CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVIII, Issue 5, 30 May 1890, Page 18

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From a special Correspondent.) THE Secretary of the Christchurch Early Closing Association has grown very wrath at a few innocent remarks which I made in my last letter anent the early closing movement in this city. So angry, indeed, was the worthy secretary that he felt impelled to write a long letter to the Tablet for the purpose of demolishing an enemy who was only an enemy in the "Honorary Secretary's" own imagination. I can solemnly assure Mr. Clarke that instead of being opposed to the early closing cause, the movement has my entire sympathy. He would not be better pleased himself than I would to see every shutter between St. Aloans and Linwood put up at six o'clock, or at five o clock, either, for that matter. But one may be a very enthusiMtic supporter of any cause and still claim the right to disapprove of the means by which that cause is sought to be gained. But apparently unless one is prepared to swear by every dot and cross on the i s and t s in Mr. Clarke's programme one must, in his opinion, be actuated by " malice prepense," or some other unworthy motive.in any remarks which one makes concerning his association. Having read his letter I feel more than ever that a little Balutary advice to any association of which he is secretary, as to the prudence of practising moderation in endeavouring to effect social reforms, would not be at all inapropos. Mr. Clarke must learn to be a little more tolerant than he is of other people's opinions, even when these opinions differ from his own. He must not be too ready to get his back up at every criticism upon the tactics of his association, nor waste his energies in running tilts at windmills which exist only in his own imagination Above all, he should curb the desire to unnecessarily rush into print. At least he should make it a rule, as " fixed as the Northern star " to never put bis pen to paper when he feels angry. If he will act upon this good advice, which in the friendliest spirit, and in the interests ol the association, I give him he will become a more level-headed man, and a more judicious secretary for a reform association than he is at present, and better fitted to pilot it to success. For some weeks past the first query on the lips of every second person whom one met in tbe street or elsewhere was "Have you read Looking Backward V " Then, without waiting for an answer, the querist would proceed to expatiate upon the merits of the bookGrand book that ; will cause a revolution in society. Bellamy's the man to paint the future. Another book-like that and poverty and oppression would be wiped out." And so on. Two or two-thirds or those who profess to admire the book so intensely have probably never read it at all, or, having glanced at its pages, parrot-Uke repeat the criticisms which they have heard from others; I have '1, * r j. c llamv ' s book ttee,w 'cc, and I must say that I have not been able to discover any very transcendent merit in it, either from a literary or philosophical point. It is not much more than a kind of modernised version of the old Grecian philosopher's dream of an ideal Btate, with a good scrap of Comtist-cum-Bickerfconian altruism worked in. Interv* oven with all this is the theory of every nation raising its own food, clothing, &c, and supplying the same to its people in big national stores. Under Mr. Bellamy's regime idleness would disappear, and with it its natural concomitant— poverty. To work will be compulsory upon everyone, and as everyone would be compelled to labour, labour could carry with it no degradation This would be all very well, but 1 would like to see to what system of train mg Mr. Bellamy would subject his grand industrial army before he would get them to come up to scratch and do their twenty.five years hard graft for a bare subsistence. Humanity, flB we know it at present, would require a longer drill than it could get in a hundred and ten years or so to bring it into such an altruistic frame of mmd as Mr. Ballamy paints it in the year 2000. On different occasions he makes one of his characters state that human nature had not changed, that it was just tbe same as it was when the Rip van Winkle of the book fell asleep. That is nonsense. .Human nature, as it has existed since we have had any record of its existence, would certainly have to undergo a most wonderful change before it could come to lose the element of selfishness which has ever been its leading characteristic and the chief incentive to human beings to perform labour of any kind. Mr. Bellamy's ideal social system and bis unaltered human nature are incompatible. Had he placed the date of his philosophical romance two thousand years hence and painted the slow progress of human nature from its present selfish individualism up to the unselfish socialism which he describes, pwS T* vl c b T n more artlßtic - Jt would hhea *c had the elements of feasibility about it. In his last chapter he justifies the rapid transition from the sociology of the nineteenth century to that Sh*™./ 6 v IWZ1 W Z thousand, by instancing certain great political changes which have taken place in the history of America and European nations in a comparatively short space of time. But a local £ni '£,■„ CbßDge J aDd a rftdical chan & e > in the thought and feeling an d actuating motives of the whole human race are two different things. A political change is the U Pnt- a7eß ml m ° ntb ' ° r even a day> A chan g e frora selfishness to entire unselfishness in the whole human race would be the work of ages, ais each nation its own producerand its own consumer scheme would not work, neither would bis elaborate plan of industrial volunteering. It would take some motive more powerful than public ?7l ,^. ma , ke the immediat e descendants the prototypes of some of the old jokers whom I saw skipping in and out of the Charitable amoitice a short time ago, come up to scratch to do their quarter of a century s hard graft for the State. It would take something more than 'moral suasion" and a dread of high interest, I think, to prevent the young bloods of Mr. Bellamy's golden age from pricking ott more than one year's credit cards in the twelve Months. His mode of arranging commcice between the different nations is more suggestive, surely of a reversion to a very primitive state of civilisation than to a perfected civilisation. Altogether, though it may be high treason to say so, seeing that Mr. Bellamy's book is regarded by many people as a kind of inspired humanitarian gospel tor the regeneration of tbe world, I thmk tbat his conception of

the brotherhood of man and of a federated world, though clever in many respects, has the fatal mark of utter impracticability upon it. As a panacea for existing evils tbe book is useless. Its theories are politically and philosophically unsound. From a literary point of view the book is inartistic. The story, as stories " with a purpose " should be, is not made an artistic setting for supposed truths. As a vehicle^ for conveyance to the world, in a popular form, of the chimerical reforms in the sociology of the civilised world, or a portion of it is altogether too heavy and lumbering. And worst of all, as I have inferred, the load which makes the wheels creak so much is practically valueless from a sociological and philosophical point of view. Far better would it be for writers like Mr. Bellamy to devote their abilities to advocating possible amelioration of poverty than the impossible abolition of it. Sorrow and suffering seem to be heavenordained conditions of human existence. It is vain to seek to entirely change those conditions. The wisest lips that ever spoke npon tbis earth have told us that there shall always be poor amongst us. That the human race shonld suffer is but the fulfilment of a Divine sentence which it is idle to dream of evading. The utmost that can be done is for the great human family to try to lighten that sentence for each other — to make the chains chafe a little less painfully upon each other's limbs. In order to learn their duty in that respect they need not go to the pages of Mr. Bellamy's ephemeral pamphlet. The lesson to " love one another," to " love your neighbour as yourself," is far more powerfully and more eloquently inculcated in other pages than his. That old lesson taught long ago and so awfully emphasised by the example of its Teacher seems to be forgotten, while people clap their hands and shout themselves hoarse with applause at what at best is but a new-fangled parody upon the sublime lesson which Christianity first taught of men's duty to each 01 her.

Another book which was lately recommended to me as very fine and would probably find admirers among those awfully clever people for whom Christianity has become altogether too slow and " unsatisfying," is entitled " The New Continent. 1 ' Since George Eliot and Edna Lyall made such a success of the hungering-after-truth kind of literature, the number of literary women who have endeavoured to follow in the same path has been legion. " Robert Elemere " seems to have given a new impetus to the production of books of the same kind. I must say that I have got, very much surfeited with books in which gigantically -aouled heroes or heroines grope after " truth " and wrestle agonisingly with doubt through the several hundreds of pageß of a novel. Tne " truth "-seeking heroine and hero in "The New Continent " are about as wishy-washy and as mentally knockkneed as the most colourless creatious of this kind are made now-a-days. These two people have great souls— bouls much too big for Christianity to fill, i always observe that rejecters of Christianity fatten up their vanity with the belief that their souls and minds are about ninety-nine and three-fourths per cent, bigger than their neighbours. Well, these two great souls in " The New Continent," after an exhaustive grubbing-ap of the old stumps of Christian superstition out of their minds, fill up the vacant holes with positivism. They throw themselves into the anna of the " new religion " and of each other at the same time. '• Ha, ha I " they cry, in effect, "we have found something worthy of our doubly-distilled and a thousand times refined double-barrelled worship. Humanity is our God. The " priest of positivism " to whom they betake themselves pats them on the head, and says, " The blessing of humanity be upon you," and dismisses them. The same jargon that these shallow- pated fools gabble in the bock one frequently hears talked by other shallow-pated fools in real lite, under the impression that they are making good their claim to be considered "advanced reasoners."

Mr. T. P. O'Connor's book, "The Great Irish Struggle," has just come to the hands of subscribers here. It is a handsomely got-up volume, and a most valuable addition to the National literature of Ireland. The cost of the book, 275, is somewhat high, but it is beautifully bound in green cloth with gold letters. It is printed on fine, thick paper, and plentifully illustrated with Jrepresentations of the Irish leaders and eviction scenes. The opening pages give a very five description of Mr. Parnel], of the birth in the House of Commons of the now famous and powerful party weapon "obstruction," and of its originator, Mr. Biggar. The writer then goes on to deal exhaustively with the " great Irish struggle." It is to be hoped that cheap editions of the work will be shortly issued. It is one which should be in the hands of all Irish people. The Rev. Father Halbwachs has departed for Shand's Track, and appears to be delighted with his new locale.

The text of the address which is being prepared for presentation to the Pope was published in the daily papers last week. The addreßS I believe, is to be a very unique and artistic affair when it is completed. The country districts are enthusiastically aiding the town in the matter.

For the first time, last Sunday I had a look at the township of Rangiora, and was very much surprised indeed to find it such a substantial little town. Tbe main street would not disgrace a city. The hotels and the banks are very fine buildings. In fact, it only wants a cathedral to make it a very respectable little in'-md city. While I was there a very large procession passed along the street and filed into the church. This was the funeral cortege of Miss Ellen Murray, the step-daughter of Mr. S Green, an old and much respected resident of Kangiora. The deceased young lady, who had grown up in the district, was much esteemed, and her death waa deeply deplored by a large circle ot friends and companions. Mr. Michael Lynskey, a son of Mr. Lynskey,of Kaiapoi, bids fair to make a name for himself in tbe scholastic world. This young fellow, who is not y b t twenty years of age, has studied to such good purpose in school and out of it that at the last teachers' examination he won the D certificate, and was at once appointed third master in the Kaiapoi school. The perseverance and the studionsness which have enabled him to attain so good a position at such an early age will undoubtedly help him to gain still greater distinction in the profession he has choseo.

Very great and widespread sympathy is felt all over Canterbury for the young widow of the late Captain Fitzgerald, wht wae

drowned up north a week or two ago. A very sad fate, indeed, ia hers. Seven moDths ago she was a bride. Now her new-made husband has been snatched from her in this tragic fashion.

lam very much pleased to be able to announce that at last the Brothers have a prospect of not having their existenca prematurely terminated by residence in the damp, dusky old hovel in which they are located. Their new house, I believe, is to bs begun immediately. The money for the building is to be borrowed at a low rate of interest. Twenty or twenty-five gentlemen guarantee to pay the interest, so apparently all difficulties in the way ot the Brothers obtaining a decent abode have vanished.

Brother Joseph, who has recently shown symptoms of succumbing to the unhealthiness of the old place, is recjvering from his indisposition.

Father O'Connor, too, according to the lwtest news of him, is becoming convalescent.

The weather gives indications of keeping fine for Father Le Menant's/ete. It is anticipated that there will be 10,000 people on the grounds.

Father Cummings, assisted only by Father Aubrey, must be finding his office of parish priest in Barbadoes street no sinecure. The work is very heavy indeed.

I learn from a private somce that our old friend, Mr. P. Leahy, who left us to reside in Dunedin eighteen months or so ago has joined the happy rank of Benedicts. His friends here, who are many, wish him all possible felicity on the auspicious occasion.

Father Le Menant'a lucky star is in the ascendant. Monday morning has brought with it glorious weather, so the last and most important conditioner the success of the great fete is fulfilled.