The Gospel of the "Altogether."

Hastings Standard, Issue 96, 17 August 1896, Page 4

The Gospel of the "Altogether."

Among nctnt appearances befoie tht Magistrate at the Manic bone btreet Police Court "nas a tall, good ' looking Scotchman, who ga\e his I name as MaulonaM an<l was chaigcd wi*h di-orl th conduct in Ihgtnts j I'nk on tht Smi<la\ ' Ihs or>k rh toi lu< * is a mi\ clastic j tt nn, an 1 mi this crca»ion it meant tint Modern ild iy appt ring in ' public m a li_ f ht mil n_> costume consisting of a blur seige short slet\td i tunic -hoit knickerbockers, and a pan I of smdals had caused a etowd to la ruble round him The recused t said ho was >ut responsible fot the cuud to j; > oi f nnuiiij difit nnt costume s i siutt d ti> ih \n ithfr His wis a 1 ntiond dit_ss, an 1 theit was a , uttd of pti-in il n toiiiu's Th t Mn^'is uau t\pn--t 1 *h opinion tint Mat , don.dd hid htttti tonhiK hmistlt to 1 Sprthnd Ih did not tbmk hi-lcfoim I v mill succud m LnAuid and on thr I \tcu-od piomising not to appeal ag un I» n h s ndaulous rostuiiK 'he wit, J d schnv 1 \\>[ utiiM\ disgusted with 1 T l » thi'i !H his i tluits at ufounmg t tin naininl ditss hue mtt -with m i ] inland Mi Macdon ild whoappeus to be i will hinmi chuactci ni'waiious [i"its of thi countn, sub-pquontlj announci 1 his mtt ntion of leaving at tht tnd of Turn foi Vustialu, whtit lit wiH pic what Ins been called the cro pi I of ism cum nudit\ The Lwbn coat -p&ndtnt of an Vus U ilnn r mUniporan ha-> been enabled to en* souit pnticulais of Mr Mae don ild sr* culm \iews Ho claims, it appc \is to lx one of a band ofatho catt <• of complete nudih, tht adherents to this remarkable mo\ement being men and noimii of strong lite ran artistic anl socnl s(, m p-uhits who hai a*- It isf on* lla m common •( i mpli t nuduv is thin ultimate .roal, and m this paiticular there is no compioiu.M with costume lefmmtrs who mt.it. 1} reform for ufoim s sikt, instill of doing t\tr\thmg for health's sake." Mr MacdonakVs own experiments as to the value of his gospel date back more than two years, when a sympathiser living in the country invited him to pay him a visit. Mr Macdonald accepted on two conditions : " That he would permit me to make the journey bare-headed, bare-footed, and in my reform co.stume, my luggage to be sent ahead by rail, and that he would find work for me in competition with Hodge in the fruit gardens or harvest fields." These terms were accepted, and the reformer started off from London at six o'clock one summer morning'. His attire consisted of a light netted cotton shirt with quarter-inch : mesh, and a thin pair of knickerbockers reaching just below his knee. Bound his body he strapped a cloth bag, filled with " reformed " food, whatever that may be, and thus equipped he walked forty miles a day for three days at a good four miles an hour. The comments of the people he passed upon the road ware mostly contin e-d to questions as to how much he would get if he won his bet. the idea never entering their minds that anyone would walk abroad in such a rig for any other purpose than to win a wager. On the journey Mr Macdonald said he passed through brisk rain storms, which he enjoyed very much, as he knew they were conducive to his health. When he reached his destination he got employment with a fruitgrower, and according to Irs own account he put his fellow workers to shame by the amount of work he got through. " The greatest amusement/' he said, "experienced by myself and my neighbors was elicited when I was working completely undraped. I enjoyed this performance to its fullest extent under the numerous showers of rain, being then monarch of all I surveyed, but even during the intervals of fine weather, when there were passers by up and down the roads and through the fields, I appeared to have no occasion to feel ashamed. Usually, however, I wore a very light netted "vest." If Mr Macdonald thinks that in coming out to Australia he will be allowed to do as he likes in the matter of dress, or undress, he will probably find himself mistaken. The climate is undoubtedly more favorable for what is called the " nudity movement," but neither public "nor the police will be found inclined to tolentte public exhibitions of its usefulness and value.