CHRISTCHURCH CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN'S SOCIETY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 392, 15 October 1880, Page 15

CHRISTCHURCH CATHOLIC YOUNG MEN'S SOCIETY.

The above Society has within the last three months advanced in a manner that none could possibly have anticipated. For some time prior to that it may be said to have fallen into a state of lethargy ; the attendances at the meetings were not as they should have becu tho business of the Society was rather of a dry and unentertaiuing nature, and nianj' of the members betrayed a want of interest in it, which hail a very prejudicial effect. But now quite a different situation obtains, tho meetings arc extremely well attended, excellent debates arc periodically taking place, and a course of lectures has been commenced, which bids fair to be productive of the most beneficial results. Many reasons might be given to account for the great progress and success of the society, but it is to these lectures that that progress is principally due. They serve as a most agreeable relief to the ordinary though excellent business oE the meetings, and as a natural consequence they have been invested with an amount of interest altogether previously unknown. A spirit of emulation, too. has been created by them which cannot be other than most advantageous to all, ana also they have opened up a source of the most varied and useful information. Nor is the delivery of these lectures confined to the members alone, but through the indefatigable zeal of their spiritual director, the Rev. Father Dcvoy, leading gentlemen of the parish, have been induced to offer their services in this respect. One of these Mr. Maskell, who is a member of the Philosophical Institute of Christchuvch, delivered last Wednesday evening a mobt instructive and entertaining lecture on the microscope and its uses. There was a very good attendance of the members, many visitors being also present, amongst whom were the venerable Father Yardin of Wellington, the Vicar-General of the Diocese, and Mr. Webb of Christchurch. The latter gentleman most kindly came down with Mr. Maskell to aid in arranging the .microscopes. Mr. I). ©"Sullivan, the President of the Society, on being voted to the chair, briefly introduced the lecturer, whom bii stated was surficiently knovvn to all present as a distinguished member of the Philosophical Institute, a gentleman well qualified to grace the position he was about to occupy, and therefore it was quite unneccssaiy for him to say that his lecture would prove a most able one, as that was confidently expected by all. Mr. Maskell, on coming forward, was greeted with great applause, and, after a few preliminary remarks, commenced his lecture. He stated that in the first place he would inform them as to the method he would follow in the delivery of the lecture. First of all he would say a few words with regard to the instrument itself, next he would advert to some of the uses to which it was applied, and then he would arrange a few objects for their examination which might serve to illustrate the matter upon whicU

™£- - Bpe S W J"$ micros cope was derived from two Greek words, micros small, and sltopeo I see, signifying a looker at small SSp^i T V n T, Yent u d abOut two hundred yearßy earß a S° itt a somewhat ZSXSffi ?\ h S en conßtantl y improved upon until it has reached its present state of perfection. Microscopes, as regards their power of magnifying were of all kinds. Some had the power of mngmfymg or.c hundred times, others to many millions of times, the natural s lze of the object placed under them. The chief uses of the microscope, those which rendered it of the greatest value to man, were not generally known, the ordinary idea entertained of it bein* that it was an instrument having no practical use in itself other than that of forming an agreeable means of gratifying the curious. This idea, he might say, was held by many of his friends, when it was known to them that he had become possessed of one, they thought it a childish whim on his part, and they found a way of expressing their ridicule by sending him various fleas, beetles, mosquitoes, etc., with hopes that they wouldn't bite him, or eiuWer his I safety m any way. He might say that if the microscope had no other use than that, at would not be of much practical value, but such was not the case. It has been of the greatest importance to medical ySrrHf? 1;™11110111.1 ;™ llllOlll . By its aid Harve y discovered the circulation of the blood ; were it not for it this truth would for ever remain as a theory and nothing else. Diseases, such as fever ?and diphtheria, were found to be produced by uncleanness, which would never have been clearly proved, if it were not for the microscope n/r* i n T*' the ,S uilt ° r innocence of a person accused orSffo,?T nde ?M 011 th °- question as to whether certain spote S«ST w ? a clot S? ° r mßtruments in bis possession were produced by blood or anything else, the microscope was of the greatest importance. With the naked eye it is an extremely difficult thine to decide whether stains on a knife had been produced by blood Tare the effects of rust, but when the microscope is brought in all doubts are instantly removed. But one of the grandest and most important uses of the microscope that it revealed in every thing in nature an abundance of life absolutely astonishing. Every thing around and above us, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the very dust we tread on, were found when examined to be perfectly swarming with living things. He would show them that evening some mud which had been dredeed from the bottom of Lyttelton Harbour, in which they would see some S,,M e « -^ ?e? c most . be^ utl ! aI > *c most exquisite of shells that could possibly be conceived. In fact every thing in nature, when subjected to the examination of the microscope, revealed a variety of torm, agorgeousnessof colour, an exquisiteness of design, so astonishing as to impress on the right understanding of the beholder a most exalted idea of the wisdom and power of the Creator. The above is * precis of the lecture greatly condensed, delivered in an easy, clear and simple manner, entirely unpretentious, but which nevertheless Vn^r? a rt an u°( *, he dec P esfc research and scientific knowledge. After Mr. Maskell had finished, he, aided by Mr. Webb arranrred the various objects he had brought with him for the meeting s inspection. For this purpose the microscopes were placed on each side of the large table in the society's room, a row of lamps being in the centre. After all had been completed those present bad tho rare pleasure of satisfying themselves to the fullest extent of the truth of all that had been stated. They saw in some of the objects placed for their examination a beauty of form and gorgeousness of colouring, the like of which is raicly ever soon by the naked After all had boon inspected, ?,ro. Mahalm rose and moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Maxell for all the trouble and inconvenience he had put himself to that evening for their entertainment and instruction, aud stated that night would mark an era in the society s history, fro m which the most advantageous results maybe expected. 1 his ; was seconded by Bro. Barrett, aud carried with great applause. Mr. Maskell, in the com so of his reply, stated that he would always be most willing to forward the interests of the society in any way he could, and if this were possible by giving lectures he would always most willing to aid in that respect. A vSte of thanks passed to the president for his conduct in the chair concluded one of tne most enjoyable meetings the society has held since its establish-

The Central Terminus Hotel, Duntdin, conducted by Mr Phil D is now open. This hotel is close to the railway terminus, commanding a fine position and offering to residents and visitors unrivalled accommodatioa of every kind. vwm. N 7 T T^ TT ° f n , OU /t S v, UbS^ ibcrSWh0 JJ m layliavc1 ayliavc ou llaDd c °Pies of the N. Z. 1 ablet of the dates appended will confer a great favour on us fraX^y^S™^- o*'0 *' 24 ' X ™"-' ' 79 ' *«eh 3. nM ™t a »^ aC ! £S °A° f St ' L ? uis cal]cd a sister in the church "an old cow She had him arraigned before a committee, which recommended his suspension, but a majority of the church voted against such punishment. That was the situation when, at a prayer meeting Deacon Jackson took bis accustomed place in the amen corner The pastor suggested that under the circumstances, he had better take a stoug|le nS aDd Bhe ° jeCted hira > afterf ter a violent .. ,l, lJ °^ th ° fading " A Good Example " the Ball, Express prints dent ™Th? f legram o FeTID ° y > M ° nda - V ' fro ™ its com££S W w TS cEoman Catholic congregations at the different mass-cs here yesterday were asked to pray for fine weather for the crops. The officiating clergyman at last Mass, the Rev. M. Higirins, said he thought Providence | might have sent 'he succession of bad harvests in consequence of the propagation of false doctrines by certain perKr M?nw CrC fT" t0 m J Slead the P °°P le - These teflchc ™ aied their fellowmcn to disregard the Commandment of God which says, nf ™ ! ♦ no s tea] ' whca they sefc forth theh . v . Qn y^ of property. Ihey also sought to have the commandment disregarded which tells us not to kill. He thanked God the people of this district were free from the taint of those teaching, which he regretted was not the case in other places.— Dublin Nation