DUNEDIN BURNS CLUB.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20288, 22 December 1927, Page 9

DUNEDIN BURNS CLUB.

MONTHLY CONCERT. The Christmas gathering of membeis of the Dunedin Burns Club at the monthly meeting, held last night in the Early Settlers’ Hall, was, if anything, larger than usual, and the programme of musical items was thoroughly enjoyed. Mr X. Gilchrist (president of the cluoj occupied the chair, and, after a ,ew introductory remarks, Piper W. Budge gav e a bagpipe selection. The choir attended in full force, and gave as an opening chorus a selection from ' .Vlerne England, ’ which was very well sung Later Uie choir sang “ Long Live -abeth equally well, which was follower! by " O, Peaceful England,” in which the solo portion was taken by Hiss lua Blacawood, and finished the programme witn tiic; iiuale from ‘Morri,. England “Robin Hood’s Wedding.’’ the selections cam c as a very nice tribute to the people of South Britain at the Christmas season. Mr James Simpson sang “ Caller Ou,” Miss A. Matheson gave as a vocal solo Uie Hebredian Jove song “ Pulling the Sea Dulse,” Mr J. Leecli rendered a vocal selection with good effect. Miss Valda M'Curdy sang “Bird Jugs at Even tide,” Mr Hiiliker gave a rood render ing of n Bonnie Banks o’ Loch uomond, Miss W. Howden’s selection was “ .My Ain Wee Hoose,” Mr Les Stubbs sang •• My Prayer,” Miss Doris M Curdy gave Spreading the News” very pleasingly, and Mr AJaii Simpson was heard to advantage in •* The Battle of Stirling.” In addition to the choir items already mentioned were the madrigal ” Echoes,” and ” The Yeomen of England,” .n which the solo part was sung bv Mr T. White. The madrigal ” When Flowery Meadows was also rendered by the choir. Misses Doris and Valda M'Curdy ang as a duet 0 Wert Thou in the Cauld Blast,’ and Miss Eva Judd played a violin solo. “ Culloden ” excellently, and also contributed to the harmony of the evening by playing “ Lochabar.” A recitation—- ‘‘ Qiristmaa at Sea ” —was given oy Mr Angus Gorrie, and Miss Shiela Neilscn contributed her recital of the amusing line in “It May Be Life.” Miss Lily Stevens was tlie remaining contributor to the programme, and was very entertaining in “ A Little Bit of Holland.” As will be seen the programme was extended beyond the usual, and was added to by repeated recalls. At the end of the concert the usual dance was Id. Mr J. T. Leech conducted the choir, and the accompaniments were played by Mrs Leech, Miss Erua Fountain, and Mr L. S. James.

PARLIAMENT AND THE PRAYER BOOK.

TO HIE EDITOR. Sin, —I have read all that I have been able to lay my hands on in connection with this controversy, the latest being the letter by the Rev. Mr Denham, “Wayfarer's ’’ ‘ notes, and the pronouncement by Sir William Joynson Hicks. The outcry by the disappointed sections is almost naive in its disregard of the issues at stake,—one supposes either through ignorance or chagrin. There are two principles at issue for the nation in the parliamentary question, each containing valid reasons whv , Parliament should act. In the first place the Church of England is the State Church, and stands or falls by the will of the people as _ represented by Parliament. It could bo disestablished by the popular will, and has bound itself to the will' of Parliament. 'The second point is. closely wrapped up with the first. Ever since the Oxford movement, from which Newman wont to Romo, there has boon a section of tho Church of England, comprising thoso now known as AngloCatholies, who have done their utmost to thrust tho church back into Romish practices. There is a continuous, if thin, dribble of these to Rome. Mr G. K. Chesterton, who is so often quoted a.s ultraEnglish (save the mark!), is one of the latest renegades. lam using tho term, Sir, because in your paper it has been applied to Bishop' Barnes. On the confession of such as tho Archbishop of Canterbury and Mr Bonham, a certain section of 'the Church of England has sot at naught the ordination vows and the Protestant basis of the Church. It was the duty of tho bishops to enforce discipline; but'some have boon too weak _to try; and others have been too much in sympathy with Ihe movement toward Romo. In order (o salve their consciences these bishops, led by the archbishop, now propose to legalise tho Romish illegalities. On tho point of the people's desire for the change, can Mr Bonham say if a vote was taken on the matter, or if it rested in tho hands of tho clergy? All who are interested in the mutter should read the pronouncement of Sir William Joynson Hicks in to-day’s issue of tho Daily Times. Having lightly touched the main principles, perhaps I may be allowed to say a word about the frills? ■ Does not tho attitude of Mr Bonham and other ecclesiastics in applying the terms “ Agnostics ” and “Atheists” savour of the pharisaioal? The final test of religion, or belief either in a man or a nation is conduct, and it may be that the Pharisees may sometimes see the white light of truth in Matthew Arnold’s lines: “I think at God’s tribunal some largo answer wo shall hear.” I, who profess to believe in God, _ make this deliberate statement. In the eyes of many responsible units of the community there is no greater duty than that which keeps men free from the grip of the priest who protends ho has tho power to usher into, or keep men from, the kingdom of heaven, which, in tho words of Jesus, is within them. Jesus would, I believe, bo tho first to repudiate many of the things done in His name. It is a curious anomaly that those who so ardently desire change should so strongly condemn the logical advance made by such as Bishop Barnes. In him, if anywhere, we have a movement toward tho true spirituality which is the essence of Christ’s life, example, teaching, and death.

A good deal has been made of the speech by Mr Rosslyn Mitchell, who is scoffed at as a Thcosophist. although he is a member of the United Free Church of Scotland, which is about to become one with the Church of Scotland. But, again, Mr Mitchell is within his constitutional rights, and his moral right is much greater than that of English bishops to vote in the Peers while the Established Church of Scotland has no representation. It may not bo known to Mr Benham that the Covenanters of Scotland were cruelly harried and murdered in their own homes and elsewhere because they objected to have Episcopalianism thrust upon them. An ancestor of mine was so entreated in the vear 1666; but I do not keep tip this against the Episcopalians. I merely mention it to show how little gratitude exists in the minds of men who can now worship as they like—at least for the present. The Covenantors came out of their churches to preach and worship God on the moors, but they were followed there and massacred tor non-conformity to an alien doctrine. Dunedin itself owes its existence to members of the Scottish Church, who, feeling themselves aggrieved •in matters of government, left the parent body. It is quite open to all who feel themselves aggrieved to come out of the Church of England and form an Episcopalian community, separate and self-sup-porting. as the members of the Church of England have done in Scotland. If they leave behind anything in the material sense, they have before them the rerent and inspiring example of Iho United Free Church of Scotland, which, ir order to unite itself with the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland, found itself under the law compelled to ‘surrender much of its, patrimony, and yet, did not hesitate. Scotland,” through John Knox, historian? acknowledge saved Protestantism for England, and, if a Scots M.P. has done something to save it once more, the Protestant world owes him thank?.

One last, point still hearing on the question of religion: When the Chinch of England suffers as much from the refusal of Parliament tp listen to it ns Scotland does under its smothering plague of irresponsible. non-self-support ing Roman Catholic I ri-h, there will he som.. reason to cry out.—l am, etc., Scot.

“ You shall have a wreath of watercress whe t , von die. mother.” This promise, made ianyktimly to the London Watercress Queen, Mrs Elizabeth James. I a lier sons and dan editors, was fulfilled at her funeral recently. A hii£rp wreath of watercress lav on the coffin of Mrs James, a familiar figure at f'ovent (Jar-d-n for more than 50 years, who cultivated vast hods of ores- at Hurst bourne, Hampshire. A limousine liron"ht wreaths, a donkey haiTow brought a load of flowers. Th.- wer.fh of watercress only was lowered into the yrave, hut mnnv friends of the decerned dropped posies of flowers on the coffin as, the.-- filed past.