THE REV. J. BERRY'S LECTURE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3214, 18 October 1881, Page 2

THE REV. J. BERRY'S LECTURE.

The Bey. J. Berry, formerly Minister of the Trinity Wesleyan Church, delivered last night, in the Protestant Hall, a lecture upon " What I saw in America in 1880." The room was very well filled. His Worship the Mayor presided and having introduced the reverend lecturer Mr Berry was received with warm applause. After expressing his gratification at once more addressing a JTapier audience Mr Berry commenced his subject by saying that after a pleasant 25 days run "from Auckland, he landed at the Golden Gate of San Francisco on the 25th of March, 1880. 'Frisco was said to be the finest harbor in the world, but as he had seen so many finest harbors, and this one only in the dark, lie would not attempt to describe it. The first thing that struck his attention was the throngs of touts, of three descriptions. • First they were from the leading hotels, then from the principal railroads (some of them actually 1500 miles off), and thirdly from that useful institution the Registration of Luggage—the great feature of American travelling life. Under this system the superfluous luggage of a traveller was taken charge of, and awaited his arrival at any station he might go to. The Rev. lecturer then at some length gave his impression of the big American hotels, which he supposed were run by men who, having made a fortune, wished either to lose it or make another. At the Palace Hotel in San Francisco 1200 guests could be accommodated and there were 200 servants. After giving an amusing account of the labyrinth of rooms in the hotel, he went on to point out the striking fact that they were not drinking shops. He had seen 300 people sitting at dinner with nothing etronger than coffee or milk before them. It was a great feature of Americans to put their heel down on the accursed habit of nobblerising. The cooking in these hotels was superb,, and the meals delicious, and the dishes of great variety. Mr Berry also described the great precautions taken so that each guest could summon the police or fireman when required. He went on to discuss the peculiarity .of these hotels, as bearing upon American middle-class life. They were not intended for travellers merely, but for tens of thousands of married couples. He had been told that. the reason of this was the scarcity of

servants, but never quite believed it, foi', If servants were as scarce in New Zealand or England as they were in California, ho was sure that we should not give up the hallowed associations of the word " home" by. living in hotels. The real reason in America was the determination of the gentlemen to eat, and of the ladies not to cook. The \ „. system was telling unfavorably upon the f" American women. He scarcely ever saw their actual faces, not because* they were hidden, but because nine out of ten painted. It was not good for any woman whatever her position, to take all her meals in public. Ec also contrasted the American children unfavorably with England or New Zealand, the latter being pure and natural, and the former leading an artificial life. Passing on to the sandlots and hoodlums of 'Frisco, Mr Berry referred to Kalloch, who was not only the greatest democrat but the Mayor and the most popular preacher in the city, yet this man goaded on the people by blood-thirsty language, although ho occupied in 'Frisco the same position that C. H. "purgeon occupies in London— though hera, happily, all analogy ceasee. (Mr Berry read an extract from a sermon of Kallock's in reply to a Presbyterian clergyman who had advised the people to moderation and not to merely clamour for bread. Kallock's language was of a very violent kind.) People in New Zealand often grumbled about their preachers, but cone of them had ever come to that. He could not help having misgivings about the social and religious condition of a city of 350,000 people, who made such a man as Kalloch their Mayor, and sat at his feet as a popular preacher. After graphically describing the wonderful efficiency and quickness in action of the Fire Brigade, the lecturer stated that two of his saddest and most interesting hours were spent at midnight under the guidance of a detective, in the Chinese quarter, where 30,000 of them were to be found. In one ten-roomed house, 600 were stowed away. He went to their theatre, where 1500 were present —all alike in face, with cigars in their mouths, and looking like so many Swede turnips. (Laughter). V V"' The play enacted generally commenced at f the beginning of January and lasted to the end of December, the actors making it up as they went along. He visited, also, an opium den, which was a dense foul scene, never to be forgotton, and inspected a Joss House with its China gods, and a Chinese restaurant where he had the best cup of tea he ever had in his life. After describing the method of making tea, and some filthy peculiarities of Chinese cooking, he referred to the New Zealand Bill for putting a poll tax on imported Chinamen. He pointed out that parts of 'Frisco were blacker with overcrowding and disease than the Chinese quarter, and argued that if the one class > were to be kept out, it was necessary to keep the other out. But as an Englishman he advocated the right of everybody of all classes and nations to have free access to the colony. The remedy for the question was not legislation, but the hose pipe and the Inspector of Nuisances. It had been said that the Chinese might come in too great numbers. There were only 200,000 of them in the whole States —less than landed in New York from Europe in a single summer. It had been said that they did not enrich a country, but Dr Joseph Cook of Boston said that since the Puritan Fathers landed, no emigrants had so much enriohed the States, by their industry as the Chinese. In the States it was not low Americans hut newly imported immigrants -who opposed the Chinese. He would predict that in 1901 people would wonder why their predecessors legislated againet Chinose in 1881, and would wish to tear the legislature out. Mr Berry then went on to speak of the Pacific Railroad, observing that until this wonderful 3000 miles of rail were laid, emigrants going West had to chrose between a 6 months voyage round Cape Horn, or a perilous overland journey, the horrors \, of which were vividly pictured. A description was then given of the history of the line, the rapidity and difficulties in its construotion, and the luxurious mode of travelling now in vogue upon it. The scenery along the line was magnificent, the Nevadas surpassing anything he had ever seen. The line crossed a burning prairie, and they reached the valley of the Salt Lake City, where dwell the peculiar Saints, whose creed is singular and whose wives are plural. (Loud Laughter.) The appearance of the City with 30,000 inhabitants (25,000 of which are Mormons) was not unlike Christchurch. He described the gigantic tabernacle as the ugliest building he had ever seen, although it was said to have been designed by angels, who sent the plans down from Heaven. The acoustics were remarkably singular ; he had heard from one side of the building the fall of a pin dropped on the other. Mr Berry then gave an interesting : account of the Mormon worship, hymns, '. prayers, Ministers, and sermons, and added % that he believed 95 per cent, of the Mormons were sincere but easily gulled. The hard cold look of the women was very painf ul,and would cure anyone of any incipient leanings to polygamy. It was difficult to judge of Mormons without prejudice —the Americans hate them intensely —but he was compelled to say there were many good things about them. They were industrious, prosperous, '• and thriving, having gone through a 84u years' career of singular hardships. They ' were self-sacrificing for their religion, having missions in every country in the world, even including the Sandwich. Islands. TheirCj missionaries were enthusiastic, sincere, and determined. Polygamy was an after thought ; of Mormonism, and a foul blot and grievous , burden on the people. Yet it was held conscientiously and honestly as a superstition; ««ef\ but it was no doubt fast coming to an end, ,Jq and the present century would see it wiped off the Mormon system. The Mormon creed taught that there was no salvation outside their Church j but thoughtful men, * with loving hearts amongst them, got rid of ■ the difficulty by being baptized for their ancestors or departed friends, so as to see , _ • them. Had General Garfield lived, he' intended to have put down his heel on \ Mormons, and to have driven them out of America. But no good came of attacking another man's creed, and no converts were made by so doing. All Churohes had in them something of evil and something of good, and there were noble elements in Mormonism which would c6me to the front yet, and shake off the , rest, Let; the Americans reform their own social abuses in great cities, and deal with their own political corruption, and let the Mormons alone. Leaving Salt Lake City they crossed the Rocky Mountains, viewing the scenery with rapturous delight, and reached the plains of which Chicago is the centre. The farms on this plain were badly watered and the poorest of the poor, contrasting unfavourably with . the green landscapes, ; " farms, and orchards of New Zealand. The - chief occupation of the district was an un- . varying round of growing corn and fattening ■ hogs, the former realising Is a bushel, and ■ the latter £1 a-piece. Amongst these farms ' • there were none of the civilization and educational advantages possessed by this colony. > - Mr Berry then gave an account of Chicago, A and the pig-killing industry, under which 40 could be slaughtered per minute. Hβ had seen 14 acres of bacon, 5 feet deep, ready for exportation to Europe. After a brief al- • lusion to the Falls of Niagara, the lecturertook his hearers to New York. One dream of his life had been to see and hear Henry • Ward Beecher. He visited a prayer meeting of 805 at his Church—a sweet restful service, followed by an addresss from Beecher him- r self. The congregation was com posed mainly,;,,: of middle-aged men, and seemed intelligent, devout, and spiritual. Sush people were quite capable of judging whether Beecher was a servant of God or the imposter some believed him to be. He (Mr Berry) had the Jconviction confirmed, which he had held for ■_. \ years, that the persecution Beecher had undergone was one of the foulest ever seen. He would now say a little as to the future of the United States. Though hebelieved-y that they would see there a population of .1 100 millions stretching from* the Atlantic to the Pacific, it . would riot be without a baptism of blood, for the. SQoial condition

(he "would not then discuss the religious aspect) of the country was very, serious. Ho might especially refer to the loose ideas entertained upon marriage, and to the great prevalence of divorces. There vroulrl also be always the danger of the vast cities of America taking it into their heads that their interests were not identical. From this position, however, he turned to this beautiful Island home, which he loved the more after seeing the States. No community ever started with such advantages as had New Zealand, and with all its elements of prosperity let them be true to all their possibilities. If they did this, they would find out in the future the real and hidden meaning of the old saying " Let the people praise thee 0 Grod, yea, let all the people praise thee ; then shall the earth bring forth her increase, and G-od, even our own God, shall give us his blessing." At the conclusion of this very able lecture, abounding in eloquent descriptions and a copious fund of anecdote and humour, Mr Berry was loudly applauded.