LOCAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8020, 6 August 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

LOCAL GOSSIP.

'Lot me Lava audience for a word or two." —Shakspsre,

A singular occurrence took place the other Sunday evening at the Weslayan Church, Mount Z;ou, Northcote. Tho servico there was being conducted by Elder Porter, who will bo remembered as being the rightman of the Rev. Dowie, of fragrant memory. Elder Porter hal chosen fur his text, " Therefore, I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when yo pray, bolievo that yo receive them, and ye shall have them." Ho carried the doctrine right out withoat any qualification saying that believers were saved by their faith in Christ, and that it was not necessary to profess that what they asked for should be in submission to tho Divine will. The expression, "Thy will bo done," in tho Lord's Prayer, must not ba taken literally. Elder Porter read a number of a>s;ortod passages from Mr. Do'.vie's pamphlets. We had no warrant in Scripture for prayine, " Not my will, but Thine be done." That expression used by Christ was .1 mere exclamation. Kir. C. E. Button, who resides at Northcote, was present ; and, though he ia the last man to do anything liko "brawling" in a church, ho could not stand Elder Porter any longer, but got up and called out, "I protest against any such doctrine being preached hero. The oxpres sion used in tho Garden of Gethsemane, ' Not My will, but Thine be done, , ia a prayer." Elder Porter said, "I am astonished, Mr. Button, that you should interrupt a religious service in this way, when the Scripture is being faithfully expounded for the benefit of those who are perishing for lack of knowledge. I would not have interrupted you for a thousand pounds. It ie as I say. If we have, faith everything thai; wo who are the true and only believers ask for will ba granted to ua. There uno qualification or sut>nv.3Bioa Deeded. It wo do not get what we ask fur it ie because wo have Eomo :in unrepente.! of and unoonfeaaed, and ttio Devil hua power to prevent our receiving what wo pray for. But if yon, .Mr. Button, w:3b to argue the iiiaiter, you should wait till the service ia concluded, and noa disturb ono who in engaged preaching the divine doctrine." Mr. Button replied, " ! could not sit f.uy longer and hear such teaching in a Christian C-hurcb. I hive nothing more to say now, having in rule my protest against HUeh mischievous teaching." What surprises mo in this whole affair is that this President of the Faith-Healing Association, and the chosen friend of Dowie, should bo allowed to monopolise a Weslcyan church (for ho has several times preached the wme doctrines at iNortbeoto), and that it should be left to a Congregitionaliet to call him to order. I have several times been present a≥ the laying of the foundation etoue of Wesicyan churches, and have always ho-rn it aai'l that no false doctrine, nothing inconsistent with Wesleyan theology would ever be preached there. I believe Sir. Button ha« written an account of the whole atfair to tfao Rev. Mr. Dewsbury, in charge of tne dibtrict, and if Elder Porter ii allowed to occupy thu pulpit again we shall know what to think.

Yot another incident hns to be related from Northcote. vn Fridoy evening tiie annual meeting of the Fruitgrowers' Ausociation wae held, Mr. Button in the chair. The chairman delivered an excellent addreis on the purposes of the Association, At tho conclusion of the proceedings, which were held in t;je Gladstone Hall, there was a concert, at which gome excellent music waa discoursed. One young man, got up as a nigger, favoured tho company with a. sjonj,' aud a " bre&k-down." During thie performance, Elder Porter an:l Mrs. Porter gut up, and looking awfully severe, walked out of tho hall. This was tit-for-tac to Mr. Button. Wo have not been in the habit of thinking that the residents of Northcote were mucfi rnoro pions than other people, but it would seem that they are bo.

No such incidents as the above could poiaibly occur in the high-toned atmosphere of Lake Takapuna, hut it suerns that a, flutter has been caused there lately by tho advent of the Tactician, alia 3 the Old Colonial Eland. His graphic narrative in the City Hall of how he ehippad his mare for T.akapuna to get recreation and the ar:;i breezo about the Lake district is fresh in all our memories. While there he attended church, and heard the Kov. Mr. Long preach. The sermon, it eofcms, touched on political topics, and the preacher gave some sound and good advico on the responsibilities) attaching to electors at the present crisis. At the conclusion, tho Tactician waited on Mr. Long in tho vestry, complimented him upon the sermon, and gravely asked if the ideas were not derived from an advortieement which had been published with the signature, "J. Aitkcn Council." The rev. gentleman had to confess he had not seeu the advertisement in question, at which the Tactician was mightily surprised. I am addressed by a correspondent who has a series of nuisances offending him, It is not the volunteer shooting thiu time, but unless he gets relief he may become as nervous as Professor and Mrs. Aldis. Every other person in the street, lu complains, possesses a chanticleer, aud each one endeavours to outdo the other, and also Captain Edwin, in forecasting bad weather. The cats of that neighbourhood are also addicted to amorous serenading, and are also lesa amenable to reason in the shape of hot water and empty bottles. Dismal waila and piteous moans are also wafted from the dog kennel occasionally when Garrard, the zealous, has been more than ordinarily successful. But the crowning grievance in a donkey, which brays occasionally in the most vociferous manner. There are ingenious methods in existence to mitigato this nuisance, such as tying a stone to the donkey taif, and my correspondent; suggests that a by-law should be enacted to restrain jjicddy from disturbing a whole locality,

It is fortunate that the Ur.uhuu fanatics were cut short in their erratic career. The prophetess it seems in her drcama was acoustotuo 1 tu have oommunln#s with David, the Hebrew prophet, and bad received an intimation that ono of hor followers was falling heir to £30.000. The lesson that the authorities have taught these fanatics will not be lost upon them, nnmoly, that whatevor their creed, thoy must keep within the conQrjrs of the law, and respect their neighbours— native and huropeau. During the French Revolution of 1848 a "bloune" was being slangod by hia fellow workman. " You may call me anything," said the "blouse," " but a poor of France." That was significant enough in all conscience as to the popular feoling respecting the aristocracy. In Scotland, during the Chartint riots of tho same date, for one man to ÜBo the phrase to another, " You member of Parliament," was to use language calculated to oreato a breach of the peace. That showed the popular estimate of the House of Commons juat then. In Auckland just .now, when one man desires to manifest disrespect or do an offensive thing to his neighbour, he presents him with a requisition, asking him to allow himself to be nominated for the General Assembly 1 It ia rough on tho Assembly. Sir Robert Stout told a good story at one of his recent meetings concerning the insincerity practised by the public in the patronago of local industries, notwithstanding all the howls for their protection. A Southern candle factory was turning out Rtearine candles, but it was not until thoy put a French namo upon tho boxes that they could dispose of their wares. That being done, they weut off like smoke. Similar inconsistency Is exhibited in Auckland. There is a certain artiolo of ship chandlery made here and supplied to ship chandlora. This is what generally occurs. A etippor goes In and asks for tho article. It ie forthcoming. " But," says tho skipper, " I want English; none of your colonial rubbish for me." "1 should think not," says tho tradesman. Look at this ; could you knock it about like that If it was colonial?" The purchaser planks his money, goes off happy with his "English" investment. It is made half a mile from tho Queen-street Wharf, and he is pleased, because ho does not know that it ie colonial and not English.

In tho good old times, before depression canned a general freezing of the genial currents of tlio soul, a gentleman in Aucklaud sent me a generous supply of tobacco, oigars, and cigarettes, apparently received direct from Havanuah to judge by ths unmistakable Castilian legends upon tho boxes and wrappers, and the general get-op of tho small but tempting consignment. But tho whole thing was a snare and a delusion. Tho tobacco was grown and made up in New Zealand, and tho boxes, wrappers, and printing wero all colonial workmanship. Yet in spit 3 of the perfect roar for encouraging local industries, this sort of deception iias to bo resorted to in order to induce people to buy the local article, which oi course they do unwittingly.

It is stated in current gossip that a certain female controversialist, finding thas the Mount Eden Rill; Range will not bo removed, is folding up her skirts, as the Arabs do their tents, and stealing silently away from it to Point Chevalier, where abo intends to live in the odour of—well, say sanctity. In avoiding Scylla it is feared tho lady lias got cast away on Cbarybdie. It is believed that Maurice .Casey's lumbering "bouquet holders" will now have a bud quarter of an hour from her trenchant pen. She is not the woman to look out at the window, and cry through the lattice, " Why tarry the wheels of his chariots V Not much ! Mekcutio.