Scotch Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 6, 1 June 1888, Page 2

Scotch Notes.

Pbofessok Blackie has been giving some original advice in Edinburgh as to temperance and lugubrious religion. In one address he dwelt on the advantages of total abstinence, quoting Shakespeare and the Sermon on the Mount in support of it. His conclusion, however, was a little inconsistent as he declared that, were he to visit the house of a total abstainer and find water ouly placed before him, be would consider that his host was neither a gentleman nor a Christian. In another address the Professor recommended solemn -souled ministers to search the Psalms that they might find there David and the dancing-girls. Possibly were the Professor's favourite heroine, Jenny Geddes, to revißit the glimpses of the moon, she might be inclined to repeat her world-renowned feat for his particular benefit. Was not thac stool ilung by her in thejinterests of lugubrious religion?

Lugubrious religion in Scotland, however, has still its advocates. The Rev. Jacob Primmer, for example, speaking of late, one Sunday evening ia rhe Townhill church, Dumfermline, referred with horror to a contemplated breach of the Sabbath, which, but for the intercession of certain ministers with the Provost and magistrates must be at that very moment taking place in Stirling, where some godless people had intended to hold a performance of Handel's Messiah. But lo one, added the Rev. Jacob, had intervened to prevent the

Service of Song at that moment being rendered by Sabbath-school children in the Abbey church of tbe town where he was preaching. It was all a sensuous display, he added, meant to tickle the ear, and make money. There was no worship in it, and the churches were being turned into concert halls. The Sabbath, lamented tbe preacher, bade fair to follow the fast days, and become extinct through the perversion of merry-making. There are people whose being is too fully permeated by lugubrious religion to admit of its dying an easy death, and above all in Scotland.

An extensive trade in smuggled tobacco has been discovered at Greeaock. It bad long been known to the authorities that such a trade was being carried on, and a clue was at length found by which it was revealed that the vessels carrying the contraband article disposed of it at a certain point ia the Futh a little above Inverkip The coastguard were placed on the alert, and on the arrival a few weeks ago of the s.s. Ovington from Hamburgh, suspicions were confirmed, and extensive seizures made. Vigorous steps will be taken to bring the offenders to justice, and to put an end to this evil practice in which they have long been engaged.

Systematic emigration has set in among the fishermen and farmers. A large party of the former from Cockenzie and Prestonpans have recently left for Buenos Ayres, and a first detaohment of the latter have sailed for North-West Canada. They go under the auspices of the Commercial Colonisation Company of Manitoba, which places them on homesteads granted by the Government of the State. The Company builds houses and prepares the land before the arrival of the immigrants, and afterwards supplies them with stock and implements — the outlay to be refunded by a series of deferred payments extending over fifteen years.

At Olashmore in Assynt matters among the crofters seem to have settled down. The dykes levelled by them have been rebuilt without their interfering. At Strathy, however, a great Land League demonstration has taken place where it was protested that, although the people were recommended to 30 to British Columbia, they would not do so while thousands of acres in the Highlands were wildernesses for sheep and deer. The land, of which their forefathers had been unjustly deprived, they claimed must be returned to them. Meantime, the lease of the deer-forest of Strathalladale, extending over some twenty miles of country, and which was the scene of a portion of the heart-rending Sutherland evictions of seventy years ago, has run out, and the Duke of Sutherland offers the land to the crofters. It is to be hoped that this may be an example that will be followed, and that a better stae of things may be initiated by it. What may perhaps seem favourable to this hope is the announcement that it is the intention of Mr. Winans, the American monopolist, to give up the leases of the forests he holds, in Ross-shire and Inverness-shire, comprising some 260,000 acres. He has already surrendered Lord Lovat's forest of Glenstrathfarrar, which is now let 10 the millionaire Vanderbilt.

Catholics have scored a great victory in the recent school board elections by the return of several priests. Four have been returned for South Uist; one, Father CunniDgham, for Busby ; one, Father Turrer, for Queensferry ; Eev. D. Glancy for Alottierwell ; Rev. Father Mullin for Slamanin ; Very Key. Canon Meagber for Addington ; Father Power for Kilmarnock ; Father C. M' Donald for Glengarry ; the Bey. Dean Turner for Dumfries ; Mgr. Munro., Father Maginn, for Glasgow ; Father iSockead for Kilbartbam ; Father Macintosh for Ardrossan ; Father Black for Wishaw ; Father L. de Backer for Hamilton ; Father E. de Backer for Cardross ; and Father Brown for Dumbarton.

In accordance with the desire of^the Bishop of Argyle and the Isles, the Catholics of the diocese have authorised his Lordship to convey to the Holy Father their earnest wish that St. Columba may be finally declared their patron saint. If this bu done, as we may believe it will, a strong bond of union will be established between the Catholics of Scotland and those of Ireland. Ireland never owned a more ardently-loviDg son than St. Columba, and among the Irish people devotion to him is intense.

It seems that the people of Cockenzie are highly favoured, far above those of Prestonpans. In the former town several notable conversions have taken place, while in the latter town the " old man " shows no disposition of yielding to spiritual influences. The matter was urgently brought under the notice of the unconverted, and apparently unconvertable, the other Sunday evening by a minister who laid before his congregation the mercies vouchsafed in the neighbouring town, as contrasted with their own hardness of heart. "My God, what ails ye at Preetonpans ? O Lord, what ails ye at Prestonpans ?" he cried. But— will it be believed ?— instead of stirring the unrepentant heart 1o contrition, he excited the unrepentant temper to indignation, and has been sharply taken to task for his exhortations.

A sensation has been caused by tie exposure made by the Scotsman of Mrs. Gordon Baillie, a lady who posed as the friend of the crofters, and had pretended to make a voyage to Australia and New Zealand in aid of them. She turns out to be no Mrs. Gordon Baillie but an adventuiess remarkable principally for her extreme impudence and dishonesty, and for having imposed on many people who might nave been thought wiser than to have been so taken in.

Lovers cf poultry are all agog about a breed of fowls known as the Minorca. The hens are said to lay on an average 200 eggs annaally. A club has been formed at Stirling to promote the spread of the breed in Scotland.

The German Government have shown their good will by giving permission for a selection of pictures and sculpture from the National

Gallery at Berlin to be sent to the exhibition abaut to be held in Glasgow.