CHRISTCHURCH PULPITS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXX, Issue 8577, 3 September 1888, Page 6

CHRISTCHURCH PULPITS.

THE MORAL PITFALLS OP CHRISTCHURCH. The Wesleyan Church, St Albans, was crowded last night when tho Rev J. J. Lewis gave his second lecture to young men. His subject was “The Moral Pitfalls of Christchurch,” and for a text he took Jeremiah v., 26. There were, he said, ministers who deemed it beneath the dignity of the Gospel to call a spade a spade, but the present age demanded the truth, and the evils of the day were not such as could be cured by soothing syrup. No doubt many of the very men whose vices he condemned would cry out for the suppression of details in his discourses. No doubt also, before the course of lectures was finished, some publicans would be willing to subscribe to send him away from Christchurch. The preacher then described forcibly tho evils connected with publichouses, with their screens to hide the customers from view, and their barmaids whom he considered more sinned against than sinning. The Legislature should, he thought, prevent women from having to listen to the loose talk of some of the men who patronised bars. Gambling was the next “ pitfall’’ spoken of, and the preacher warned his hearers against practising it in even the mildest forms, for its fascinations w r ere almost sure to lead those who had anything to do with it to excesses. A denunciation of the recently revived pugilism as the lowest and most debasing form of so-called sport followed. Mr Lewis then referred to dancing, which, he could say from his own experience, was calculated to inflame tho passions of the young in a dangerous degree. He quoted the words of a Roman Catholic Bishop of New York, who had said that nineteen out of every twenty fallen women who came to his confessional, traced their ruin to dancing. The preacher went on to say that hia own experience in a London warehouse had taught him that for one young man who fell a victim to drink, ten were victims torimpnrity. He knew that in Christchurch There were rows of houses of ill-fame, with an organised system of touting connected with them, and that there was also a frightful amount of immorality not connected with them. Young men were led to this vice by books which should not be allowed to be published; by pictures exposed for sale in many tobacconists’ windows, but which should be prohibited ; by songs and jests which should not defile the lips of anyone. He urged on hia hearers to discountenance all these incitements toevil. He was glad to see women in the congregation, for the pure-hearted were those who could deal best with this deadly sin. There was an amusement which he was hardly willing to rank among the man-traps of Christchurch, but of which it was needful he should say a word of warning. A Christchurch magistrate had said that rinking was demoralising the whole of Christchurch. When one considered the fancy dress carnivals, the prizes offered for the most original necktie, and other features of the mode in which rinking was conducted, one was inclined to ask whether there was not some truth in the magistrate’s words. A private rink, managed by a trustworthy Committee, would be no more an evil than an athletic club, but a public caterer was more likely to consider how to make hia rink pay than anything else. It might be asked whether be expected young men to forego all amusements. By no means. With boating, cricket, football, riding and driving they should he able to find plenty of amusement. Had they ever thought how much recreation was to be derived fiom walking, especially with a botanical microscope to examine tho flowers and plants they would find on their way, or with a geological hammer to examine the rocks ? Had they ever tried to train their voices, either in singing, reciting, or reading? Draughts and chess also afforded ample means of amusement. It had been said that conversation was one of the lost arts, and it was to be feared there were many persons .who had no idea of the pleasure to be ■ derived from the intelligent intercourse of mind and mind. Mr Lewis concluded by urging his hearers to seek that purity of heart which was only to be gained at tho foot of the cross. THE GREAT STRIKE. Last night the Rev W. J. Williams conducted the service (usually held at Durham street Wesleyan Chapel) in the Theatre Royal, in consequence of the former building being injured by the earthquake. There was a large congregation, and the subject being an absorbing one at the present time, the reverend gentleman was listened to with attention. He took for his text the twelfth verse of Matthew vii.: “ Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is tho law and the prophetsalso, “Look nob every man on his own things, bub every mau also on tho things of others,” Phil, ii., 4; and “ Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eye-service as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men, knowing that of tho Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Col. in., v. 22 and 24 “Masters, give your servants that which is just and equal, knowing that ye also have a Master in Heaven.” Col. iv., v. 1. He remarked, in commencing, that during the past few days a great labour trouble had broken out, to which none could afford to be indifferent, alluding to the circumstances attending the coal miners’strike at Newcastle. This showed us how strong and close are the commercial ties which bind the Australasian Colonies together. He pointed out tho damaging effects on the development of the industrial movement in the whole of the Southern world, by reason of the many other interests it affectsd. A’.togetherthe loss and misery and suffering caused by it made up a misfortune, the magnitude of which can be known only t> God Himself. Still, he went on to say, it was to be hoped thatsomogood might comeoutof tho trouble in the rapid development of cur own mineral resources. The extreme advocates of Protection in this Colcny, who contend that we should be independent of all external supplies, would perhaps be gratified by it, as it must give a powerful ■stimulus to cur local production. No true friend of social or industrial progress would, however, rejoice at such a dangerous and unhealthy method of stimulating local industry us the groat strike. No well ordered state of society, Le contended, would toleiate such a strike, and he regretted its appearance in these new lands, as it must be conducive of great danger to the community. It was the introduction beio of one of the worse featmes of social and industrial life in older lands. We are only too painfully familiar with the history of strikes in England, America, and on the Continent, and tho consequent stagnation, misery, rioting, and bloodshed, the whole history of which should have been sufli-iently alarming to lead us, in entering upon these new fields of settlement, to take the necessary steps to avoid them. Unfortunately this has not been the case, and we are threatened herewith the same collision between capital and labour, between masters and servants, as those which have brought disgrace and irretrievable disaster to older countries.

To consider these great questions from a Christian standpoint was tho duty of tne citizens of every Colonial town. We cannot, he sold, ailord, as followers of Christ, to be indifferent to tho widespread social disturbance caused by this groat strike; by the interest we profess to have in the removal of all forms of social diaoicFr and the moral and spiritual elevation of the human race, we aro bound solemnly to look at the whole subject in the light of the Gospel of Christ. His first proposition is that the root of all these labour troubles is selfishness. It is the want of that charity which is defined as “ a consideration for others” that is at the b.-lb.mi of such a socinlieut as that indicated by the present strike, fciir H. Parkea had said that the trouble had been brought about by the excessive

greed of the mine owners, and he applauded what he calls the pluck of the men. in refusing to he “ the mere tools of selfish capitalists,” He, Mr Williams, did not consider Sir Henry was the best and wisest friend that the working men have in these Colonies, though by this mipeacliment of employers and capitalists he would command widespread sympathy. But there could be no doubt that tho hard, selfish, grinding spirit of too many employers of labour ia responsible for much of the social disturbance of the present day. Nothing can be more foolish, and few things more wicked, than a wholesale and indiscriminate tirade of condemnation against men of wealth. The fervid rant of Socialists and Communists against holders of property, as if they were on that account tho incarnation of all that is wicked, is but a symptom of moral insanity, the wild scream of an infernal spirit, that would glory in nothing so much as a condition of universal anarchy. He proceeded:—Many men of wealth were, thank God, among the noblest of their race, recognising their wealth as a talent to be used for the good of others, and doing much to ameliorate the lot of the less favoured among their fellow men. Still, there were many employers of labour who looked upon the men, women, and children they employed as mere machines, out of whom they had to grind the largest possible labour for the smallest possible pay, and frightful tales were told of what transpired in some different factories; brutal indifference to the physical and moral needs of the working classes. His second proposition was that the only true remedy for these labour troubles is also found in the Gospel of Christ, and, therefrom, the rev gentleman deduced valuable lessons.