CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 15, 2 August 1889, Page 5

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own Correspondent.) Dubing the past week or so the w?ather bus been simply delightful. Some of the days have been so warm us lo suggest the presence of j mild nor'-westers. It is quite a treat to see the paths dry, the air ) Clear, and to feel the sun again. On Saturday afternoon a curious atmospheric change took place. Poesibly the cleik of the weather Wanted to let us know that his stock of fog was not exhausted, and that be could still make things unpleasantly damp if he so wished. After Saturday 'a experience no one will question his power in that respect. About half-past thiee the sun was shining brightly, the &ky waß cloudless, the air perfectly clear, and everyone went about with a pleasant feeling that spring was not far distant. Suddenly a thick log came crawling over and down the Lyttelton hills. It steadily crept over the plains, and enveloped the wh >le city. In a very short •pace of time the warmth and tne sunshine departed, and the air became intensely cold. The fog was so heavy that in an hour after its appearance the moisture was dripping like rain from the trees overhanging the side walks. Let us hope that a montn's supply of mist has been summed up in this one. and that for this season we are done with these unpleasant visitants from across the hills. All the vagaries of the Christchurch climate I can endure with equanimity, except its fogs ; but these, I must say, are my special abhorrence in the climatic line.

Of course directly a start was made by the Irish residents here to prepare for the reception of the Delegates, the old system of anonymous writing to the newspapers condemning the movement was adopted by some little-minded persons. One letter signed " Union Jack " was a fair specimen of what a bigot ever ready to be on the rampage to stir up religious ill-feeiing can do, or rather would like to try to do. However, fortunately the intellectual ability of men of the stamp of •' Union Jack" who deliberately try to bring discredit upon their Catholic fellow-citizens is generally of a very inferior order. ■o that their power to inflict injury is not by any means in proportion to their desire to do so. Duubtless as the time for the visit of Mr. Dillon approaches nearer, the crop of savage anonymou3 correspondence will increase. But as such letters, if they were as thick as hail, will not, I am convinced, keep one shilling out of Mr. Dillon's pocket, or one person away from his meeting who intends to be there, I do not think that we need trouble ourselves much about such cowardly endeavours to injure a great cause. There has been some talk here about the Cbrtiachurch " loyalists " gettine up a counter demonstration, but like all such projects here I think it will end m a fizzle out.

The fight over the Representation Bill is causing a great deal of : excitement here. The democrats, of course, applaud the action of the stonewallers, while the fine old Conservatives, who would like to see acurb pui upon the power that democracy wields in the towns, do not approve of the obstruction of the town members, and would like to see ihe Premier rush bis little Bill through thi House. As it wouhl undoub ealy be a very bad thing for the country for the landed cla^s to get such an undue amount of influence in their hands as this Bill would give thtni, I must cay that all my sympathies go with the btoncwallers, and 1 hupe they will succee I m blocking tni' Bill until the Government is obliged to withdraw it. The constituents of toe city ui_inbers wuj have opposj'i the Hepiesent.ition Bill should give their representatives on then return after the session a leceptiou worthy of the gallant fijht they have wage! in defence of the rights of city vuters and in tbc cause of Liberalism. I thiak if the city el- cturs gui c understood th" drift of 'he bill, .uul wh.r an entiiely C >m( j i vative measure it i«. the probsts apamst \i win.l 1 be much more vigorous than they have been. It is unjust and tjr.nnical. Any man who calls himself the workiugman's fri-'nd, .uid supports the R-presuitntion Bill in the House odsjht to be made by the woikmgmen to feel at the next general cl- ctiou. tliat they know how to punish a traitor to their real interests. Oj baturday Eight a meeting was held here for the purpose of piot* '■tint; against the Bill, but the majority of the speeches wore not lemarkable for point or vigoui. One speaker, however, who, I beln-\e. i-. Bomewhat view to a Cnris'chuioh platform, nude a rcmaikablj noli' and eloquent speech. Itut was the brother of Mr. liussell, a wellknown Odrrister in this city. Mr. Russell did not handle tbc Bill with the gloves on. He dealt wi'h it pretty roughl}', anil ehowe 1 .is bearers what it really meant. It is a pity tbat there are n t more public speakers in Christchurch of this gentleman's mental ca line. I hope we shall hear of him again.

No answer has as jet, been icceived from Melbourne by the secretary of the Reception Committee, m response to the request sent ' that Chustchurch might be placed upon Mr. Dillon's Nuw Zealand programme. No doubt, thougn, in due course the reply will come. Fathers O'Uonnell and O'Connor are, I believe, already working up their respective parishes. So I shall expect to have tnc pleasure of 1 recoriing the fact that Rangiora and Darfield will do jeoraan's ec- ' vices in welcoming the delegates, and in supplying respectable little piles of coin for the purpose of swelling the Cauteibury contributions to the National fund. Father Donnelly, of Oamaru, was in town last week. The Christchurch Press has spoken very favourably of Mrs MacPheison's little story, and piophesies that she has a future before her as a writer. I regret to say that Mr. P. Henly, of Shaud's Tiae-k, has been suffering from a somewhat severe attack of bronchitis. It is to be hoped that, like Richard, he will soon be himself again. ' His Lordship the Bishop appeals to have recovered from Ins indisposition. He was in (Jhurch on Sunday and spoke a few words of thanks to the members of the St. Vincent de Paul Society for the work which they hai done in assisting the poor. Mr. E. O'Connor has at length got his "double-breasted mansion " in Barbadoes Street into a habitable condition. The new dwelling house is quite an imposing structure and adds considerably to the appearance of Barbudoes Street South. Patrons of Mr. O'Con-

nor's book depot can henceforth depend upon finding him on the premises, since the shop and dwelling house are now combined.

Father CumminL'a has returnel from hii wandnrmg into internal Canteibury, a^d much to the satisfaction of his parishioners, has settled down at home for a time.

On tne Feast of St. Anne, the anniversary of the Bishop's cjusecration, there was Solemn Benediction iv the cveni: g.

At eleven o'ciock church on Sunday Father Cummin^s drew attention 111 1 thf* concrc which is te"> be «iven on the eighth uC Augustm ant ef the p troc iial schools. This, he slid. wasan easy way of assisting the school fand, and he hoped that everyone woald mcogmso it as their duty to be present at the concert In addition to the pleasure which aiises from the performance of a duty, those who at end the concert will have another pleasnre in store, namely that of listening to some very good music. Mr. H. 11. Loughnan is to act as conductor and tbat fac. alone should be sufficient guani'itep ot the treat which will await pations of the concert. Les' it should not be sufficient, however. I way mention that Mrs. Townend. Mrs X llv. Mips Grace Penuer, and iSIr. Buschell are araons; the singei?. It this mtimdion will not bring large numbers to the concert, then people niu-t Want au awlul lot for their money.

1 have just reid the fVst aDtmil rep irt of the. St. Vincent da Paul Society, aud I mva 1 say th.it I have been much surprised at the amount of woik which the Brothers of the St. Vincent do Paul have managed to accomplish in so fliort a timp. It is just a year ago since the Christchurch branch w.13 put upon it 3 present footing by the Bishop. A ladies' branch of the Society had been in exigence for some ume betore, but it was in a somewhat hnguishing condition. 'Ihe Bishop then called togtther a few gentlemen, ixpl-inei 'h- objects of the S iciety, and urged upon them th" desirability of t king up the work of the great St. Vincent. This was done. The ass )dauon was ver^ small, but, in spite of all difficult'^, tne little baud of di ciplei of this great lover of the poor have stui<z<;l<d on, and have done a surpr sing amount of work in the way oi '.Jieving- d'STess. Out of t h u 1 r suiah funds as many as four hu- ilr.'il uideis haw be n given foi food, clothing, anil tiring. Au analysis ot these orders shows that on^ thousand people have received aid fumi th i St. Vincent de I'aul S ciety. It must be remembered tbat the. Society numb i 3i 3 comparatively Low members, and tint 011 them tt.c \voik falls veiy heavily. It it> difficult to imagine why tiis woik, w ich is so estimable in itself, should be left to the few, Everyone p ofes-es to htre sjmpathy with the pour, but that sympathy, I am sjay to say, dots do Bi-m to tike a prac ical suape. If it <hd, the m mbeis of the St. Vincent de Paul would be greater in. numbers than they are. This profeirSJ.l sympathy with the poor generally means just a little sentimental talk at the firesule, but it does not mean thit people bhould practis-c the smallest effjrt at self- lenial to relieve the distress which the/ so glibly commis'rate. I have seen, good Christian people billing btfoie a fjoo'l blazing file, eujoying their comfortable evening meal, whi c a poor, hungry-looking, shivering tell ny-creature has cone away troin t he door unfed and unwarmed, and I hive heard such people ta kof how ~ony they were for the poor. I woul 1 not give a &t! awfui sacn m mpathy, I would fa' rather utar a p rson say bard thiu^-. of ti e p »or. than say soft tbiug3 and do the hard ones. If there is no thin^ ti'i ivu auoth r wo en I detest it is this comfor abe, costless "syoip.rlo " wuich never i- backed up by a t: iv 1 01 g> neious action. At tr exp mnees wl 10 I had mysck ot laU amonir tn> p.^ir of this city I could qui'tj mi ler>t,iad F.ttoer (Juniram_'j feelings upon occanuh vi w.iLi 11 iif'iredua bunlaj. ]i • "-.xi i tli.it olt>:n in pres ie! uf tne dull despair generate i in pc ipl> ov <j;i 1 .<Unz poverty, tl <r he fdt n-li wn a to ink to tlum ot 1. ir 1 mity. and of the (> oviv.ii nee 1! (i d. iio>v cm any m ■ dk of cu.lll yl l ili J \vea vyhi''i'«i. ttia-:lil, h'Ursjij mo Ik 1 ot hunuiy c'r.ldivu, with the cupb ) <r.l emjii \ be-i lo her, h.-r b. ii b'anke'tK^-. her p h penuiless, her le.lt uii| aid, and notui'ig but ttje stie<. t b> toio her and htr h tie ones ; wn 11 ail lon ml her tbeiu aio p ■ ;ple p,,,l vsiv 5 i Chris'iamtv wno are level m_ r in lvixarj aud uevu- lii nl^n l^ (1 gi»i. <s. n sjluaiy --inlliDg to the po ir. Pc pie need not s^ake ;h ai ua is and biy that the priest overdi a\s s Ijit pictures of tue w. c c ledni S3 vs hieh ( xists 1 n this city : thatth it- is nu roil want, l-jtn-ie not? X, t tlio^ewlu think so go an i s aich for ihomstlvos aiid they will i| nckly di^c >\ei worse and m )ic pitiful oasci than the priest has evil dc-cnbuil. f have see-) hungry pcop'e' in this fair city. 1 have soul 1 1 homes ia which want Ins a^ 6ur«'ly as it did by the bidiide of .Miuiiebaha. I have s.en poor little babies h their fices pr che 1 and old looking, and the r bones almost fl >fhless b 'cmsi; th.'\ ham it enough to eat. and frujue ltly literally wnhoii a rag to their bicks. 1 have looked into empty cupboards and turned over then tbrea'i-bire blankets on poor beds o n cold floor*, in tins rich city. No one need button up their pickets wntn a chanty *erm v\ ii preacli i U m CluisVcliurch, because ih 'ir is no distress to iehi-ve. Th -ie 1-5 in lee-d, unhappily , nm jh aud iMre t.ted foi t' ■■ nnni--tiat.cins of sjcu b>cietieb as tint of fct. Vine, nt d ■ Pan) ; but if t ver\oae would do a little that d stress no'j' 1 bo mimmis d. As I have written el-ewheic, out of t< c w..ste I all tho want could be supplied.

At eleven o'clock Mass Father Cummings. as was announce! in Saturday s p^ei?, pi cached a ch.iuty m ..id i f tbc liuuls of thnSiciety. Ihe church was pretty full ;u.d 1 h pc th.it the cont.ihutioi.s weiv Miti'-tantial. Father Cummmus took tui hi->teU the :\:>l\\ vers-e of the XIII. chap. el. the Gtapi 1 ot fct. John. '• l>y thisshaU all m°M know that you arc my disciples it \ou hive luve. one for anothei." Our L rd, he said, not only Itftcommaniirm n's which were to guide the conduct of nun. but "tie alt-o letc upon th> en a strict injunction to love one anofku. J h -y had bjt-n mviUd there thai I day f r an especial purpose. In hatuuLiv s papeis theie was au advertisement headed " lleruember thepuni.' lie had been asked that day topkad thecau°e of the pooi. Hut was a ca'i.se fur wlnci saints had lived and died. It was a civs" d» ar to the bean of every i christi m, and especially dear to t,.c Sacred Heart of our Divine Lord. It was a great cause for which he pleaded, this- cause for which their I great patron St, Vincent de Paul lived. Men aud wom-n gloried m calling Liiemseivei brothers and si=ters of St. Vincent de Paul. Their [ object in beeomiucr disciples of St. Vin^eat was the noble one of ■ drying up the tears caused by poverty, He hoped that he should by

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able to stimulate others to do likewise. He then briefly sketched the corrupt aud hollow state of society in France in the sixteenth century when St. Vincent de Paul arose as the friend, the deathless friend of the i oar. Women had so far forgotten the maternal instinct as to abannon their little ones. There were no hospitals, no foundling institutions, no Magdalen Asylums. The rich were vicious and the poor were plunged in misery. Then as now and in all the preceding countries since her foundation, the Church preached the doctrines of fraternal love. Like her Divine Master, she made use of bumble instruments to advance her designs, and called forth the Pyrenean shepherd to become the undying friend of the poor. The three great loves in tbe heart of Jesus Christ were love for bis Eternal Father, for his Church, and for bis poor. St VinceDt de P&ul laboured all bis life to master these three affections. It was especially in his love fcr the poor that the great virtue shone of this immortal hero of Christianity. On snowy winter nights he was seen in the streets of Paris carrying beneath his cloak little ones who had be ca abandoned ;he stood by the graves of the friendless, and visited the prisons. To him we owe the existence of some of our most beautiful charitable institutions. Let us, then, assist in this work of St. Vincent. The principles of the Society which bore his name were so broad and liberal in spirit as to deserve support fiom everyone. All could give a shilling or sixpence to aid in the good work. It wa3 a positive duty on the part of Catholics to do this. Those who go into the homes of the poor know how firmly poverty lays its grim hand upon its victims, and are familiar with bare roomsjand poor pallets, with pale shrunken cheeks and despairing eyes. Under poverty's grasp people grew eulleu and looked with distrust upon the world. He had often felt it a mockery to talk to them of charity and of God's providence. He concluded with an earnest appeal to his hearers as Catholic men and women to assist the Brothers and Sisters of St. Vincent De Paul in their noble work.

I mentioned tome time ago that Mr. Bracken had in hand an interesting lecture, entitled " The Battle of tt c Boyne," in which he proposed to show that there was something good to be said for the valour displayed upon memorable occasions bjtn beneath the orange and the green banner. Mr. Bracken is advertised to give this lecture in the Oddfellow's Hall, on Monday night. Much interest is taken in the lecture, and there is sure to be a good house.