YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XI, Issue 3993, 29 August 1874, Page 3

YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

THE REV. JIB. NELSON ON "SUPERSTITION." The fifth lecture of the season was delivered last evening, upon the above subject, by the Rev. C. M. .Nelson, incumbent of St. Paul's, to a very large assemblage,—Colonel Haultain in the cbair. The Rev. Mr. Taylor, of the Auckland College, opened the proceedings with prayer. Several clergymen occupied the platfonn, The lecturer commenced by a reference to the ancient beliefs in mythological forms, which he characterised as "gross, though grand" superstitions. It was not the object of the lecturer to analyse any of these, or to explain any of the doctrines to whjch they gave rise; neither the fabulous deities of classical literature, nor the legendary histories of Biahmanism, of Buddhism, or Parsceism. Superstition had been defined as excess of religion in any form, but it was more properly described as an excessive credulity derived from ignorance of tlie principles upon which the human understanding accepts the truth of religious beliefs. It was not his purpose to go over this ticld, on account of its vastness. His lecture must be confined to the minor forms of superstition, such as ghosts, magic, and witchcraft. The rev. lecturcr cited a number of passages from the "Spectator" of Addison, describing the annoyances which beset Sir Roger de Coverley when he took a house, on account of ghosts. After ghosts the moon came in for a great deal of superstitious s regard. She must not, when first appearing as "new moon,"' be looked at through i glass. At the "full" her influence was ; thought to be the most potent, and her ! eclipses were fraught with terror to whole nations. The history of the medical art was associated with a great variety of supersti- . tions. Cures were supposed to be effected by the tooth or the dried stomach of a wolf; a spider was to be sealed in a goose-quill, which was to be lmng about the neck. , He told the story of Abernethy, who told a. patient that was alarmed at having swallowed a "blue bottle," that the best possible remedy was to swallow a spider to destroy the cause of the disorder. Then came what was assumed to be the magical influence of various forms. The belief in fortunetelling was not quite extinct. Then there were lucky and unlucky days, lucky and unlucky accidents, such astliespillingofsalt, &c. The belief in the existence a«d power of witches was prevalent down to a very rccent period. The laws of nature were supposed to be stayed in horror of their impiety. itches would not sink in water, crops were blighted, and cattle injured by their presence. They could ride 011 broom-sticks. Storms and supernatural fires were raised by them, and they assumed the shape of cats, hares, and other animals. James J. wrote a treatise on demonology, from which circumstance he was called a demonologist. Philosophers, learned lawyers, believed in the witchcraft of helpless old women, and hundreds of thousands of unfortunate persons | were destroyed in various ways. Some were the objects of popular outrage, and some I were executed or tortured in due form, of what in those times were considered law and justice. Even so good and great a man as John Wesley, remonstrated against the indication of infidelity which was afforded by the decreasing belief in witches. He said those who denied the possibility of such creatures must give up the Bible. But if the witch of Endor was a puzzle to many who had infirm belief on this subject, that passage admitted being reconciled with the disbelief in the supernatural power of wretched old women. If Samuel appeared, it was not by the power of the witch of Endor. There was a higher and truer interpretation to be found. Superstitions were not only unreasonable, tliey were silly and foolish. The lecturer concluded by reading a passage of Addison, who, in imprecating the persecution of these poor people, said the best security was a perfect reliance upon the power of Him who governed all the powers and forces of nature.—Mr. Ewiugton moved a vote of thanks to the lecturer, which was carried by acclamation. • —The \ ery Rev. Archdeacon Maunsell pronounced the benediction.