Tho Old Order Changeth.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10482, 29 October 1901, Page 2

Tho Old Order Changeth.

The name of the Rev. Joseph Berry will no doubt be familiar to many old residents of Wanganui. He was at one time one of the most brilliant preachers of the Wesleyan Church in this colony, and some 25 or 30 years, ago was stationed in Wanganui. .-He severed hia connection with the" New Zealand church, and up till quite recently has bteri engaged in ministerial work with the Methodißt Church Australia. He is at present on a tour, in England, and \s contributing a series of articles on his travels to several colonial papers. In one of these he tells a story of painr ul experience in his native country, an experience, we believe, not unknown t£ "several local residents who have but lecently visited the land of their boyhood. Mr Berry soys: — Before a colonist of 20 or 30 years resolves to revisit the scenes of his childhood he should carefully count the cost. Upon the pleasures attending such a visit it is not necessary to dwell, as they are in everybody's mind. My point is that there is another aide, and that a heavy i.rl'ce has to bo paid for these pleasures. Let me explain. I visited on a recent Sunday evening a church to which I belonged as a lad and to which many tender memories cling. Forty years ago it was nearly crowded; I 'knew rr.Oiiy — perhaps most— of the worshippers, and the very atmosphere of the rlace quivered then with spiritual force. Thousands of times during the intervening years my thoughts have gone back to the dear place, and often I lave longed to revisit it. Well, I did co, the result being that I wish I had kept away. I found the congregation reduced by nine-tenths; the crowd had vanished and left only a timber yard. Of the few that were present I did not Jcnow six persons, and nobody knew me. The service had become cold and stiff and lifeless. There was not power enough in the sermon or prayer or 'music to convert the leg of a mosquito. 1 could have cried, and I had difficulty in sitting the service out. A new and painful experience has blotted out the precioUß memories of the past. I wish I had not gone to the place again. This is part of the price one has to pay i'or revisiting the scenes of childhood. It is much tho same with friends. I hod a fellow-student — e.g., with whom 1 worked and read. We' slept in the same bed and were close friends. IJe was sent to India and I to New Zealand. For many years we corresponded, he til we both became busy men and the correspondence ceased. But I often recalled the- past and longed to meet him again.'' The opportunity came at the Wesleyan Conference here.' At a garden party we met. I asked his name, and found it was that of my old friend. I had to explain to him who I was. "lou married So-and-So," he said, and 7 had to explain that he was wrong. A few more formal enquiries, and he turned away, saying, "I will take an ice," I thought that ice was about the last thing he stood in need of. He disappeared in the crowd, and so did I. He did not even ask me to visit him. Vet at "any time during the last 30 years I would have travelled hundreds of miles only to see him', and when the time came for us to meet after 35 years' separation this was all. I would much rather that we had not met. In the

town I took a walk to see the house of my boyhood. Tho neighbourhood had changed a good deal from the growth of trees, the erection of new Uoubcs, ftc. 1 had some difficulty in finding the house, and when it was found waa uncertain whether if was really the ■>nme. There was a brook that flowed a: the bottom of the garden in which we boys fished and bathed, and which had 'been almost sacred to me ever since. When I found it, what a dirty, UL-smelling ditch! So again the pleasure had to be discounted. Let no 'reader think that there is any desire on tho part of the writer to obtrude his own individual experiences. They would not be mentioned hero but for the belief that they are typical. Thero is probably more pleasure in tho vißit to Kngland of a native • Australian, to v.bom everything is fresh and new, than in the coming home of a colonist who ha? been away for a genoraflou, and returns to find most of his friends underground and the rest changed nl-n-ost beyond recognition.

On our first page will be found interesting reading matter under the following headings : — ''Presentations," "Parliament," "Making a Newspaper Man," "Remarkable Railway Accident,' and "One of Life's Tragedies." Nineteen fresh cases of small-pox were reported in London* on Saturday. A picyclc mislaid is advertised for. One pound reward on application to Turner and Co., Ridgway Stroot. Tlio P-atea election takes place on November 6th. The result is expected to be close. ' ' A statue of the late Sir George Grey is shortly to be placed in the Lauds Department building iv Sydney. Mr Charles Seager, managing director of the Wellington S.S. Company, has donated £5 to the T.Y.M.I. Building Fund. A copy of* the Patea Roll may be seen by those interested on application to the librarian at the Wanganui Public Library. , At Hexham (England) recently, a miner, charged with assaulting the police, asked tor mercy on the plea that he was the father of 32 children. In August 1530 persons arrived in the colony, and 1101 left, as against 10S6 arrivals and 922 departures in August, 1900. The Hauraki (Thames) Band on Thursday" lost unanjmousjy decided to enter for thVband coinpetitiqn that is to 'be held v at New' Plymouth nest March. — *\ ■ '" An o}d lady named Sullivan died the other day 'ai Kingower (Vie.) aya v T^ 0 ro " p'uted age" ; pf 1,09- • But,' as Snazelle says, these fine 'old veterans are such fine otiTdubiositieß. An unexpected 'discovery ha? been made in the * clothing 'of a lady who died- recently 1 - at Maryborough (Vicuna), a -bant receipt" for ( jeiso having ■been founil sewn jn her corset. At a meeting of the^Councilof the' Aiipkland Law Society; it "waWresolved that in the opinion of this Council the salaries paid 'the Judges of the Supreme Court of New Zealand is ' iiisufficient, and not on a par with those paid in the other British colonies.

1 Steps arc being taken to establish a telephone exchange at Waverley to be connected with Wanganui. If this is done the connection between Wanganui and New Plymouth will be complete.

The Auckland Star's London correspondent writes, under date September 21st, that Mr Cadman's negotiations re iron-sand appear to be coming to a satisfactory conclusion, and that the road seems clear for the flotation of a company or syndicate.

Ths lambing Beason in Canterbury lias been a moat prolific one. Sir George Clifford, however, haß established a record which it will be hard to beat. In one of his paddocks at Stonyhurst lie lias a thousand ewes with 2000' lambs} all of which are in" excellent condition-

The new gasometer erected by the Auckland Gas Company is by far the largest that has been built in the colony. The largest in Wellington holds 400,000 cubic feet of gas, whereas the new one in Auckland has a capacity of 1,100,000 cubic feet. The whole, work has cost quite w£23,000. A "Tommy" captured by De Wet complained of the food, which chiefly consisted of mealies. De Wet told him he had nothing better. "But," said the Boer leader," "I'll capture a convoy in a few days, and then you shall have better food." De Wet did capture a convoy, and the complaining "Tommy" did receive 'better food — British food.

Speaking ip. the Legislative Council yesterday on the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill, the Hon. Mr Rigg mentioned five names of employes alleged to have been dismissed for having taken part in the dispute under the Act, and advised the Government to" take measures to find out whether the allegation was true.

The New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Tongariro, now on her way from London to Auckland, left the former place with a record cargo of 9,000 tons for this colony. So great jyas the quantity of goods consigned to this vessel, that about 3000 tons of merchandise had to be shut out. The Tongariro has established a record in tonnage for exports by one vessel from the port of London.

Mr J. D. Rockefeller, the Standard oil magnate, has recently so increased his wealth as to be worth almost a thousand million dollars. The approximate total of his possessions is placed at 945,000,000 dollars, the income from which is more than 1,000,000 dollars a week. Mr Rockefeller started life as a clerk on 10 dollars a week, and his wife as a school teacher on about .£65 per annum.

One who had known the late Sir John M'Kenssie, ex-Minister of Lands in New Zealand, from his boyhood tells of the pains he was at to fit himself for a -public career. He would place himself at one end of the small room in the cottage, and the wife and bairns would be seated in front to form an audience that punctuated his trial speeches with applause and appreciative "hear, hears, — Australian Star. The Dunedin Star, referring to the meeting 'of the Monowai an<T Mokoia says:— No wonder Captain S pinks did not recognise what it was the Mono-u-ai's people were singing when the vessels met. One section were returning thanks in the "Old Hundredth," another party sang "'God Save the King," and the clashing of the two tunes with the tenor of the sailors' hurrahing made up an effect as much across the grain as a Wagncrian perplexity. The troops under King Menelik of Abyssinia are accustomed to live for months together on handfuls of flour and dried peas. They are possessed of great powers of, endurance, and are said to be unequalled at close quarters in charges. They are volunteers* mainly recruited from >-c tillers of the'soil. Their pay is small, but they receive in addition their clothing, food, and travelling expenses- They have no barracks. A certain number are billeted on each village, and the cost of their keep is deducted from the taxes.

The Westport News says that a young snake, about six inches, in length, was discovered in the . sand taken out of the barque Phonizia, which arrived last week from Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The \ snake, which had its head battered, is believed to have been hatched on the voyage acrosß to Westport. Mr Townson obtained possession of it. In order to prevent the introduction into the country of these undesirable creatures, it may be found necessary in future to have the sand deposited into hoppers and carried out to sea. '■ '

The following paragraph is from London Truth, of September 12th: — "The Duchess of Cornwall is in a delicate state of health, her accouchement being expected to take place in January; and it is therefore possiblo that the original programme for the Royal visit to Canada may have to be curtailed. The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall will proceed to Sandriugham, directly after ' their return to England, and it is probable that they will spend a part of the' winter at Osborne House, where their children have been staying for several weeks. The Royal nursery will be removed to Balmoral the week after next,, according to present' arrangements.

•A number of persons who were passing down Colombo Street, close to Meßsrs Cook 'and Ross' chemist shop, on Thursday (reports the tyttelton Times), wore struck with the remarkable courage and stoicism displayed by a victim of a 'very serious accident. The victim's name is Charlie Young, and he is a Chinaman. White he was sitting in his cart, which had been drawn up -on tho street, the horse became restive and plunged Blightly. The belly-baud * broke, and the horse, becoming frightened, bolted. Young, having lost control of the horse, attempted to jump out. He fell with a crash on the street, and several' bystanders went to his assistance. One endeavoured to -lift him up, but he pointed to his leg and said, "Bloke." Oh, no, not broke," was the reply. "Yes, bloke," Young persisted. It. was then seen that the .man's right leg had been completely broken at the ankle, the bone protruding through both the skin and the trousers. Although Young must have been suffering most acute pain, he was quite cool and calm. He took writing materials from his pocket and wrote a note in Chinese characters to a friend.* Meanwhile an ambulance had been taken to the scene. Ab he was placed in it, he warmly thanked those who had attendod to him. At the Hospital, where his injuries were attended to, it was found that both bones of tho leg had been fractured. In the institution ho displayed the same indifference to pain.