INVERCARGILL.

Western Star, Issue 354, 2 June 1880, Page 3

INVERCARGILL.

[PROM OUB OWN CrORK^FOKT>ENT.] You will remember what I said of a certain evangelical meeting at the Post Office corner in my last. Well, on Saturday night there was another held. This time those who assembled to listen to the invitation to " seek and find," were very orderly. One man, 1 understand, was successful in " finding the Lord," but further than this ths results of the meeting were not satisfactory. I will explain what occurred and leave your readers to judge for themselves whether I a - i: right or wrong in making the assertion. At the conclusior of the gathering, Messrs Deck and Jeffivys, the preachers, commenced an attack upon one of the bystanders, with the intention of —no doubt converting him to a " better state of tilings." But ho uroved to be a Freer thinker and so they went ac it. Then another Freethinker joined in the fray and relieved the first, and the discussion waxed hotter and louder. The groups grew larger and almost blocked the footpath. The second freethinker was now joined by a still bolder comrade of the same opinions, and the religious teachers found themselves in somewhat of a fix. Soon, an American, on the outskirts of the crowd, began to make loud statements as to his opinion of the Bible and preache.is in general. He was invited into the ring and made an attempt to join thos > in the heat of the argument, but this he could not do owing to the crush. Then a a tall Highlander, who is celebrate I fur having once stood for the House, challenged MiDeck or the other gentleman to disprove what Professor Huxley has written, but to this Mr Deck replied that such a thing vv.is impos sible, as he had never read the writings of any sucli person. " Well," said he from the hca;her hills. '"Don't attempt to argue with me until you.have read them. Confute what he has written and. you confute and confound me, but not before." The Ameriean wanted to know why we didn't have a " equa e Adam and Eve to ttart with?" but to this the preachers vouchesafed no reply. Mr Deck then asked one of the Freethinkers if he I eheved in God ? " Yes," replied the questioned, '' J do; but not the monster you speak of." "Excuse me, my friend," replied Mr Dvck, " I made use of no such words." " I know well enough you did not," replied the other, "but by the Bible and your leaching you show Him to be a monster! I believe in the God of love and mercy—yon believe in a God of vengeance." Now the Rev. Mr Johnson appeared on the scene and called MiDeck away, '' You aan do no good here now," he said "Come home" but still the discussion continued, Mr Deck at last winding up with the declaration. '-Ah! We'll have you on our side yet!" What astonishes me is, the rapid spread here, in Invercargiil of Freetbought. There was a time when to. declare yourself as such would have brought down upon your head all the righteous wrath of your neighbors, but now th.y are so strong auit so influential in the community—and I am given to understand rapidly increasing in numbers, that a Freethougbt Association is talked o , to inaugarate which Mr Robert Stout is to be invited round from Dunedin. We are swiftly drifting on to a vastly altere I aspect, of outward signs. What will the end be ? Shall we progress in other matters, or will Freetbought be held up as a shield to shelter those who are only to.i glad at anv time to steer wide of the mural code? Wh.iteuT is to come of it, one thing is very ce. tain, unbelief is assuming gigantic proportions, Colonel Ingersoll's lectures are m-re widely read and gloated over than Spurgeon's sermons or Canon Farrar's works.

From gravis to guy is w a stop, as well us from t.ie sublime to the ridiculous; and now JL'.ve some!hiug funny fcii wiite about. Visitors io Inver.-argill k o\v the City BaMi Establishment - well enough I presume! Well, the other morning, Mr Pearl wasvisi'. ed by a "party" who sh. evi lent signs o. having been diunk a good deal the night before, an I who want©., a '.'shower" to rouse him up. He was shown to a bath-room, and began divesting himself of his upper garment' forthwith. Mr P reti ed, the '• gent" luruea on the witor, and con lin u d u .dressing. Then he thought he'd take ti turn outride while the bath was liil.i g. He did, and laying down on the coal heap, went £E;o sleep. ' Mr Pearl hearing the water.still rushing inio the bath, and no noi e as of anyone " washing," thought he would look up the bather ; so poking his head in, he took in the scene. ■There was the bath, almost running over, the visitor's hat floating about on top, and the coat showing in the water. The batli proprietor flung open the door, and exclaiming "My God! tho man is drowned!"- dived head foremost iuto the bath. He caught the coat in his hands and rose up panting for breath. Of course there was no man there. The affrighted, wet to the skin hairdresser couldn't make it out, but on repairing to the back yard lie discovered the sleeping beauty. In a passion he ordered the ■" fellow " to retire, and then went slowly up to his private apartments to "change himself," anl while he drew off his saturated clothes that clung to him like another skin he felt —so he said afterwards—as though lie would very much like to have the pleasure of shaving that man with a notched razor and uo lather.

What has become of the spirit of charity that used to characterise the efforts of the amateur theatricals of this town? a great many people ask. The committee have represented to the public that they want money, and yet no :me seems to care whether the institution is without funds or not. It is certainly not like the Invercargill people to show this lack of sympathy in such a cause. A well organised and good entertainment would take well just now if got up for the benefit of the Hospital, and I trust this reminder will not be altogether thrown away. The returns of the institution for the past, week are as follows:—Total number of patients at present in the Hospital, 19—fifteen of whom are men and four women. During the week there were ore man and woman admitted, and two meu and one woman discharged. Another company of theatricals are announced to open in the Theatre Eoyal on Saturday next. They come under the name of the " Florence Conaique and Operatic Company." Mr. and Mrs. Florence are undoubtedly genuine artists, as is also Mr Barringtoh, the basso, but grave doubts aro expressed as to the genuineness of Mr Harry Benham. The pictures in circulation—reprepresenting the " real original Harry " —show him to be a slim, smart fellow; but the Benham who is to appear hero is of the Daddy Lambert build. If there is any fraud in this direction it is to be hoped playgoers will ascertain the fact, and show their displeasure by withholding their patronage; while, on the other hand, if they discover that Harry has really sot fat, but is " tho siime old tar," I hope the performances will be well patronised.