GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1159, 14 February 1874, Page 5

GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS.

The Rev. Dr Cameron, of Victoria, delivered a lecture in the hall behind the First Church lnst week, on "Gustavus Adolphus, the Royal Hero of Protestantism." The hall was well filled, and Mr C. Moore occupied the chair. After the Chairman had briefly introduced the lecturer,

Dr Cameron said that there were two ways of handling a lecture upon such a subject. Oue way was to start with the presumption that the audience were acquainted with its historical surroundings, and the other was to presume that they were not so acquainted. In what he had to say he intended to follow the latter course. In order to enable his audience to be better able to appreciate the great work done by Gustavus Adolphus, he gave a short narrative of the events preceding: the crowning of that monarch's grandfather, who was the first Protestant prince in Europe, and through whom th c S wedish Reformation was brought about a considerable time ahead of the English Reformation. The lecturer then alluded to the attempts to counteract the work of the Reformation after tin's king's death, and during the reign of his successor, and to the events which led up to the placing of Gustavus Adolphus's father upon the throne of Sweden by the Protestants. This king died when his son was seventeen years of age ; but the father knew that the son would carry on the great work he had to do, and the people thought that what was wanting in the young king in years was given him iv wisdom and understanding. When Gustavus ascended the throne, Kweden was at war with Denmark and Prussia ; but he gathered round him the wisest men in the kingdom, and set about his great task with such a sense of personal duty, that he fulfilled the hopes of his people. In the wars he carried on with Denmark, Poland, and Prussia, the enemy was in every case the aggressor ; but these difficulties only tended to mature his powers. The lecturer hero remarked that Napoleon the First — one of the best authorities on such a subject — had reckoned Gustavus Adolphus oue of the six greatest military men the world had ever seen. He might also remark that the subject of his lecture was the first freetrader in the world, for he threw open the poits of Sweden iv the seventeenth century. He had also instituted a great system of education in Sweden, which had been copied by Germany, and had almost beggared himself in the endowment of a university. After the attempts that had been mads to stamp out the Reformation, thehourcame, and with it the man in the shape of Gustavus Adolphus, to fight against such attempts. He felt it his duty to help the Protestants in Europe against the oppression of the great Catholic power, and seemed to have the opinion that he had si direct divine commission to do so, and he (the lecturer) believed ho had. His councillors at first opposed the plan, but Gubtavus considered it his duty, and that in a very short sp.ice of time it would become a necessity. It was determined at length that he should enter upon his campaign. The lecturer then quoted from the king's farewell address to his people, and to the great success his army met with. He also mentioned the fact that several Scotch noblemen, joined him with men, there being at one time a large number of Scotch and English soldiers in his army. After tracing the Swedish army through its glorious campaign, Dr Cameron read the hymn that the Protestant troops always sang before going into battle. He then gave an account of the hero's death upon the battle field, aftor which his followers struggled on until they got their reward in the Peace of Westphalia, by which liberty of conscience was allowed to all. He considered that Gustavus Adolphus saved the Reformation. He (Dr Cameron) considered that the late war between France and Prussia was the renewal, after 200 years' truce, of the Thirty Years' War; for looked at practically it 4 was in substance and offect but a continuation of the old struggle, [ with the difference that at this time it was on the part of Protestant Germany a struggle for existence, and not for supremacy. He also alluded to the humiliation of Austria, and to tho possibility of there being, at no distant date, an undivided Germany. A vote of thanks was passed to the Rev. Dr Cameron, and a collection made in aid of a Chinese Mission in Melbourne, with which he is ouneeted.

According to the Ohinemuri correspondent of the Thames Advertiser, Te Kooti "has become a good Queen's man, and a very good advocate in the King's camp for the Pakeha." The King's stock of rum must have become exhausted,