MUSINGS and MEDITATIONS

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIX, Issue 1, 6 July 1907, Page 24

MUSINGS and MEDITATIONS

By

WOODEN SHANTIES. It is curious how easily the public ear is caught by a phrase. Such phrases as "The thin red line.” "'Peace with honour." "Three acres and a cow." "Give Massey a chance," and “Give it to Dufty," have all at one time or another reigned supreme in the public mind. Just at present the episcopal description oi our churches as "wooden shanties" is much exercising the attention of the more devout of the various people who write for the papers. Had the Bishop said "wooden buildings." no one would have concerned himself with the matter, but the word “shanty” has drawn down much wrath on his devoted Head. And yet the word itself means no more than a w den house, and is probably derived from the French word “ehantier,” a timber yard, and because wooden structures ate in most countries looked upon as merely temporary erections the word eame to mean an inferior kind of building. Most correspondents point out that it is the worshipper and not the building that makes the reality of worship. But' the building often bespeaks the mind of the congregation, and it is a fact in many places that while palatial edifices are erected for government purposes, or hotels, or police stations, er lunatic asylums, very little by comparison is spent on the House oi God. Our tag cathedrals at home were bt:ilt not when England was wealthy, bit when England was, comparatively speaking, poor. They were built when England was guided by ideals, anc their fine pointed architecture and magnificent r and tapering spires all speak to the desire oi the nation to give of their best to God. But in a new country like New Zealand it is not easy to get together. the stone for large and magnificent buildings. In many email country p lace- the small and rude settlers' ehurea represents much self-saerifie* that has gb- towards its erection. More than one f these little wooden buildings of plain, tir.iinel weatherboards, with a few rude benches and a table for furniture may represent quite as much devotion and generoaty as the most costly and stately athedraL People do not always realise how poor some oi the country people are. They take up land with only a few pounds of capital, and live mainly from hand to mouth on the scanty produce of their farm. Many a man. while* he is getting his place in order and waiting for some return from b> land, has bad to support his whole family on less than a pound a week. In many districts it would be a hard matter to raise ten pounds in ready cash from toe whole neighbourhood. Therefore a ehumh. however small, has to be ba • nainly by the personal work of the settlers. One man gives the ground, and another pays for the deeds. Then t * gr and r« cleared by a working bee c-n Saturday aftern tons. Tie fen ng ha- then to be taken in hail. Poets are -; : from tie beat timber available, •»i the storekeeper provides the wire at a tun! cost- Before the building is coarmenced a considerable expenditure in each and labour is necessary. The de•ig - is generally prepared by a snail Committee. and they endeavour to make the money go as far as possible in the dir- • n of proviling the largest amount •f accooutioalatw*. Such a building

Dog Toby

when erected has but little of the ornamental, and only those acquainted with life in the back-blocks can realise at all adequately the large amount of willing labour an 1 self-sacrifice that his gone towards the erection of this little church. But what the Bishop meant when he referred to wooden buildings was not churches such as these. He meant that if people in our large towns gave in proportion as these country people do. we should have better buildings. The wooden shanty in the country does often put to shame the more pretentious edifice in the city. Our finest building is the police station, .me of our worst is the University. Our railway station is literally a wooden shanty. Auckland needs good buildings, and when we make a start with a Town. Hals, a new University, and a new station and Post Office, it may be that we shall also erect si cathedral that shall be a fitting witness t. >ur belief in religion as the mainstay of national life.