TIMARU.

Freethought Review, Volume II, Issue 21, 1 June 1885, Page 5

TIMARU.

We have to thank Mr. Robertson for the following items > — i Mo Fred Crook, Secular lecturer, delivered two lectures in the Theatre Royal here on Sunday evenings, May 10th and 17th. “ The Shadows of London,” and “ Money and Misery ’’were the subjects, both of which were handled by the lecturer in a highly graphic and entertaining manner. There was a very good attendance at both lectures, and the applause was loud and frequent. Mr. Crook possesses an almost inexhaustible fund of humour, is a really capital mimic, and is gifted with an amount of dramatic force and talent far beyond the ordinary run of lecturers. His descriptions and imitations of the various characters he has met are irresistibly droll, and create no end of amusement. He has also great command over the finer sensibilities of his audience, and some of the pictures drawn by him are pathetic in the extreme. His lectures deal chiefly with the causes of poverty and the social inequalities of modern society, and he bitterly denounces private ownership in land as one of the chief causes, if not the chief cause, of poverty and destitution, He is a firm believer in and an uncompromising disciple of Henry George, whose proposals, he thinks, if carried into practical effect would do more to remove the social cancer that is eating into the very heart of modern society than any other remedy that has yet been suggested. In giving expression to theee views Mr. Crook had his audience entirely with him, a fact which clearly indicated the direction in which modern thought is travelling, Mr. Crook has been very fairly treated by the Press of this town, which is m wonder, considering that newspapers generally range themselves on the side of property, and are usually eager to resist any interference with what they are pleased to call " existing rights,” Concerning the opening of the theatre on Sunday evenings for Secular purposes, the clergy have remained studiously silent. I was rather surprised at this, as they are generally ready to denounce any attempt to break in upon the sanctity of the Sabbath. They have hitherto looked upon the Sabbath as their special property, and have looked upon any effort to secularise it as an unwarranted interference with “ existing rights.” The clergy are a long time in learning anything, but the fact is being slowly forced upon them that they are as powerless to stem the tide of infidelity that is setting in on every side of them as they would be to sweep back the Atlantic ocean with a broom. lam glad to say that Mr. Crook’s visit has been productive of some practical good, inasmuch as it has been the cause of a few gentlemen combining for the purpose of establishing a Freethought Association in Titnaru. It will no doubt be some time before we are strong enough to make our influence felt in the place, but as the saying is, we must “ creep before we gang.” We will require to meet in private until such time as we feel ourselves sufficiently strong to throw our meetings open to the public. Our society earnestly invites the assistance and co-operation of its elder brothers in any way in which they are able to assist us, I will report progress from time to time, and keep you well posted up as to the state of Freethought in this part of the colony, I am, &c., James Robertson, Secretary, pro km.