DR. ROSEBY AND THE ATHE-NÆUM.

Otago Witness, Issue 1159, 14 February 1874, Page 1

DR. ROSEBY AND THE ATHENÆUM.

The want of a reply being allowed to clergyinen'3 sermons is, as Principal Caird has pointed out, one of the causes for ministerial prejudice. There is another, and that is, many believe that the sermons of a clergyman are of a semi-sacred character, and that the newspaper is going out of its sphere in criticising them. Perhaps when the sermon or lecture deals with purely theological questions, the remark is just; but when, the clergy like to really travel out of their sphere, and attempt to influence the votes of the members of a secular corporation, they lay themselves open to criticism. This is our defeuce for alluding to the lecture delivered yesterday by Dr Roseby. It is not our intention to deal with all the various arguments used by him at this time, we would rather deal with one or two of the principles he laid down, believing that if the foundations on which his superstructure was built are shown to be unsound, it will be unnecessary to criticise his notions of the details of his building. The first assertion he made sounded strangely, coming as it did from a nonconformist divine. We all along understood that the reason why a State Church was condemned was that the State — the entity asDrRosEBY calls it — had no creed and no soul. It has, as a corporation had I been characterised, neither body to be kicked, nor soul to be excommunicated. It now appeal's there is a " national conscience," and this conscience exists because speakers and writers are in the habit of using their adjectives loosely. To say that because a man characterises a community as moral or religious, therefore it has a conscience, is just as wise as to say that because Tuapeka is a mining community, and the Taieri a farming district, there is in Tuapeka or at the Taieri some mining entity or farming entity existing. The adjectives quoted ! by Dr Roseby are simply used to point out the characteristics of a people, but they do not imply that there is any moral standard that all must or do recognise. If there bo such a thing as natural conscience distinct from natural law, perhaps Dr Roseby had better enumerate the articles of its creed, and state where they are to be found. And if he does that, perhaps he will point out why, if the State has a national creed or a national conscience, it is not its boundeu duty to teach that creed, and enforce that moral obligation to and on both young and old, Surely if it he pant of thy national conscience that the first day of the week is to be a day set apart for worship, the children in our schools should be taught that the natural conscience be not violated, and all those " public " violations at present jaernictod (should, be ruthlewly stopped

by our police. Trains, cabs, carriages, hoi'ses, all prevented travelling. Leaving Dr Uojsedy to elucidate thi.s " natural conscience" he has discovered, we next desire to know how he came to learn that the Athenaeum is a State institution. To say that it is supported by the Government is to state what is not true. It has received grants of public money, but so has the Mosgiel Woollen Factory, yet who would say that it is a State institution. M. Chevalier, the artist, obtained a grant from the Provincial Government for painting Otago views ; did he, therefore, become under State control, and his views become State property ? If Dr Roseby wishes it to be assumed that everything assisted by the State becomes a State institution, we fear he will find himself amongst those fire-brands of society — the Red Socialists of Prance. The Athenaeum is a private corporation, with this proviso — that should it any time be dissolved, its property shall belong, not to the Stale, nor yet to the Province, but to the Municipal Corporation of Dunedin. In no way can the State intcrefere in its management, and none of the public outside of its membership can decide pro or con on this critical issue, at the carrying of which "mere youths" indulged in a "howl of triumph." And these are the bases of Dr Roseby's lecture, and with such sandy foundations we might leave him to prop up his building as best he can.

There was one admission mado, however, that seems to us to explain his conduct. Few will, we think, sny but that the fact of the Government Botanic Gardens being- open on the Sunday is a mora open violation of whf>t Dr Jlo*eby believes to be a Divine command — • given he is not sure when, nor to Avhom — than the opening- of the read-ing-room of the Athenaeum. Nevertheless none of the clergy have sought to close the Botanic Gardens. Why is this? Dr Roseby can explain. The opening of the Athenaeum Avill tend to lessen the attendance at the churches. This is why he is so virulent — this why he speaks so strong — this why he attributes all kind of motives to the supporters of the opening. Dr Roseby is afraid of competition ; and the rival must not only be excommunicated, but, alas ! the anathema nummatlut, must be pronounced. There is a charming simplicity about this admission of dangerous competition that would be spoiled by comment. Still, if the people in Dr Roseby's congregation prefer the Graphic, or the Economist, or the Sunday at Home, to his ministrations, we think that the members may weli pause before allowing his hearers to follow out the bent of their minds.

Another statement made by Dr Roseby is cne that has not been used for the first time. Whenever any innovation has been proposed, there is generally a " scare-crow" set up to frighten people. And what better than France, Austria, Spain, Italy ? If the Athenaeum be opened on the Sunday Dunediu will become a miniature Paris or a small Vienna. And what happens there 1 Drunkenness, indolence, and social and political convulsions. Alas for Dr Koseby's facts ! It so happens that Protestant Holland keeps its Sunday in a way as distasteful to Dr Roseby as Catholic Spain. Yet, has there been any social convulsion in Holland 1 Again, Scotland keeps Sunday according to Dr Roseby's own heart, and yet in Scotland there ia more druukennes.3 in oneof its bye-towns on a Sunday than in all Holland in a week. Again, Protestant Germany is certainly not second to England in pro-gi-ess, material and intellectual, and yet how is the Sunday kept there ? It is, therefore, utter nonsense to say that " drunkenness, indolence, and social and political convulsions " follow whafr Dr Rosisby oaljs a desecration of the Supd,ay, Jt ig a pity that the late Ercv*

peror Napoleon had not known that the only remedy for the "democrats" was the setting apart of one day in seven for public worship. And it is strange that these people termed " superstitious " by Dr Koseby are the very persons who supported Imperialism and opposed Republicanism. The Protestants in France have been found oftener supporting the Liberals than the Conservatives— yet they must have been doing wrong. Bat is there any danger of Dunedin becoming a small Vienna or a miniature Paris? The habits of a people are not formed in a day, nor yet in a century ; and the allowing the people to read serials and books on a Sunday afternoon will have no more effect in changing our habits than— pardon the illustration — listening to a lecture in the Moray Place Congregational Church. Besides, the tendency in some continental countries is to shorten the hours of labour, and these " fire-brands of society" deserve the credit for inaugurating the movement. This is strange, but true. And it is nob likely that the work^ngmen, who are here getting the half-holiday movement extended, will tamely submit to an extension of their hours of labour. When this is proposed, however, it is time enough to discuss it ; and the present " critical issue" has nothing to cio with the labour question. The reason why it has been dragged into the discussion is obvious. Dr Eoseby has a horror of "logic-chopping," and if the dangerous rival can be silenced by a flourish of words or an appeal to feelings, the " howl of triumph" will be heard from his supporters as loud as ever ascended from the v mere youths" who voted for the opening. Yes, " mere youths," and did not that tell a tale % Does not the fact of the youths of our town voting for the opening show that they deserve some place other than the lodging house bedroom or the hotel commercial room to resort to on the Sunday afternoons 1 And if the clergy are so short sighted as to oppose their reasonable request, •we can assure them that it will neither tend to the wellbeing of the community nor to the sanctity of the Sabbath. To say that we can listen to a lecture on the opening of the Athenaeum on Sundays, and yet not read an article in Frazer, or peruse a review in the Quarterly, seems peculiar. And we fear, that the young men may yet bo brought to feel that they are violating the " national conscience," ruthlessly destroying " the religious sentiment " in preferring Leslie Stephen's essays, or the Rev. John Hunt's articles to Dr Koseby's lectures. We fear, however, that it will be some time befoie their consciences will be smitten, and until that period arrives must the Bell's Life in the Taproom be the pabulum oi the rising generation, or Dr Roseby s feelings be shocked.