MYSTERY OF A PICTURE.

Waikato Times, Volume 110, Issue 18521, 29 December 1931, Page 9

MYSTERY OF A PICTURE.

CHURCH DARKENED TO SHOW IT. “MR NOBODY, OF LONDON.” As Dr. F. \V. Norwood rose to begin his sermon at the City Temple, Holhorn, London, one night last month, I he church was plunged into darkness, and from the tloOr of the pulpit a single beam of light shone on a large "painting of Christ which stood on an easel behind him. Dr. Norwood, a black silhouette against the flood-lit painting, said: “Probably there is in this congregation a man who is an entire stranger to me hut lo whom thanks are due for this beautiful painting of Christ. It is by Ids request, indirectly communicated lo me, that, it is displayed and that 1 am to preach upon the text ■which gives I lie picturo its title, ‘lf thou hadst known.’

Vanished Entiroly. “This siranger name In the studio nr the artist, some months ago, saying that ha hail mafia, inriuirias as to the J man who might, best, lie, aide to carry out w ha I was in his mind. He said [ ho wan led a picture of Christ,. There I should he associated with it, llio ! thought of world kinship, and it, was I to l'o entitled, 'lf then hadst known.’ "Several times he came to the sluidlo to watch the progress of the pic-

lure, and finally he came to pay foi it. Then lie vanished entirely, lcaving no name nor address, hut merely requested that the painting should ba |-sent hero as a gift from L\lr Nobody* of London.’ ” The painting is the work of Mr \V« Longstaff, who was In the congregalion anil shows Christ stretching Randal of peace and protection over the twa hemispheres. ’ Dr. Norwood afterwards told a re* porter: “The identity of the is a mystery, hut I am not trying taj solve it. He has given the Gify Temple a very beautiful work of ar-fi which I trust will remain here fofl many years.”