later investigation showed that such an estimate was greatly exaggerated. It would be a great mistake to judge Burns's writings by his bacchanalian songs orthr, for ms poems were full of beauties that would never be forgotten; indeed,, they were more appreciated at the present, time than when the author of them was alivß. He strongly deprecated the estimate of Burns taken by W. E. Henley in his introduction to the Centenary edition of Ch« poet's works, published in 1898, and further said that Burns was often mtsufMeratood as to hi* attitude towards relifian. It was a mistake to suppose that e was opposed ie> religion, but he drew a distinction between real religion and hvpoerisTi The lecture was intsTepetsed hv songs appropriate to the euhjeet. The part soiig& j w«re rendered by the Bums ov\> Choir, nuder the corsdtietf f*hv& of Mr J. Patereon, j and with Mies E. Wright as accompanist. , Those who contributed vocal items weTe Misses "St. and J. Duncan, Messrs E. Sarhflten laaar, W. H. M'Kenjae, J. Bateraon. W. ~P. M*Kenzie, and A. Rawr linsori. Matfers W. Srir'th and A. Wilson danced a douVe fling to the music of Piper Morrisonfe bagpipes. At the close of the lecture Mr J. B. Waters moved a vote of thanks to the Mavor, the lecturer, and the performers, which was heartilv carried. The singing of 'Auld Lane Syne' brought a pleasant evening to a close