LECTURE ON "SLEEP." Auckland, August 28.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 295, 1 September 1888, Page 4

LECTURE ON "SLEEP." Auckland, August 28.

Ix the Tabernacle Schoolroom last evening the Rev. T. Spuigeon delhereda lecture upon '• Sleep," under the auspices ot the Young Men's Improvement Society. The room was well filled, and Mr E. Bell, who occupied the chair, briefly intioduced fchelecturei. After expressing a hope that he would nob tend his heareis into the aims of Morpheus, the lecturer proceeded to narrate the ideas held by the anciens on the subject. The ill etlects of insomnia were then graphically depicted, and the beneficent results ot sound, healthy repose pointed out. Drugs and opiates produced sic. p of a kind, which was certainly better than none ; but such sleep could not be compared to the genuine article. The best kind of sleep Nvas that in which a blessed blank was produced, and this was only to be obtained by legular habits, hard work, temperance, abstinence, and outdoor exercise. Solomon was quite correct when he said, "The sleep of the labouring man is sweet.' As to soporifics, Sidney Smith's sermons had once been recommended as excellent sleep - producers ; and the lecturer thought; that many more modem sermons would have a similar etlect. The amount of sleep required by anyone depended upon a great vaiiety ot circumstances — age, amount of physical or brain work, etc. ; but eight houis might be stated as the average amount required. Although the habit ot the sluggard was to be avoided, still Mr Spurgeon thought the ad\antages of eaily-riaing had been overestimated. The custom of Newton and others in this matter was mentioned, and the lecturer then pointed out that the earliest sleep at night was best ; •• beauty «>leep" it had been termed. One hour before midnight was worth three after. An American had asserted that tall men required more sleep than short ones, but perhaps he was joking ; at any rate, it was quite evident that tall men slept "the longest." The lecturer then passed on to describe the sleep of animals and plants. The very flowers slumbered, while some might be said to " turn in "' and " tuck themsehes up."' Animals, as a rule, required le&a sleep than man did : for instance, four hours were sufficient for the horse. The hibernating of animala was then touched upon, aftet which the lecturer treated of trance?, recitingan admirable poem by Wordsworth on the subject. As to dreams, it had been said that about 25 out of 30 could be traced to incident;, that had passed through the mind during its waking hours ; the trouble was in the arrangement of the ideas. We all knew that most of our dreams proved untrue, Our dreama often partook of the nature of our wishes ; more frequently, however, they were the outcome of indigestion or of a "disordered brain. The lecturer next passed on to somnambulism, and in this connection related a number ofamusinganecdotesregardingpeoplehe bad known and others. Among these was one which ho knew to be quite true, ai though it seemed to be rather incredible. A certain clergyman who had been kept very busy in various matters ol church Avoik, retired to his study to prepare bis sermon for the Sunday, but could not get at the real meaning of a part of the Scriptural subject he was dealing with. When he had retired for the uight, however, and while his spouse was watching him, he safe upright in his bed and went through the whole process of delivering his sermon, finishing up with the usual exhortation. He then fell back to his former posture. Kext morning the minister was very agitated a& to how he should do with his sermon ; all seemed confusion. He told his wife his difficulty, when she gave him that for which he had been worrying his brain. Of course, he asked how she knew co much about it, when the gave him the information that she had seen and heard him go through the whole matter. She might have added that that wag the first time in which she had seen her husband preach in a " surplice." Mr Spurgeon also treated ot snoring, .'mcl gave some hard knocks to those who sleep in church. These were the persons who usually exclaimed, when going home from church, "Was not that a stirring sermon by the pastor?" The lecturer then "compared sleep to death, and concluded by reciting the poem, " HeGiveth His Beloved Sleep." He was frequently applauded during tho delivery of the lecture, which was both humorous and instructive. A vote of thanks waß accorded the lectiuerby acclamation, and a similar compliment was passed to the Chairman.