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CURRENT TOPICS.

It is somewhat amusing to note with what sublime indifference Russia and others of the Great Powers appear to assume that the affairs of Bulgaria are to be settled wiilmut any reference to the wishes of the Bulgarians themselves Wusßia, m gratuitously assumes that she has a right to dictate as she pleases as to who shall, or shall not, occupy the Bulgarian throne, and it is not surprising that a free people should resent such unwarrantable interference. Nor doos Europe generally seem inclined to fun her the wishes of the White Czar, who, wo have no douht would, if lie darod, like to repeat the outrageous conduct of Germany towards the uufortunate King of -amoa, and deport Prince Ferdinand to iberia or some other distant locality m the same way that poor Malietoa was kidnapped and carried^ to the Cameroon^ river m Africa. Fee ing that they have, at least, the moral support of other Powers, the Bulgarians have pluckily announced that they don't intend to submit to any demands m relation to the government of their country, compliance with which would have a disturbing effect upon the condition of the country, and though they are not able to back their refusal with any great military strength of their own, they doubtless calculate upon the triple alliance stepping ia should hussia report to measures of compulsion. Hence tho firmness of their attitude. Small as Bulgaria is, she has shown m her defiance of the Muscovite an amount of pluck which will win for herthe sympathy of Euroe, and it ia now evident that Hussia must make np her mind as to whether she means to indulge m empty bounce only, or to attempt to carry her demands at the sword s point. Whether or not she will elect the latter time o ly can show, is ready, no doubt, to strike, saving only m one important respect, viz., that she has been unable so far to raise ihe necessnry funds. Had the Russian loan floated, war would undoubtedly have been declared ere this, but it money cannot be raised it may bo that peace will yet be preserved for a while.

It is not often tbat we refer to religions questions, because such matters generally belong rather to the pulpit than to the prees, but a cablegram published m our last issue brings prominently under notice the fact tbat the practice of our times is strangely at variance with our professions as a Christian people. Christianity is nominally the national religion, but ther3 ia the authority of its chief hierorchs, for the statement that the life of the nation shows very little trace of obedience to its principles. We are of those who fully recognise that *' tho Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." but if •- unday is to be preserved as a rest day and, moreover, a day specially devoted to the higher life, it is time to protest when the aristocracy of the land devotes its hours to the patronage of such tir.i'Qs as boxing matches, jugglery exhibitions and theatrical performances. We d<. not ask for a rigid Puritan Buuday by any means, but far better that than a Parisian one. It is therefore pleasing to read that the Anglican Bishops are making a strong protest against Sunday desecration. Nor only upon this point are the bonds of tho churoir speaking out. The bishop of London a few weeks ago (at a new Year's reception) delivered a very outspoken address inveighing against the national sins o,fintempprap,ce and self-indulge.ice, and speaking plaioly and faithfully of " the existing cruelty and hardness, and want of sympathy with their fellow-creatures " on the part of those "calling themselves, Christians." Still more trenchant were the remarks of the Rev. Mark Guy Pearse, of the Wesleyan West Central Mission, who speaking at the ISteinway Hall recently said ; " Impurity, God help them, was buttreosed and enforced by the very law of the 'and ; there was the opium traffic, hatred between nations, luxury, and oth<>r evils. .And yet, what was worse, ninety-nine Christians out of oue hundred never fretted about it. Most of them wanted to make their fortune, and when they died to go to heaven . If England was a fair example of the benefits of Christianity, was it worth wh le to train men and send t »em to the ends of the earth to convert other nations? He had been told by foreigners of all nations that there was not a scene so appalling m its hideous debauchery as that $hey witnessed after leaving St. fames' Hall on Saturday night m Piccadilly and Regent streets. Besides, there was caste as rigid \ as haughty, and as exclqsive as. anything m Ipc]ia. Yet they called them selves by the name of the meek and lowly Jesqs. In fact, Christianity b%d become a poor, shrivelled, miserable, should bo say selfishness ? Every man. was seeking the salvation of his own little soul and only sighing over the world." This is a terrible indictment, but unfortunately only too true, but if We are as a nation to amend our ways I the first thing is to recognise the extent to which they need amendment, and. m order to do that such plain speaking as this though it may be distasteful is none the less fteqessary.

The writer upon current topics m the columns of our Christchurch contemporary, the " Telegraph," devotes a paragraph m, Tuesday's ibbuq of that journal to the subject of the Broken Hill silver mines, which is full of curious misapprehensions on the part of so wellinformed an authority. Ho writes of " the £16 dividend " not coming up to the expectation of shareholders, and attributes thereto the recent fall m Broken Hill shares, oblivious of the fact that the so-called dividend was not any indication of the yield of the mine (which we fanoy for last' we^k was some 58,000 ozs)V tut merely th 6 amount per share paid to the shareholders m respp<jt of part of tho Company's ground sold m London. Again^ referring to Dr \Taraes selling out, that gentleman is congratulated on having cleared 75 per cent, the fact being tha.t the shares sold for £375,000 represented only £5000 paid up, bo that the profit made was just seven thousand five hundred per cent.

The Auck and correspondent of the " Otago Daily Times " writes ;— Visitors to the Port Albert show bear testimony to the fact that m tbat district prohibition does prohibit. One prominent member of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association siated m the oourse of his speech tbat it was the first agricultural show he bad attended, during a period extending over 30 years, where there was neither quarrelling, fighting, or annoyanoe of any kind, and he attributed I the sobriety and immunity from disturbing elements to the absenoe of alooholio drinks from the eliow ground and district. ' Oh, how refreshing, palatable, and reviving is a draught of cool water with American Hop Biiters mitto a fever patient. See

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AG18880310.2.21

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1786, 10 March 1888, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,173

CURRENT TOPICS. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1786, 10 March 1888, Page 3

CURRENT TOPICS. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1786, 10 March 1888, Page 3

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