“Hans the Boatman.”

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 184, 18 August 1888, Page 3

“Hans the Boatman.”

A CLERGYMAN ON THEATRE GOING (Wanganui Herald.) In accordance with the advertisement in Saturday’s issue, a sermon was preached in the Wesleyan Church on Sunday evening by the Rev Mr Watkins on “ Hans the Boatman.” As might have been expected, there was a good “ house,” and the discourse was listened to with the same rapt attention that “ Hans” was honored with last week. Of course the clergyman was at a disadvantage, inasmuch he had not seen the play, but by newspaper criticisms he had managed to gather a very fair outline ol the piece, only one or two diversions being noticeable. Dispensing with the formality of a text from Scripture, Mr Watkins proceeded at once with the subject. Those of them, he said, who had been to the Theatre to see “Hans the Boatman ” last week had been pleased, instructed, and improved no doubt. They went there to be entertained, said the preacher, and it was necessary that at times they should have amusement, as they could not always be at work. It was good for a man to laugh, and at times to cry ; and he had been told that the emotions of those who saw the play had been so worked on that even men had been moved to tears—and they were not ashamed of it. Men, women and children liked sensationalism. And here the rev. gentleman disgressed into a vivid account of the.previous night’s fire, and the sensation caused by the ringing of the fire-bells. Resuming his story of “ Hans,' he said one paper bad termed him a Swiss-American, but he doubted it. and believed he was Dutch; “ a descendant cf Rip Van Winkle, or some other rip,” as it was put, to the amusement of not a few in the congregation. Proceeding with his life's story he said Hans was a boatman, who in these days might have tried issues with Hanlon, Beach, or Kemp. At any rate he was a capital man with a boat. He was not his own master, but was a good worker (the parson was a little out of it here, and rather drew on his imagination when he pictured old Yank Thursby promising to raise nis wages). Then there came a young lady, who with her friends hired Hans and his boat. At first she thought Hans a fine looking fellow, then she got to love him, and he loved her. Her father was rich—Hans was poor — “ hardly a congruous match,” said the preacher. " but love they say will have its way.” They were married and Hans was found to be a good man, but was no cantain, and Gladys got out of temper. Here the villain comes into the piece—they could not always keep the villain out—this one knows how to twirl his moustache and smoke his cigar. He is a bloodhound, and wants to take that woman from her husband, and pretends he will effect a reconciliation between Gladys and her father if she will let him. “ Did he mean it ? No, the black, hearted fellow, villain, rascal, devil almost, he would have seduced her to her own d>egraoe, but God protected her—and the plot broke down." Hans was in trouble, ana sees that this is the result of hh own folishness, and he re. solves to lead a new life, when, just as he was about to begin it, comes the explosion which blinds him. Who was there then to help him—and here, suiting the action to the word, the rev gentlemen portrayed the blind man groping his way, and then giving a “ whew ” something very like a whistle he describes the noble “Lion” and the manner in which he attends his master. Coming to the happy conclusion the minister is again a little out of his facts, but nevertheless he gets the trouble patched up—-the money is there by which love in a cottage may be transferred to a beautiful residence with a little lake In the grounds in which Hans and the Kiddies can enjoy themselves for the rest of their As to the character Hans is simple-minded but not. a simpleton, And not a doubleminded man-big hearted, strong and true, kindly and tender with children with whom he loved to romp and play, and altogether a noble fellow. They had seen the play and were pleased with it, a great portion of the English speaking race had seen it, and no doubt the memory of the enjoyment will remain. He had not seen it—he could not go for reasons of bis own. Some would say it was because he was a Methodist preacher—it might be sc, at any rate when he was voting he had been forbidden to go to the theatre, and now he did not want to go. He did not say it would have done him any harm—and he did not know that it had done them any harm. But there were bad associations connected with the theatre; people must have sensationalism, and oftentimes the habit of theatre going led to evil. At the same time it was not for him to condemo those who went with the full approval of their own consciences, and then with a tribute to those who by their critiques did much to save the stage from corrupt influences the rev gentleman closed this portion of his address. With communicative skill and in language the fervour of which bore testimony to the depth of his sentiment, Mr Watkins proceeded to tell of Hans the Galilean boatman. Reading from the New Testament the story of the calling of John (otherwise Johannes or Hans) and James of Zsbedee, he depicted in graphic style John’s career as a boatman as narrated in Holy Writ—scenes which John was never likely to forget. First came the occasion when Christ stilled the storm when the boat was about to sink, next when Jesus walked on the sea, and so on till the time of the agony in Gethsemane and the crucifixion, when Jesus handed over his mother to his beloved disciple with the words “ Mother behold thy son.” Following this came the story of John’s after life at Patmos, and the revelations he saw, and the tradition of John being put in a cask of boiling oil but without being killed, and, in conclusion, after describing John’s probable reception in Heaven he asked his congregation to “ learn lessons from their fellow men, get away from the power of evil habits, serve God, find Heaven and enter in, and there, with John and the others in the mighty throng, tell of-God's-loving kindness.”