Our Contributors.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 536, 2 September 1881, Page 2

Our Contributors.

ECHOES OF MELBOURNE

(From Our Own Corhespondknt.)

August 23, 1881

Since I wrote last there have been no developments of importance in politics, and social and religious matters have engaged attention. When we stop fighting about politics we take up polemical subjects. So far as politics arc concerned,' the Ministry have filled the vacant offices by the appointment of Mr Walter Madden to the Lands and Mr Burrowes to the Mines, taking in Mr James Macbain without a portfolio, to act as financial adviser to Sir Bryan O'Loghlen. Parties continue still in the same disintegrated state, and without apparently any chance of alteration. Nothing will be done until shortly before Parliament meets, when Mr Berry is to attend a great Liberal meeting at Ballarat, at which he will probably endeavor to call that party together. It is apparent that Parliament is too divided to live long, and that an appeal must be made to the electors.

Politics have, however, been overshadowed by the resignation of his charge of the Scots' Church, Collins street, the premier Presbyterian Church of the colonies, by tho ftev. Charles Strong. It has been evident for years that a great change has been taking place in that church, indeed in all Christian churches. Two parties have arisen. One desires to retain the old canons and standards in their integrity. The other wishes to adapt the doctrines of the Church to the times, to give them the interpretations that they allege the standards require from the new light that has been thrown upon matters by science and learning. The latter school goes in for having a wider latitude allowed to tho ministers and members of a church, and not to tie them down to the definitions of the Westminster divines, who did not kuo'sv all that we do, This school has further advanced in the direction of interpretation, and maintains that the'*.*pirifc, not the letter, of the Bible must, be accepted, that the Scriptural writers had to use symbols tt) enable I?hi.:ir readers to comprehend, and that the most of Scripture is symbolical. It may naturally bo supposed that the Avar between the old and new schools is <.f a most bitter description, and it has Jed both ht'i-e and in (Scotland to a ruptm*.'

in the Presbyterian Church that threatens to espial that of 1842, with this csseuti a-, dAAivncc, that then the mo-emeu, wa./ for a return *o ii': P*:r'A*'*;*A'.-> <A th,.

sixteenth century, aud now it is towards rationalism. Mr Strong* is sensitive, and he felt the ostracism*'"to which he was subjected by the Puritan section of the church so keenly that there was no alternative for him but to resign, with the view of leaving the communion. His congregation sympathises with his views, and urged him to remain, and ho will do so for a year. At the meeting some strong remarks were made and a defiance thrown out to the General Assembly, to the effect that the communion would get a minister of even more advanced views than Mr Strong, A fierce controversy has arisen in the papers over the subject, and the Confession of .Faith has been printed to show its absurdities. An important outcome is the discovery that in the new version of the New Testament, in tho old text which read that Scripture was inspired and infallible, a fundamental change has been made, which your readers can see for themselves, and which completely alters that doctrine el the churches. Whither are we drifting?

Mr [Justice Stephen is".dead. He was one of the celebrated Stephen legal family, two of his ancestors having been judges in England, and o,thers of the family judges in the Colonies. Judge Stephen had been ailing for a long time of marasmus, or wasting away, and his death was not unexpected. He is succeeded by Mr Holroyd, another member of a great -legal family. Judge Stephen was very, successful as a lawyer, and equal!y ,! so in; politics, which he entered some twelve years ago. He was the man who passed the present Kducatiou Act and tho first administrator. He soon afterwards became judge. Again we are in trouble over our public servants. Years ago there was a great outcry when it was discovered that Mr O'Perrall, the accountant of the Lands Department, had, by filling the butts of vouchers with larger or smaller amounts than the vouchers showed, defrauded the State of thousands, and now it is found out that Mr Agg, the accountant who succeeded him, has been guilty of the same device. So far the defalcations discovered amount to nearly a thousand. Mr Agg has been arrested and will presently be tried. Our Government system of audit is very fruity, the auditors merely looking to see if Parliament has authorised the expenditure, not how the money was spent. Mr David Gaunson is become rabid in his retirement, and he has brought an action against tho Federal Australian for £5000 damages for alleged libel during*his late election. He also contemplates bringing an action__.againsb the Ararat Advertiser.

Mr fc Marcus Clarke's widow and children are likely to be well provided for, as the performances given on behalf of the fund have been well attended, and the subscription list alr< ady amounts to ov<T £400. Those who would not look at him when alive are now coming forward.

There have been several casualties and crimes. An old man named Jones was found dying in his hous| and at first it wf.s thought he had committed suicide, but it was found that the cause of death was internal hoemorrhage. Colley, who cut the throat of a courtesan of whom he was infatuated named Mitchell, has been tried and judge, jury, and prosecutrix gushed over him with the result that he only received two and a half years, and that in the gaol, not in Pentridge, so that ho would not be contaminated The judge dwelt upon his past character, and the pros«cutrix begged that he would be let off. There is a good deal of indignation at this French sentimentality, seeing poor devils who merely stole a trifle received five and seven years in Pentridge. An attempt at murder and suicide has occurred. A cook named Clota, employed at Parer's Hestaurant, attempted to kill his wife with a hatchet aud then tried to commit suicide by cutting his throat with a razor. It is not likely that either will recover, and it has become evident since the affair that Clota is insane. At Echuca a wretched girl died in a closet after giving birth to an illegitimate child. She had left her home at Sandhurst, where she had always been thought virtuous, to hide her shame.

There is nothing new to chronicle at the theatres. A great spectacular play, " The World," has been produced at the Royal. It is very sensational, and some of the effects are capital, particularly that of a raft at sea with survivors. A season of legitimate opera has been started at the Opera House, and Miss liees has made a success with Sonnambula. The Kelly play has been a mere, pandering t*j the lowest classes, and I am glad to say its career has been short.

Apropos of the revision of the New Testament, a good story _ comes -from Galveston. A man walked into tho office of the News and, upon being admitted to the editor's room, remarked ; " I hear that the Bible has been revised. Do you know if any important changes have been made?" ''A good many I believe." •' Then there is no mistake about Ananias being struck dead for lying?" '• No I beI lieve not." " Well, if I were you, I would find out about it." And he stalked out as unconcernedly as you please. There are business men who seldom advertiso, and they are always complaining about their trade. They treat advertising as the improvident, shiftless fellows do their roofs. When tho sun shines, they do not need patching ; and-when it rains, they cannot patch them. When trade itfair, they see no need of advertising ; and when trade is dull, they any they cannot afford to advertise, Moral : repair a leaky roof when it is line weather, and advertise in all season . Advertisingpays all parties interested b-.iU.cr'than- any other commercial investment.