JOTTINGS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11923, 22 December 1900, Page 2

JOTTINGS.

Frank T. Bull™, the renowned author of " The Cruise of the Cachalot," is writing' the story of his life under the title of "With Christ at Sea," in the British Weekly, .and in the latest chapter published makes interesting reference to his experiences at Port' Chalmers, and his conversion there under fho instrumentality of Mr A. R. Falconer and his co-workers at the Sailors' Rest. The death of Professor Godet, the wellknown commentator, is announced from Neuchatel. , It is reported that the Rev. Ohas. Sheldon is now prostrated by an illness brought on as a result of his refusal to ride on Sundays. He walked 26 miles, and reached his hotel so exhausted that he had to be carried to his room. The " Jewish Chronicle" mentions that there were altogether, at the recent general election. 21 Jewish candidates, of whom 12 were Liberals and nine Conservatives and Unionists. Among the new candidates 13 were Jews, 11 Liberals, and two Conservatives. Besides being himself n candidate for Central Leeds, Sir Samuel Montagu is closely related to five of the Jcwi«h candidates, three ot whom are his nephews and two his brothers-in-law. General Booth is responsible for a fresh story of the originality and eccentricity of Rowland Hill. Preaching from the text, "I. ran do all things through Christ who streng' theneth me," (lie General said that Dr Fill once preached from the same passage. After reading to his hearers, "T can do all things." lie stopped and gave out this startling remark : " Now, Paul! I'nnl! This is too tall an order even for yon. I bet you half-a-crown yon can't." .Suiting the action to the word, Rowland Hill banned a coin on the dcsk —the General imitated him—and then proceeded to raid ihf remaining lines -of the verse: "Through Christ who strengtheneth me." "' Ah," cried General Booth, triumphantly* " Rowland Hill quickly drroanuVd that halfcrown back. Paul was risht, l\c could do everything—through Christ." In the courso of ,in eloquent appreciation of the life and work of Paul—wonderful Paul!—the General dealt with the many and varied obstacles to saJv.itmii, one of which came in for his fiercest denunciation—a reluctance to dissociate oneFelf from the illegitimate methods in modern professional and commercial Jife. A singular incident reported by a eatechist in Tndia appears in the "Missionary Herald." Tho evangelist while on a tour came to a village and began to talk with some hoya about Jesus Christ. The boys said to him ! " Jesus Christ lives here in our village." It

seems that the man so railed had once hoard about .Tesus Christ, and as a result had b '<- cloned idolatry. His frequent referenc .-> Jesus Christ made the villagers onll him by that name. He knew little of Christianity, but was anxious to lnnVn more. A celebration of much interest rooV place on Michaelmas Day. when p. stainndfrlass window was placed in the northern aisle of the. Collegiate Church of St. Saviour—tha rrospootive cathedral of the new diocese of Rniitlnvark—to keep in memory the fact that the author of the " Pilgrim's Progress," on his visits to London, was often a preacher m a house in Four street, near St. Saviours. The money for this memorial has been collected, chiefly in pence and halfpence, by the school children of South London. _ It was when iiiidoJ'sjoitifr bis second term of imprisonment that Uunyan was allowed to follow Ins course of proachinp. " taking all ocoasionH to visit the people of God." and even going "to see Christians In London." His bio-

"rapher tolls us that 1?.OO people often went To hear him preach " at 7 o'elneV on a winter's morning," oncl at other time? tho crowd was so tleiiFP that Bnnvan had to be carried bodily over the hi-adi nf the people to reacli the pulpit. It was while he wnr- on otic of his visit-, to London, in In9B. that he died nt tho house of his friend Mr Struchviek, a grocer, " nt the si"ii of the Star, on P.now Hill. Mr Frank Whiteley. of Lees House. Tliorn-1-iH Lee=, who has attained such fame as the Mayor of Mafnking. nrssidml over a large , wfl i,,,, l,eld nt the Congregational Church. Victoria avenue, Harrooate. on Tuesday evening, in connection with the London Missionary Society and clnrin" the course of an interesting and appreciative address affirmed most strenuoiKlv that the idea was to be deprecated nf reeVoninir the success of missionary work by the number of converts euro led It ha<l Iwn his lot to sen a good deal of outpost minims in Mie csntre of Africa and at the Cape, and his opinion was Umt even in places vhern not a sin "In convert wa? brought to the e'lmroii. still the influence of the missionaries was recidedlv fell and that influence tended towards the'elevation of the people and'townvds civilisation nnd hnppmws. He held lhi= opinion very strongly, and he did not think it was necessary to give in reports a vcrv plowing eceount of individual successes. There nrcvails at Cnrhy. near Kettering, a curious old method of letting church and to-vn lnnd« The parishioners assemble in the vostry. with the r-ctor in flic chair, and the wiHle is" lit with a pin stuck in the wax. Bidding then proceeds until the pin drops, when th>: last bidder is dee!- r^d the purchaser.

Tho Bcelunnnland missionaries are getting back to work as quickly as the military authorities will allow. The Rev. J. fiooc' reached his station at Ksuiye. not far fi>..m Mafcking. to-v«rds ihe end of September. nnd was warnilv welcomed by h's people. He says that Mafekin? shows but tew sijm of its ft 1110111 si. (re. Tim " rabbit waivon; * hai ? all l)een fil>' in, ami t he sleepers of the little circ.yh r railway have *een taken up. Snine nf the houses, however, are till w-11 " vent'la'ed."