SCENES AND IMPRESSIONS OF AMERICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10412, 9 April 1897, Page 5

SCENES AND IMPRESSIONS OF AMERICA.

Last evening the Rev. Dr. Wolfenden, of Victoria, delivered a lecture in the Tabernacle on "Scenes and Impressions of

America," in aid of the mission to the sumdiggers and settlors of the North. Thiro whs » large audience, the whole of the ground floor of the Tabernacle being occupied, and there must) have been over 800 present. The Uev. A. H. Collins presided, and appropriately Introduced the lecturer. Dr. Wolfendon spent some ton years of his life in Amoricn, and therefore spoke from extensive personal exporimiee. The lecturer commenced with San Frmioiscn, and satirised the conduct of those who denounced the Chinese in Chinatown yet quietly had their washing done and their vegetables purchased from tho hated aliens, to save the dollars. From thence the trip over the Sierra Novadas by rail was described, and tho colonial governments had a lob to learn from tho Americans as to

making railway travel attractive and pleasant, Salt Lake City, Denver, and other icitiea were described, also Chicago and its World's Fair, Washington, New liork, Toronto, and Niagara Falls, which lie had visited over a score of times. Speaking of social life in America, the lecturer deprecated the absence of home life, and the practice of families boarding at hotels, as bad for the mother and bad for the nation. Municipal corruption was unsparingly exposed, and the lecturer declared that), compared with the " boodlen of Chicago, the robbers of tho Middle Ages were fib for canonisation I" In these

colonies there were signs that, as in Chicago, the better and intelligent classes were absorbed in business and moneymaking, and lefb tlio affairs of the city or the nation to the control of the corrupt, the ignorant, and the vicious, The middle or upper classes could not adopt suoli a selfish or foolish course without paying the penalty for their neglect of the duties of good citizerinhip, political misgovernmenb, and very gross municipal corruption. The true American, whatever might be said by the foreign element, felt kindly to the Old Land, and spoke reverentially of our illustrious Queen at a queenly woman. In concluding the lecturer devotod his brilliant peroration to eulogising the Pilgrim Fathers, who had lived, struggled, and died for civil and religious liberty, and left their impress not only'upon the New England States but on the America of to-day. Dγ; NVolfenden'i "word picture's," his qnaint humour, and bis descriptive power enabled him jto keep the attention of.hie audience from itart to finish, and at the cfone he was warmly applauded. A collection was taken up for the Gumdiggers' Miation of £11 ,Ba.' 4d. , The following musical selections, were acceptably rendered {—"Calvary," Mr. Maeket;. "The Home Land," Mr. Abel; "Pilgrim Fathers,' , Miss WattK; antheni, "Ye Shall Dwell in the Land," choir- "The Better"Land; ,, Misi Phiiton. Mr.; Weill offioiibd u vgMiiifc ;■ : ■'