THE PASSING SHOW.

Waikato Times, Volume 102, Issue 17242, 29 October 1927, Page 13 (Supplement)

THE PASSING SHOW.

COMMENT AND CRITICISM.

(By “Free Lance.”) The statement made by His Lordship Bishop Cleary at Auckland on Sunday indicates that someone connected with the Bible in Schools League has either blundered badly or is flagrantly discourteous. Bishop C’eary’s feelings can be well understood -when a carefully considered proposal was submitted to the League, and those submitting it were not accorded the courtesy of a reply. The proposal certainly merited consideration in view of the importance of the subject, and it is not improbable that if a little tolerance and charity were exhibited a way out of the present position could be found—a way that would be mutually acceptable, and be for the common good. It is impossible for a layman to appreciate the niceties of a theological discussion or to follow ecclesiastical reasoning on matters which to him seem simple and straightforward, but he can and does appreciate courteous conduct, and if those who withhold such are associated with any public cause, that cause, however worthy, suiters by their championship.

The brawl in St. Paul's, London, when a priest of the Church at the head of a band of young students publicly affronted a Bishop ana protested against bis presence in the Cathedral, has quite naturally aroused much interest not only in the Anglican Communion but out of it. Apparently there is a widespread feeling of revolt against Bishop Barnes’ views; for he is out. of sympathy with the Anglo-Catholic faction and also with the Fundamentalists. lie is by no means a mystic, and prefers the cold hard deductions of the modern scientist to the declarations of the “Inspired 'Word.” In these days one has to keep a tolerably open mind and an elastic line between faith and facts, but [here is a limit to the elasticity of even the most elastic of elastics, and when that limit is reached it behoves those concerned to consider their position and act accordingly. Whether Bishop Barnes has reached that stage is, of course, for him personally to decide, but in the opinion of some of his colleagues, and also of others, the time has already arrived when lie should decide whom he will serve. If lie finds that (he lure of science is stronger than the lure of souls, his duty is clear. The Church Is no place for him.

The statement made by the Deputy Mayor at the concert promoted by St. Paul’s Choir and others on Sunday night in aid of the Mayor's Relief Fund, to the effect that a proportion of the need in the borough w T as due to improvidence may be correct, but the charge certainly could not be hurled at the audience. A packed house contributed £2O ss, which included one donation of £3 3s and 400 threepenny pieces! This surely indicates that the desire of the multitude to assist the unemployed did not weigh very heavily upon them. To contribute a threepenny piece for admission to a concert organised for a worthy cause is a palpable insult to the performers and a disgrace to the donors, who no doubt imagined that in the rush their meanness would pass unnoticed. Such an incident as that which occurred on Sunday night, will undoubtedly do much to dampen the ardour o&those earnest souls who desire by the utilisation of their gifts and talents to accord pleasure to their fellow's and at the same time assist the needy.

It was, however, ever thus. “Free Lance” recalls how some years ago a company of blind performers visited Hamilton in the interests qf a Blind Institution. They submitted a highclass programme on the Saturday night and announced a sacred concert for the Sunday evening, to which admission would he by silver coin. Large crowds attended the Sunday concert. A lynx-eyed manager stood over against the treasury, and to those who dropped in a “beb" he handed a ticket and advised them to go well forward. Halfway up the hall was a ticket-collector, an the secret was out. 11 was a great weeding out of the “sheep” and the “goats.” Those tickets revealed that the struggling mechanic and artisan scorned to contribute the “thrummer” and the “tanner” on such an occasion, and they were conducted to the front seats. Many of those who posed as the elite were barred at the barrier, and a more uncomfortable and self-conscious crowd it would be impossible to imagine. They fumed and they raved; but they were not ashamed of their meanness; rather they were fitted with resentment because it bad been revealed. “Free Lance” admits they had a grievance, as the action of the management was altogether unjustified; but none ihe less it was an object lesson that the wearers of silk and broadcloth are not always as sympathetic towards the unfortunate as are those who garb in fustian and dungaree. * £ # #

But there is’some ground for Dr. Pinfold's statement that some of the distress in the borough is due lo improvidence. A case in point: A lady who is in business in the main street received near closing time one evening a pathetic note from a mother of a family soliciting food, for her famishing children. A supply was sent, and it was subsequently ascertained that another person in the same line of business had been “touched" by a simil note from the same family in the same week. A night or two later the donors of the food visited one of the local theatres, and were astonished to see the members of the “famishing" family there also, and indulging in the luxury of ice creams! Of course, there may have been some explanation —the family in the meantime may have bad an accretion of wealth and the night aL the theatre was their way of celebrating the occasion. Rut “Free Lance’s” informant assures him that that family’s next appeal for free viands will not be honoured at either of those places of business, and under the circumstances perhaps that determination is not matter for surprise.

So they’re going to recover minerals from the Dead Sea. I remember a globe-trotter who was boasting about his journeys ia that part of the world. “Of course you know the Dead Sea?” he asked. “Oh, sure!” said a bored listener. "I shot it.”