Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 28 July 1910, Page 1184

Notes

‘ The Fox Chase * There has been much discussion in Dublin papers concerning The Fox Chase,’ a composition of great variety which it seems can be rendered with full justice only on Irish pipes. It consists of the gathering of the hunters and hounds the tallyho, the chase, the death, lamentation and rox-imnters song, and is imitative throughout. According to America, there are only about seven pipers in Ireland who can render it in its entirety, and one outside of Ireland, Mr. Patrick Tuohy, of New York, who is admitted to be the world s champion piper.’ He has a phonograph record of the best version of this famous Irish tune. A Meaningless ‘ Explanation ’ An analogy even when it is a real and apt analogydoes not perhaps, prove very much, but it is at times distinctly illuminating. In the following passage taken from a recent book The Venture of Rational Faith, by Margaret Benson—the writer suggests very effectively, by means of an illustration, one of the reasons, at least, for much of the supposed opposition between religion and science, and shows, also, how and why the purely materialist explanation of the universe so hopelessly fails. * Miss Benson says:—‘We introduce a completely deaf man into a party of people who are watching a pianist play on a grand piano of which the lid is lifted. The deaf man watches the changing expression of musician and audience, learns that there is a sympathetic experience, and understands the applause; but for explanation has only the moving fingers, the little leaping notes and vibrating wires and wood ’By dint of observation he forms a complete theory, founded on sight and touch, knows what will affect pathetically, cheerfully, enthusiastically. His theory is quite complete , he only omits one thing, the end and origin of the whole, that for which the piano -was made and that which the jumping notes produce—namely, the music. His explanation is quite complete and quite correctonly it is quite meaningless. It opposes the true theory by its negations and omissions, while the real explanation of the scene does not oppose, but includes, all that the deaf man has discovered.’

Mr. Stead on the Roosevelt Incident ‘The evil consequences of too much zeal,’ writes Mr. W. T. Stead in the Review of Reviews, ‘have been aptly illustrated by the conduct of the Rev. B. M. Tipple, who is, unfortunately, at present stationed by the American Methodists at the church in Rome. When Vice-President Fairbanks went to the Eternal City, he, being a Methodist pi onnsed to speak to the Methodists. He was then told, that this engagement rendered it impossible for him to have an audience with the Pope. When Mr. Roosevelt came along he was told in advance that the Pope would ™i 011 condition he would promise not to visit the Methodists. There seems to have been some lack of diplomacy in the conveyance of the message. Merry del Val does not appear to have the suppleness of Rampolla. Mi . Roosevelt, of course, said that he had not contemplated addressing the Methodists, but that he would not purchase an audience with the Pope by limiting his liberty to go where he pleased. « , Some people wondered, who had not been in Rome, that the Pope should have been so touchy. Mr. Roosevelt, if he had not been so much of a bull in a china shop, might have adjusted the matter without difficulty. . The Pope did not apparently object to him receiving the head of the Freemasons, whom he regards as far more deadly enemies than Methodists. Opinion was about equally divided on the subject, when the Rev. Dr. Tipple brought everyone round to the Pope’s side by issuing a veritable war-whoop. Speaking on the Roosevelt incident, this Methodist Boanerges declared that Mr. Roosevelt had maintained the dignity of American manhood in the face of Vatican tyranny: “I wonder how many doses of this sort American Catholics will take before they revolt. Is Catholicism in America to be American or Romish ? If Romish, then every patriotic American should rise to crush it, for Roman Catholicism is the uncompromising foe of freedom. . . _ The world advances, but the Vatican never.” There is another thing that does not advance, and that is Orange bigotry and intolerance. But the sooner Dr. Tipple is advanced to some other cure of souls than that of the American Methodists in Rome, the better it will be alike for America, for Methodism, for Rome, and for Dr. Tipple himself.’ *