Musings by the Way.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume I, Issue 5, 1 November 1910, Page 2

Musings by the Way.

(&y u Sdtor")

I am afraid a great many otherwise most estimable people are " skippers." It is not iiimioral to be a " skipper ;" indeed sometimes — but then it is mostly one's own fault — it is quite and absolutely necessary to become a "skipper." But as a general thing "slapping" is not good for one, and it is a bad style to get into. Above all don't let children begin to "skip." Of course, by "skipping" I mean the uncouimeudable practice of skipping over all descriptions of scenery, all reflections and moralizings which are often the author's best work, but which, m one's eagerness to discover how Lord Clare gets out of a tight place, and how he proposes to the fair and haughty Lady Isobel, we too often skip, and regard as unnecessary padding. So, many people can race through an ordinary novel m an hour or two, by the careful elimination of all which is not exactly the story itself. If you have chosen a book which has a superabundance cf "foreign matter" m it — well that is your fault for choosing it — and the author's for writing it. *■ In order to arrest one's attention at the very start, sometimes a tale begins with " Blow out the light," or " Well I never !" or " The already death-blue lips murmured ' Revenge !' " And m a tale of this sort there is not as a rule much for the reader to skip. Some — myself included — would probably "skip" the whole thing. * If we were reading an article m the Contemporary y or the Nineteenth Century, let us say, then of course we should naturally read it all. But supposing we were reading one of Walter Scott's Waverley novels, or one of Whyte* Melville's, or one of Sail Caine's, or even one of Marie Corelli's, by "skipping" we lose a great deal of excellent English, and of fine thought. Besides, if we skip extraneous matter m reading, why not m other things ? Big hats for instance! But seriously — don't skip —and above all don't allow y6ur children to get into the habit of skimming through a book on the pretence of reading it, and don't let your children read too much rubbish and excitable tales, 'i'isn't good for them,

There are many people who would like to "skip" a good deal m our Church .services, and have a little extra singing at the expense of leaving out sonic of the: prayers. Indeed I know some Churches where the prayers are (or were) cut short so that the choir -might perform an anthem with Miss So-and-so as soloist. Quite wrong! Just as wrong as is the custom of beginning the service with a hymn. To me it always seems quite out of place, spoils the order of worship, and there is no authority for it. Well then, you will say, let us " skip " the sermon ! Be it so. In these days of much talk and little practice, I quite think a good many sermons might be " skipped." In the ordinary service at any rate. But how refreshing it would be to haye — if even only occasionally a sermon all by itself so to speak, and not dragged into Morning or Evening Prayer where there is no place for it. The only authorised place for a sermon according to the Prayer Book, is m the Holy Communion office, and if this were made, as it should be, the chief service of the day, then the sermon or homily comes m its proper place, and the service is of j ust a nice length, and is infinitely less monotonous than either of the other two services, besides beiug the One Great Service our Lord Himself gave us. * No, if you want to " skip " don't skip this great service. Mattins and Evensong are often unduly padded with hymns and anthems and sermons, whilst here is a beautifully ordered service, parts of it all ready for singing, opportunities for two or three well-chosen hymns, and the sermon comes m, m a most appropriate manner and is not tacked on the end as is the case m the other services. There is nothing to " skip " here. It is true our English office is somewhat dislocated, but it remains a very beautiful, holy, and, inspiring service, without any long and sometimes not suitable lessons or psalms which we may wish to " skip." What infinite charm there is m a garden — particularly if all or part of it is our own handiwork. I have recently seen some of Messrs. Black and Son's plates of English gardens m their series of Colour Books. We cannot all aspire to such perfection of loveliness as we find m a large and

perfectly planned English garden with the old castle or manor as a background, but we can all make our New Zealand gardens beautiful, by bestowing upon them a little more thought and a little more planning than we usually do. * ' There is no needs for much expense either, but there is need to plan and contrive. Without going so far as the Japs go, m having distorted dwarfed trees, miniature Fujiyamas, miniature lakes, &c, m a garden of a few yards square, yet something of the sort might well be attempted. A small garden must bo trim and neat, whilst a large one might well have a "wilderness" m a part of it. It is not a question of expense ; it is a question of taste. Moie— -it is a matter of education, most . necessary for all of us, and especially for our children. Instead of "skipping" over m a desultory fashion, more or less useful or useless books, or rushing madly off to tennis tournaments or "teas" overy afternoon, let them be trained to take an intelligent interest m gardening. If averse to it at first they will soon become fond of it, and the result will be most gi'atifying m more ways than oue. Verbiim sap.