REVERENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2250, 15 April 1897, Page 44

REVERENCE.

By Myrtle Tame. If some scheme is not speedily evolved by which the gracious virtue of reverence can be fostered and developed in the risicg gene- . ration, it will soon vanish altogether. Even ' now ask a child of averaga intelligence who ' is in the third standard the meaning of j " reverenoe," and ifc will be found that j probably nine out of every ten will give an ' incorrect answer. It would be amusing if it were not so pitifully sad to notice the irreverent maacer in which the average colonial girl and boy treat those whom ib is, ! or should be, alike an honour and a privilege to have tbe opportunity of bestowing due reverence upon. The lack of this virtue is ' especially apparent to those who in passing '. along our streets catch brief sentences of : conversation. If the subject under discussion happens to b a of a religious nature, the profanity and irreverence of the youthful disputants are simply appalling. I remember one Sabbath evening in winter, " as I was • walking aloog Princes street, my attention was arrested by the words " How do you know there is a God ? Have you ever seen him 1" A qnick reply was given from an unexpected listener which silenced the youthful unbeliever until I was beyond hearing. , Various reasons are assigned for the want, lof reverence in our children, By some we

are told that the land of our adoption is too young and has not a history with thrilling details of brave and chivalrous deeds written therein. We cannot point out wild and lonely glene where our forefathers worshipped Jehovah ; there are no biding places on hillside or caves where the fearless Covenanters took refuge from their persecutors, often giving their lives for the -cause of freedom to worship God according to their consciences. Neither can we arouse feelings of reverence and patriotism by bringing forward a galaxy of brilliant statesmen and philanthropists, whose names will never die because of the good they have done. Being a nation only yet in its infancy, the traditions of the past are too new to shed a halo of glory and romance on the present. But I should like to say just here that the jubilee of the province would be a fitting and appropriate time to chronicle ir> a booK for use in our public schools the most interesting events in the lives of the heroic and courageous pioneers who laid the foundation of this province. There ! is abundant materials for such a book, and it would serve, a threefold purpose. First, it would be a lasting souvenir of the jubilee -of Ofcago; second, it would be a grateful tribute to the memory of the brave pioneers whose successors we are, and to whom we owe so much ; third, the story of the hardships they encountered and ] overcame would be both healthy and instructive reading for children. It would also help to keep alive the memory of the | founders of the province more effectually than marble monuments or stained glass window?, though there can be no possible objection to the latter method. If such a book were compiled and daily mcd in our schools, it would be no mean factor in arouair/.g and fostering feelings of reverence in our children. Some there are who blame parents for the want of this admirable virtue in tboir children. Perhaps few parents would be found willing to plead guilty to such a charge ; nevertheless, not a few parents are culpably negligent in this respect. The flippant way in which religious matters are discussed in the pretence of children is a prolific factor in sowing the seeds of irreverence in their receptive minds. They think, and not without reason, that they can improve on what they bave been listening to, and the result is that if by Nature they are endowed with a fair share of reverence, it is probably torn to 6hreds by th.B very persons who should at udv to foster such a tender and beautiful \irrue I am not one of those who attribute all tha faults of childhood and youth to what the late Bishop Moran termed our " Godless ?y&tein o£ education " ; but I say most emphatically that there never was, and never will be, a book more eminently fitted to instil and foster in the plastic mind of children reverence for God and man than that grand old book the Bible. Our legislators in their wisdom (or foolishness) saw fit. to banish the Bible * from our public schools. What have they given as a substitute? Nothing; because for the grand old Bible no satisfactory substitute has ever yet been found. OTT Description* of balls, Ac. must be i-mlnrwl hy either the Witness corrc-pomlent for tln> district or In the Mxii'turr 10 ihe ball "ommittee The MS. nl nu\ c.n 1 f-poiidcn t-> ulio ilo not ment prior to apncnriiii;. — I.MMI M.N !'. j To ensure imlilic.uioti in Uu lorthoonun^ i-suo. letters should acco'nnt S.itt-i- tlimi llonil j nl.-ht. ' j HARVEST HOME AT TOKO-lUHI STATION. Tear Emmblixe, — I aball fuel obliged if you will kindly insert the following de.sciiption of a social held at Tuko-R'ihi prior to the recent : clearing sale : —One of the best harvest home soci'tU that I have had the honour o f attending on this side of tho lino, or, in fact, the oilier side either, wa*- held ou -tho prenn.sea of A. A. M' Master, X <i , Toko llahi station, on Kriday night List As far as I can learn the entertainment was first mooted by the maid servants at the house, and was to have been held at the Livingstone Hall, but Mr M'Master coining to hear of it, said that it would be bettpf in the woolshed, as it would be more central f.ir the tenants and others, at the .same time intimating that ha would have the place cleared out, tho wool dins liflsd, and the shed made as laignas possible for the enjoyment of those uhom they misht ask to attend. As could be sten on Friday niiht, this was nn4 effectually done, with the addition of the flooring bein? planed, which made it much easier for the feet of the dancers. The shed was ireely decorated -in fact, beyond the usual — with shiubs, evergreens, an native grasses and flowers from the gardens, the decorations being thfc w.ik of Misse* M'Gregor, Auld, and Kerr, assisted by Mr John Conncrj, and I am sure that they spoke volumes for ihe tastw of the ladie3 mentioned above. For my-ielf, I got settled in quite a little bower of shrubbery, with flowers hauging arouiid me, making^ it appear while the dance was at its height aj if.it wjs a fairy dream Unfortunately the mnle sex spoiled the illusion, as th«re was nothing of the fairy in their constitution. Almu*: GMO p.m. the guests bbgan to gath' r from nil quarters, and about 8 30 pin. the skirl of tlip Toko- Kn hi piper (MiGeorge Moncrifff) was heard wailing out "The march of the Cameron mm," which was played to the place of entertainment, Mr Mnri-cri'-ff being assisted by the Tapui piner (Mr David Brown). Eventually Mr and Mra M'Master appeared on the scent- tn honour the company by their pre=eare, a-ul the entertainment commenced with Mr Cameron, head shepher-i, opening with a ne*t little speech, hoping all would enjoy themselves Ab-iut 40 coupl- s took part in the grand m.ircb, the tame bsing led off by Airs M'ftlaster and Mr Alexander Blair, followed by several of the employees and partners. The entrance to the ballroom was crowded. J'he hall, though pretty large — 40 x 40,— was yet too small for the extra cruih. The following ladies and gentlemen contributed largely to the evening's entertainment :— Mrs MM >ster, Mrs ICvanp. Miss Giiaou, aud Messrs Needam, Stevenson, Magnu«, Connery, and others of whom I may not bave hoard. The song of the evening, " Baleen Allaunah," was given by Mis? Marshall, of Glen- i iffer, and was really well executed. As for Mr Needam, hi was a host ia himself, and I'm hure tilled up many a place that would otherwise have been left empty. The committee could well have struckup a Bong thun^clve< in his favour, as * We Needam every hour." With song and dance the time sped rapidly past till 3 a.m. was reached, wnen Mr and Mrs M'Master, who had besu enjoying themselves aruougst the company, took their le.ive. Before doing so, Mr John Henderson CAlled on the audience to give them three hearty cheers, which was responded to with right good will. Mr M'Master replied. After the departure of Mr and Mrs M'Mabter the enteitainment took more the nature of a "kirn" : the bagpipes were brought into use for somellieland steps, and then the hoochin', yelliug, ani screeching of the national in'-trument- got fearful in th«j pxtreme. The blood of th^ M'Gieg >iv, (Jamerons, M'Keuzies, »nd all the rest of the claus got up, and they did make their extremities move. Messrs A. Blair and P. Bocting acted efficiently a-- M.G.s during the evening Splendid muwic was discoursed by ' Mrs M'Master for a time, but I think mo-itly by members of the Livingstone Ban4 — «iz , Messrs M Frater and Morrison (yiolin) and J. Frater (piauo). The latter instrument was kindly lent; for the evening by the committee of the Livingstone Hall. Pipers Moncrierf and Brown occasionally filled jip a gap with their own sweet music. Tea, coffee, and lemonade,

■with all nioeties in eatables, were dispensed at intervals by the lady decorators I have already named, and I'm sure they were very attentive to all. About 430 a.m., when people were thinkiDg about getting home, Mr J. Pnngle, in the name of the young men and women at Toko-Rahi, thanked the audience for their attendance, giving a short sketch of how the social originated, and of the kindness of Mr M'Master in taking the matter up and clearing the shed of obstructions. He was sure that all had pnjoyed themselves, and he hoped they would all meet again at Borne future period to do justice to the kinduees of Mr and* Mrs M'Master. With a vote of thanks to the musicians, M.O.s, and Misses M'Gregor, Auld, and Kerr, the company separated, resolved, I have no doubt, to meet some other day. — M.