THE HIGINBOTHAM LECTURE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3796, 14 September 1883, Page 4

THE HIGINBOTHAM LECTURE.

Tho lliginbothaiu Ijcture continues_ to excite great interest in tho other colonies. Tho Dean of Melbourne and the Rev Canon Dickinson have published an appeal to Christian people to tho effect that, considering the grave importance of the controversy initiated by Mr Justice Iliginbothaui's lecture, it should be a matter ot special prayer that the discussion might be overruled tor good. They do not allude to the lecture us blasphemy, but are convinced tbat it is preparing the way for the rejection Of tllO Ortrtcutint truths of Christ's Wospcl. At Ormond College the Ecv. A. ,T. Campbell, replying to tho Judge, said that whilst giving His Honor credit lor sincerity, ho considered that he struck at the very root of tho Christian belief; and the delivery of such a lecture in the bosom of a Christian Church was an outrage. Iho Ecv. Dr Nish (Presbyterian) lias made the uncharitable suggestion that the Judgo is revenging himself on tho churches for the opposition they at one time offered to his education scheme. On tho same subject tho Melbourne correspondent of the bouttihind News writes:—" The lecture has profoundly stirred the religious world. The daily and weekly journals have teemed with correspondence on the subject, and the vials of clerical wrath have been emptied at the head of the learned lecturer until he must have felt somewhat bewildered at the ahower of abuse his enunciation had provoked. Tho matter, too, has had the effect of reviving the ' Strong ' controversy, -and that outspoken Presbyter had a lively time of it at the hands of his critics. Neither of the nssailed gentlemen has, however, as yet vouchsafed any reply to the multitudinous attacks levelled at them."