MR DAN CRAWFORD.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2203, 16 July 1914, Page 2

MR DAN CRAWFORD.

GUEST OF NEW ZEALAND CLUB.: Mr. Dan Crawford, the South African missionary, was entertained at luncheon on Tuesday by the New Zealand.'Club.' Mr. F; S. Pope presided. On rising to .speak Mr. Crawford was greeted with n. hearty round of applause. In his opening remarks, the speaker narrated "an incident in connection with-his departure from his adopted clime which emphasised the somewhat unexpected, philosophical thoughts of the native mind. Just prior to his leaving he was approached by,an old native neophyte, who endeavoured to'persuade., 'the speaker not to go from them. Mr. Crawford pointed out tho advantages to be gained by travel, but after a short discussion ho was abashed by iho native remarking: "Yes, but. to. be better off is not to bo better."- ■ ' - Referring to Australasia, the speaker went on to say that ho had experienced difficulty in obtaining a suitable heading to his now- book on thoso countries, but, at length, had decided to call it, "Know Mo. Better; Lovo Me Better." "No man," he said, "ever saw his ow'n country, and, similarly, ho means- or method has yet been discovered by which a man may hear himself snore. ' Yet to know own country is an - 'aim' worthy of'all. You are all going too ■quick,",h6-i.said. . "The Scriptures say: '■He .that; • bojievoth shall not make, ; haste,' tlierefdre you aro all unbelievers'; Your moclefmtrains and motor-cars have whizzed' mo- over your lands.'' Rapidity of transit, has"bei'n gained, but the beauties of your magnificent 'scenery havo been lost. You can't have the pake and eat it," .At the close of'an interesting ■ and addressthe explorer was heartily applauded. . In the evening Mr. Crawford gave an illustrated lecture before an audience that crowded the- big Town Hf 11 to the doors. A gorgeous view of Lake Tang;ai;yika by moonlight might have repreRentatl tho ■shores of tho Pacific, so vast is this Central African lake. : An- actual photograph of a Portuguese slave caravan was shown,, the slaves, manacled and in chains, taking three hours to pass by, and' later, pictures showing many of the horrors of slavery—corpses oitd.pyramids of skulls arid strewn skeletons showing the Hue of march—wero ■ thrown, on. the screen.. Incidentally, French- and Portuguese methods of colonising camo in for somo lurid treat'ment. In striking contrast- native villages wore shown both before and after' the advent of the missionary. Dens of disease and filth were transformed into hygienic, well-laid-ont. villages intersected by snacious roads with -every apnearanco of contentment and progress. The lecturer received frepuent hearty nppkuse ond occuniprl nearlv two hours in the delivery of the lecture.