A SMOKE SERVICE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5337, 15 August 1895, Page 2

A SMOKE SERVICE.

A London despatch of July 23, states that an invitation to attend a smoke service at an East End church on the preceding Sunday afternoon was responded to by more than 2000 men, who are the poorest of the poor. A few came smoking, and the others carried pipes in their months with the bowl inverted to denote emptiness. The gentleman who w&a to conduct the service, and who hitns.-lf blew a cloud from a briar root, commenced to distribute the tobacco. The supply was contained in a bag, and each recipient got enough to fill two pipes. By the time all were served and many wreaths of smoke were curling roof- ward, several ladies took aoatß on the platform, and the religious part of the proceedings began. First there wub a prayerful exhortation. Though apparently it was attentively listened to, it was ourious to see pipe-bowls and tobacco-smoke half screened by one hand, while the eyes were reverently covered with the other. Then there was a hymn, in which the female portion of the congregation joined, but not many of the men, it being difficult to smoke and sing at the same time* They were as quiet and orderly as could be desired. After that came what they evidently enjoyed more than all else, a hymn sung with much sweetness by a lady. Probably they would not have ventured to applaud, but as the Chairman, who still puffed his briar root, clapped his hands, .they all followed with great vigour, and their faces testified how much they were in earnest. A chapter waß read from the Bible, and the Chairman took up the theme. It was the miracle of the loaves and fishes. He delivered a simple discourse of half an hoar. By that time the allowance of tobacco had been smoked, and after the crowning hoßpitality of a cup of tea with pieces of bread and marmalade for all, the proceediDgs cance to an end. The " Sunday afternoon spread and smoking concert " is likely to become a permanent institution of Whitechapel.