CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 20, 6 September 1889, Page 5

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

THE sensation of the hour here is Mr. "Evangelist" Sullivan, o* whose revival services I before spoke. As everyone pretty well knows, this fellow claims to be the brother of the notorious pugilist. His story was that he had reached that pinnacle of distinction which all rantiog " converts " claim to have reached, namely, that of having cet all moral laws so much at defiance that even demons must have turned green with envy at witnessing Buch proficiency in the art of committing evil. When he had left in the Christian code no Bound places in which he could make fresh breaches, Mr. Sullivan, according to his own account, became converted, and forthwith had a brand new heart given to him. Burning with zeal, he then yearned to be the means of causing others to become the happy owners of burnished up hearts. Fired with this desire, be set out upon his travels from Auckland, the scene of bis conversion, and commenced to "do " New Zealand — evangelically, of course — and worked his way down to this city a couple of weeks ago. Here he was received with open arms as a very fine " brand " indeed, over the rescue of which there was much rejoicing. His welcome by the Presbyterian body was especially warm. In St. Paul's, the leading Presbyterian church in Cbristchurch he gave a mission," and drew crowds. Ladies young and old, went to hear him, and came away charmed with the fervour, fine voice, and good looks of the dashing " convert." Everything was working splendidly for Sullivan. His popularity was daily increasing. The churches were competing as to which should have the broad-viewed and broad-shouldered white-washed "great sinner" next. He had not pinned himself down to one sect, and so could go the rounds of every church where there were dollars to rake in, and he was gathering in the dollars finely, though, of course, filthy lucre had nothiog to do with his vigorous proclamation of the glorious news. Jußt as fortune seemed to have placed the ball at the feet of the " reformed atheist," up came fate in the shape of an actor who had been chums with the '• evangelist " on the " other Bide," and ruthlessly kicked it away. Subsequant to the actor's arrival in this city, rumours began to eet afloat about Sullivan, and it began to be paid that he was not Sullivan at all but that his name was Arthur Clamper,, and he had come out to Sydney as a swimmer, that he had at one time been a Catholic priest, etc. In short, grave doubts were cast upon the genuineness of his accounts, both past and present, concerning himself. At this stage an intermeddling journalist got on his track and interviewed him aa to his past career. Mr. Sullivan deemed it prudent to be very close as to that. Like lapo he resolved to pin his faith to silence as to his antecedents, so far as bis early life waa concerned. He was frankness itself in regard to the legitimacy of his clainw to be a great sinner, and freely confessed that in that respect he had left the enemy of mankind nothing further to desire. In proof of the fact that bis life bad not been paeNd in drawing-rooms.'he exhibited to his interviewer the marks of stabs on the backs of Ma hands, a scar on his ear, &nd a broken jaw bone. I have heard an old Texan Bay that those stabs on the

backs of the hands are very much like the brands of battle tha persons who wrongfully seek to seize the pool at * card party in hi part of the globe usually bear away with them as a reminder of their dishonesty. Anyhow the stabs are there. /Whether in his unregenerate days Mr. Sullivan did seek to grab the stakes or not I cannot say. He does, however, seem to keep a pretty steady eye on the " pool " in the churches, and takes care to get the lion's share. His actor friend emphatically states that Sullivan is a now. de " mission " assumed for effect, and further says that Sullivan or Olampetl expressed his determination in Auckland to makeNewjZealand keep him. The " conversion " dodge is his mode of putting that laudable plan in practice. Christchurch has seconded him capitally, and bas been " keeping " him in clover. He has been lodging with a well-known clergyman, and is netting a handsome sum. After all the stories that have been circulated about the great " convert," and especially after direct charges against his veracity which appeared in one of the evening papers about him, there is an " uneasy " feeling in town about bis genuineness. In appearance be is a black-haired, swarthycomplexioned man. His eyes are dark ; his forehead broad ; his nose straight, and his mouth small and shaded with a black moustache which is all the beard he wean ; he is massively built ; his expression is most resolute ; his neck is short and thick. Thereia certainly nothing very spiritual-looking about him. His photos, exhibiting him in various pugilistic poses, are about the town. From these photos, I should think that even his most ardent admirers must conclude that their idol lacks the possession of two very eminent Christian virtues— modesty and humility* Somehow, at one looks at him and his disgusting-looking photos, one is reminded of the veiled prophet, and one can picture his sardonic mirth at the credulity of the gulls wbom he is befooling. The whole business of Sullivan's " mission " would be simply amusing were it not for the reflection that it is this kind of thing which brings religion into contempt. Any hypocritical swaddler who cornea along with the name of the Redeemer of mankind upon bis impure lips is taken by the hand, and petted and pampered, and set upon a pedestal to be worshipped by people whose shoes he is not fit to tie, while be ladles out to them bis vile reminiBences of a vile life mixed np with £he Gospel, It ii little wonder that in 6uch exhibitions the unthinking, scoffing individual finds abundant food for his jeers at Christianity. I waa not wrong, after all, in my surmise that the new parish priest of Lyttelton waa to come from Ahaura. It is not Father Bowers, however, but Father Laverty, whose arrival in the Colony I chronicled some months ago. Father Laverty is sure to become very popular at Lyttelton. He is a young man of very unassuming manner, but promises to become an excellent speaker. He is imbued with a vtry fervent, attachment to his native land. Next to being a good priest, that is, I tkink, the besUhat can be said of anVlrisVpriest. Like his predecessor, Father Kfckham, h« is, I think, a priest of All Hallows, and that should be another recommendation to the favour of his parishioners. I most heartily congratulate Father Laverty upon his promotion.

The band concert was very well attended. The audience would probably have been larger only for the Musical Society's concert in the Rink occurring upon the same night. The stage manager at the band concert did not exercise quite sufficient care in providing stage properties. However the whole affair went off very well indeed. The performances of the band were much appreciated. The members are evidently progressing under Mr. Mohr's instruction. Miss Pender's singing was, as it always is, a treat. The band should choose the time for their concerts better. The date is a little too soon after the Brothers concert, and owing to the reason which I havo stated the night was not well chosen.

Brother Damien, lam glad to say, is convalescent. The honsc has not killed him this time.

The petformance of " The Ancient Mariner " by the Musical Society was a great success. Coleridge's weird poem, was wedded to appropriate mueic, which was very fairly interpreted by the Society. The Rink is wholly unsnited for concens. It is a wretchedly cold great barrack of a place with draughts through every inch of space in the hall. The audience must have felt as shivery as the Ancient Mariner himself.

Nothing further has been done I think in regard to the reception of the Delegates. Mr. Winter's inexplicable silence has placed the committee at a disadvantage. I was in Mr. Lonargan's new shop on Saturday — at least I explored the ground floor. There were ovtr a hundred men at work. The rhythmic sound of the falling on the timber, though somewhat deafening, was not altogether unpleasing. On Sunday next devotions will be opened to the Sacred Heart at Rangiora. At eleven o'clock Mass on Sunday, Father Cummings requested every ooe to do their best to promote the devotions of the Apostleship of Prayer.

His Lordship the Bishop is giving a series of lectures on Sunday evenings on the Sacrament of Penance.

Confirmation will be administered by the Bishop in the Cathedral on Rosary Sunday. Candidates for the Sacrament must prepare and send in their names to the priests or Brothers.

Father Cu minings said on Sunday that a great many converts to the Church had been made during the past year. I have not heard how the Darfield presbytery is progressing, but I should think it is about time that the last nail was driven home in it.

Mrs. Delia Parnell, the Irish leader's mother, will be 73 years old the third day of February, 1890.

The Czar of Russia refuses to permit the young Prince Philip of Hohenlohe to accept his portion of the estate of his deceased uncle, Prince Wittgenstein. This decision of the Czar causes intense irritation in Berlin, for although Prince Philip has become a Russian by naturalisation, he is the son of Prince Hohenlohe, the German Governor of Alsace-Lorraine, and the Czar's action i» felt to be a blow aimed at Germany and the Germans, the more especially as the claim of the young Prince was vigorously supported by Prince Biemarch,

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