REV. J. CRUMP ON HIS FIRST CIRCUIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4480, 23 March 1876, Page 1 (Supplement)

REV. J. CRUMP ON HIS FIRST CIRCUIT.

The following address was delivered at a soiree lately. at\Shortland by tlie Rev. = J. Crump :— . , ; A greater contrast could hardly be imagined., than that .between .the agricultural and* the manufacturing districts of England.; The new Britain of -the South is not more different from the old than is the manufacturing from the agricultural. There_was a difference in climate. ' That plant was not seen within four miles from my home in Lancashire., .flourished in erery"roadside of Herefordshire, of which old Culpepper says that a description of its habitat, was not necessary, for £n earnest botanist may find the nettles in the dark:: The difference in! climate has considerable influence onvthe manufacturing -prosperity of Lancashire.] Lancashire cotton lords and capitalists are becoming large landed proprietors, and, prodigal heirs. , to the, estates are fast losing their hold of the fair acres where, the wheat and wool and wood of -Herefordshire grow. Cotton lords, "cannot boast'of pedigree. Some of the wealthiest men- had wriggled'in the loom before the power of steam set tbem free, and they posses? a peculiar brogue; which is not -so easily shaken off as the humbler garb "of earlier days. Generally, however, the power and wealth were well used, and the master and the men felt that they had interests in common.- In all ; probability their manners would strike a stranger as exceedingly rough; but the. first feeling of repulsion would give way to'adimration for sterling worth and attachment to those who possessed the kindest hearts. At a . funeral the neighbouring houses would invariably be prepared, ana open for the accommodation ' of friends; Ladies .would meet-.with conveniences not always to be found elsewhere on such oc- i casions. Lemonade and biscuits; wine and long pipes were there for choice, almost ! every lady was a lover of the-weed; evidently reversing the and showing that what's sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose. Whether traceable to Methodist influence or not an opportunity was afforded for showing your sympathy for the bereaved party by augmenting the silver, in the plate; which some thoughtful friend had placed on the coffin, and which was' generally well filled. Good wages were readily obtained!The lissom finger&jpJ* a girl of 14 or 15 enable her to manage four'lobms and earn as much as her father, at*d the sum total of.the income of a family for a week would often be considerable. Extravagance was a most com* mon sin, and the frequent want of prudence was productive of much misery ; marriages were often very early ; homes comfortless ; domestic quarrels bitter. The nimble fingers of the young wife made her claim to the ; title of the " breads-winner " very valid. ; ' and as she earned more at the mill than her ! husband it was a very legitimate enquiry \ which ought to take the larger share of the ; cooking and other domestic work at home, j Not always was this point easily or amicably . settled. Prudent persons foreseeing the ! difficulty have been known to get articles ! of agreement drawn up ere the knot of wedlock was tied. One instance of this : kind I remember to have heard of-:— < The husband had taken due care in pre- j paring the deed so that no coach and six . may drive through it. The rigid obser- ! vance of the. articles hardly comported j with the wife's.idea of domestic fecility, but ' the husband deemed it perilous to cancel , the bond. In an unlucky hour he 1 had -sought elsewhere the freedom which home denied him. He indulged freely without thought of harm. In nearing the house he fell down in the dark. The water-hole had apparently stepped out of its way to entrap him. It was too shallow to be dangerous, but too deep to be comfortable. His lusty cries brought his wife with a lantern to the scene. His wife's voice was music to hiß ear. lie longed for loving help. But to his entreaty she coolly said, " Aw think there's nowt o' th' Boart i'tV th' agreement lad, Aw'll go ith* haase an' Bee." Sure enough when he prudently arranged he digged a pit into the midst whereof he had fallen. He agreed-to cancel the bond, and they learned to trust each other and make home happy. Many of them have little idea of the "regions beyond," and have scarcely ventured the seven miles to "Rachdey," or (Rochdale) "Burnley." A young man came to bid his - minister good bye, he was "goin' into 'furrin peyrts. m On inquiry, it turned out to be neither America nor New Zealand, but a place about 12 miles off. With bo much money at will, you may suppose that the lasses that clattered in their clogs, with the shawl covering the head and pinned under the chin on the week day, or "wart day," would present a different appearance on the Sunday. . The Sunday-school teacher .would find how ready her grown-up class were to follow her example by a number of them appearing next Sunday in a dress the fac simile of her own. Two young ladies were slowly walking before me one line Sabbath afternoon—evidently ladies of style and fashion. Imagine the shock when I overheard the one say somewhat excitedly, "yah hoo is" for " yes she is." While it is apparent that the names of both places and per.&ons are used more for convenience than elegance, it evidently requires some attention to discover what convenient purpose is answered by some of the names used. Take as a specimen the following George o* Johns, o' Sains, o- James, o' Dicks, o' Cocks, o' Pickups;" "James o 1 Toedb, o' Georges,! o' Jammies, o' Owd Dicks, o' Peggies, at th? mettle /coyt." These by-names were ceedingly common aud inconveniently apt: It was quite within the range of'possibility *

that & man may make himself a name ; anvdav. &3»vou mav infer .from^the "ing: — " Bid. Jim," ' 'Neddy .'NancSty," " Owe! Swindle," Bill Coppernob, and above all " Owd Stink-o'-Btass." ~A~people jirho would fasten such a name on to a wealthy man must certainly have credit for esteeming men more than money. One of the most elaborate works of art in the construction of a name that I ever met only rej TealeS;a notable ancestry, bui-also gave some topographical 'particulars- wliicli must have Jjeen of considerable .local" interest: —Harry o' Ann's, o' Harry's, o' Milly's, o'.Jimmey's, o' Sally's, o' RicH'ard/oV John's,'?? TJicks, living np steps np o'er: Joseph; 6VJohn's o' Steans, just below; John Hargreaves, o! side o' th' Dnnkirk Square.' Astonished at the prevalent use of these names; I one day •said to a local preacher:—"Are the upper classes distinguished by these names ?" His answer'was," "Invariably." '.'But," said I, " I have never heard you spoken of except as John .Ashworth ; have you a bye-name ?' "O yes," said he, smiling, "a pretty good one." "What is it?" "Johnny o' thowd Dyer's o' th' hill house barn ud wed-Susy o' howd John's Lord at Mill End." It appeared to me like a. joke, but ' on "inquiry, I found it was a full, true, and. particular account of the man in question. -Short, sharp, proverbial sayings are often mode to clench. a statement or send home an argument such as this to describe a person not the most amiable : —" He had his temper brokken, and never had : it pieced againor this to describe the folly of grumbling, ." The civil boo ates the draf "while the others grunting." This quality is most admirably and truthfully pourtrayed in the mother of " Adam Bede, and* the sayings "attributed'-to--Mrs. Poyser- in that "work." The chapels are many of them very large with good i congregations . and excellent .singing, - as .it must .be when ( out .of a thousand in the congregation scarcely fifty would-be found silent. There is a decree of freedom - in the religious services which, to a stranger, would be startling. Res-, ponses are not confined to prayers, but are mingled, with the statements of the sermon itself.'! Very enviable the feelings of tliat preacher who, when the sermon drags heavily, could gather consolation from the sympathy that' would express itself audibly in a prayer for the preacher, * * Lord put some -shot in him, he's nobbut peader," .or which, when the preacher encouraged his audience to open-.their mouth wide in expectation of good, would .break in,. '.'Bless, the., Lord, He'd never ha* said oppin th. maath wide if He'd nothing to put in it." The remarks which are often made in the class-meeting, with the utmost freedom, are rich': —" The way to starve pride is to give it naught to eator, "the blood of Jesus will eat the proud flesh out of a man.". , Describing the higher spiritual life one man said, "Down in the south it's always spring a mouthful at every bite." " Getting religion into tho soul is the Lord's Great Improvement Act." Were it not that you become deeply conscious of the true spirit of devotion you would be somewhat staggered iat the freedom of expression,'and ; the strange remarks used in prayer':—"Thou hast'provided salvation, Lord. The gate is wide oppen. Oh whata job-it is. Thou'st taken xn.Orabtree, and thou hast taken in Benny. Praise God." My;life;iir Lancashire, taught me something in reference to revival of religion. During my stay there we had nothing striking in the way of revival, but the increase in theyearwas a hundred communicants. / The link was strong between, the. Sunday-school, and the church. Not only were the teachers members of society, but many of-the scholars <too. | There was a • Bteady : ingathering from the Sabbath-school and from the,world. It was deemed the work of every Sabbath to watch for.souls.* The leaders came forward at.the commencement of the prayer-meeting, and were ready to. lead in" prayer—to speak to penitents—to retire into the enquiry-room, or take charge; of the meeting, and liberate the- minister for any needed- work. The power of religion was glowingly illustrated not only to affliction and death, but also to blesß society and to strengthen its bonds. The abject bow of the labouring man in the agricultural districts the parson and the squire was substituted by the dignified salutation, free and hearty, that expressed respect for the employers, while it unmistakably implied sclf-respect also. Intelligence was spreading. The school and the debating class raised the working classes, and while permeated with'religious influence, formed the solid foundation for a good social edifice. In: the class-meeting I- have seen the-'millowner, that has since occupiedv the chair of the China Breakfast Meeting, enjoying the fellowship of saints under the leadership of an illiterate carter. The rich and the poorjmeet together. Blessed are-the people that are in such a case; blessed are they whose God is the Lord.