MEETINGS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16190, 28 September 1914, Page 7

MEETINGS.

The eoichre tournament and dance, held under the auspices of the 1.0.0-F. District Social Committee on Friday last, at Unity Hall, Kensington, was a very enjoyable and successful event. The district deputy grand master, Bro. T. E. Rosevear, was in charge of the proceedings. Euchre was commenced about 8.30 p.m., and continued until 9.45 p.m., seven games being played. Mr Sullivan and Mrs Fullerton, who won the first prizes, were successful in all seven games. Bro. J. Shaw and Miss Campbell, with one game each to their credit, carried off the "booby" trophies. Supper, which had been prepared by the Rebekaii Sisters, followed, after which dancing continued until the early morning. Musical items were contributed by Bros. Rosevear and Gettings, and Mr Mills. Mr Himmel acted as pianist. During t)he evening it was announced that the committee had decided to continue its operations, and that • the next euchre party and dance would be held on Friday, October 23. The University Women's Association held its monthly meeting in the Women's Com-mon-room at tho University on Thursday night. The attendance of members was small, but a most enjoyable and interesting evening was spent. The proceedings took the form of a "Travel Evening." Miss Dunlop interested her 'hearers with reminiscences of days spent in Continental towns, especially Paris and Brussels, tiie scenes today of such stirring events. Miss Dutton told of Chester and other old-world towns on the border between England and Wales. In such towns, she said, anything of the Elizabethan per:od seemed quite modern. Miss Rule then spolco of the university towns of Heidelberg and Oxford, and of the students. She told too of a visit to the oldest university of the world—tho Mohammedan University of El Azhiar, in Egypt. Post cards and pictures were shown and passed -around during the evening. Miss Alexander, on behalf of the association, passed a vote of thanks to the speakers, which was carried with acclamation. "Agnosticism and Fatalism of Adam Lindsay Gordon" was the title of a lecture given on Sunday evening by Mr W. E. J. Maguire, before the Unitarian Progressive Society. There was a good attendance, and the Rev. F. Kennedy presided Mr Maguire said in the course of his lecture:— "A poet is to be judged and allotted his niche in the temple of fame according to his relations with God, nature, and humanity. These are tho three great themes—the trinity of his muse. The poetry of Gordon exercises no chastening and no enobling influence on tho mind or heart of its readers. There is nothing in it of the high imagination, the lofty spirituality, the subtle introspectation of the inquisitive is restless, and aspiring age. A cheerless agnosticism and fatalism can bo detected. The question of man's immortality he dismisses as beyond his comprehension. There is nothing of tihe seer about Adam Lindsay Gordon—nothing of the subtle metaphysician and his poetry shows a want of faith l and reverence, a lack of depth and human interest. It is full of despondency, and has no cheering voice of hope beyond the grave. That he did not employ his rare gifts to purify and ennoble the robust life of the bushmcn, is to be regretted. Ho does not even appeal to the jethetic sense with anything like the bewitching beauty of the Pantheistic school of poetry. His verse stirs the blood, but never thrills the soul. His creed was the creed of the Agnostic. God was to him tlhe unknowable. Many were his occupations, from a mounted trooper to a member of Parliament. Ho failed in everyone of them and blow his brains out in a sad fit of despondency. How much happier had teen his life, how different might have been his pathway, how far more salutary his song, had he turned his attention to putting the syllabus of things together and interpreting the bible of nature."