Dunedin Talk.

Southland Times, Issue 12010, 2 April 1892, Page 3

Dunedin Talk.

" goak," to which a pro-Grubbite replies ! " there arc certain unfortunate people who I are quite unable to discover the point or value of some of your joker's jokis," a sentiment echoed, I am assured, by a good many readers of the Daily Times. Meanwhile Mrs Highly, taking afternoon tea with Mrs Churchy, remarking on the (irubh stampede, says "an earnest perspiring cweetchah, rleah ! but, don'tcher-know, rather, decidedly rather. ' To whom Mrs Churchy " Oh yes deah ! too utterly too-too. And the doah Bishop shocked ! Itis'nt every one who, like that Mrs Snagsby, ' likps her religion hot and strong.'" On the other | hand Wesley Tom buttonholds me in the / street, and in strident tones assures me, " the English Church is an extinct volcano, Sir ; what was once lava has cooled down, Sir, in fact is so covered over with moss and lichens that its very remembrance in obliterated. It possesses a spurious, effeminate Christianity and cannot abide a more muscular vigorous development. It can't do anything, and doesn't want any one else to do it." I whisper " birds in their little nests agree," but Wesley Tom departs with scornful smile. Amidst all this singular squabbling about the best road to Heaveu I find in a small brochure entitled " Federation of the whole world," by E. W. Cole, that not later than the year 2000 " we may rest assured that, with the progressive development of man towards his immortal future, his religion, instead of being one of force, and mystery, and ceremonies, will become more and more one of reason, simplicity and love.'" So there may he a happy time coming for the religious world. In the meantime should the Rev. O. C. Orubb and his mission visitlnvercargill I would strongly advise all and sundry to listen to and digest his utterances. Though complaints are made as to dulness in business, the Customs revenue, judging from the daily printed record, keeps up wonderfully well ; while the Myra-Kemble troupe are doing good business, a good deal better than that done by sharebrokers. Complaints have been made in the papers, that the telephone officials are not sufficiently prompt in answering when rung up. Of the justice of the accusation I cannot speak. From recollection I do not think a similar lache can be attributed to the Invercargill office. Though the weather last week and early part of this has been cold and wet, Friday and Saturday were lovely. The bright sunshine, however, had to fight with a coolish easterly breeze — suggestive of the near approach of winter. Dunedin, 26th iMarch, 1892. ,

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT). Fresh questions arise each day in this little Babylon, as they do in other Babylons, and for the last few days the absorbing , topic, judging from the newspaper correspondence, has been Grubb. Not the slang synonym for material food, but the Rev. (i.C. Grubb, of the Church of England mission, who has been distributing spiritual sustenance to the crowds who attended his ministrations in the Garrison Hall for several days during last, week and week before. Though probably he told nothing new to the audiences which packed the large hall, yet as has been said of that past grand master, the late Mr Spurgeon, " His art was to put old truths into a new dress, or to present them in a new form, in which they were more likely to come home to the apprehension and to the hearts of his hecirera." And Mr (Jrubb has driven home these old and wholesome truths, with a vigour and zeal, savouring more of the earlier days of the church militant— days when the Protestant church had to gird up ita loins and fight the good fight in such wise, that the onlooker might possibly deem the victory worthy of exertion— than in these go-as-you-please days when to be zealous is suggestive of bad form. But alas ! his ways are notChurch of England ways. His Lordship of Dunedin, it is whispered, and with him nearly the whole of the English Church Hierarchy, opposed an in\ itation being sent to Mr Grubb to preach in these parts ; but the good old Archdeacon Edwards invited him to hold forth within the sacred walls of the pro-Cathedral : trusting to its leading to a good collection at any rate, which it did. The church was crowded, even the black-coated homo— a. rani avis at ordinary services — attending : and it led to other services not contemplated, and the elect are scandalised. Some nineteen hundred years ago it is recorded of another preacher, " Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him ?" History^ repeats itself. Pure-blooded Church of England congregationalists have repudiated by I letters in the public press any connection I with the Grubb and his misßion, as utterly | at variance with the light, playful and j polished dalliance with religion exhibited by ; the true English Church butterfly, kindly ' acknowledging however that the Rev. (Jrubb ■ is suited to the habits and comprehension of Presbyterians, Wesleyana, Nonconformists— tt hoc genus omnt. CivU has had hia little