NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12410, 27 November 1908, Page 2

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

the "Abode of Love." • The Agapemonites and the "Abode of Love" have attracted considerable attention in England during the last few years. One Sunday, six years ago, Smyth Figott — whom the Bishop of Bath is now proceeding ,againstr— at the chapel of the "Abode of Love," Clapton, London, announced himself as, -the. sucessbr of Henry James' PrincSj the. founder of the Agapemonities, that he was the Messiah, and that the Ark of "the Covenant was at Clapton. Several ladies in the congregation testified that Pigott's claim was correction the Monday Pigott met with- a hostile demonstration from 200 unbelievers, and on the following Sunday the roars of 3000 people,. who: called him "Blasphemer," so frightened him that he left Clapton, greatly to the dismay of his followers. The secii (if so it may be called) was. founded by Prince,^ formerly a Church of England clergyman, in 1845, near Bridgwater, and immediately attained a local notoriety, which in 1860 was widely extended by the (trial of an action brought against 1 him on behalf of former disciples, . named Nottige, for a disgorgement'of money he had obtained from them. ■ Previously what had been known of the doings- in the "Abode of Love" had been by rumour only," but the; revelations made at tho trial "were sufficient to show that immorality of a gross description was practised. -.jiVfost of the prophet's dis-' ciples were women, whom he selected in a manner, in which it would bo difficult to say whether the ludicrous or the horrible more prevailed. The ' Frisco Mail Service. ..'. A San; Francisco paper thus alludes to the new 'Frisco service, which has been diverted from Auckland to Wellington: — "Following, close upon the interchange . of expressions of goodwill between the United States and New Zealand, incident to the visit of the fleet in the South Seas, comes the announcement that the two countries are to be connected once more by a direct line of steamships. The "service will be' resumed ■ in January ;. of next year by the Oceanic Steamship Company, in conjunction • with tho Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand. "After an absence of oiio year, during which New Zealand and the United States have :been : practically oub of touch with^ eachjother, vessels flying tho American flag will again ply regularly ■ betweri Sari Francisco an"d New Zealand. Not 'only will the now line aid in building up America's commerce and its merchant marine. but it will tend.to add to'the importance of the port of San Francisco. When the Oceanic^ service was discontinued a year ago, ; predictions were made that the New Zealand trade thati had passed through this port would .find its way to -the upper harbours of the Pacific, or to Canada. The recent visit of the fleet to New. Zealand has ■ greatly strengthened America's position in the South Seas,, and an increased traffic is looked for as a . result. The r.outie has been arranged for the special advantage of travellers, and will allow a two days' stop at Tahiti. The reversals of; the sea-

sons will permit of a perpetual summer, trip, Tahiti enjoying its warm season during the Calif orniah winter. The sailing arrangements formerly in ■effect made Auckland the port of call in New Zealand, but the. new schedule planned to begin next January jnakes Wellington the point of destination."