THE REV. CHARLES CLARK IN DUNEDIN.

Evening Star, Issue 3773, 29 March 1875, Page 2

THE REV. CHARLES CLARK IN DUNEDIN.

u hardly like to give the unqualified name entertainments ’ to the readings of the Rev. Charles Claik, for the word is usually einiloyed to imply mere amusement, while that gentleman s selections,to be appreciated include more. Before they can please the hearer there must be cultivation of the mind and of taste for wit and literary art. That these are widely spread in Dunedin is proved by the closelypacked audiences that assemble whenever Mr ,laik lectures. On Saturday evening he cOnnned his readings to selections from the works of Longfellow, Tennyson, and Dickens. The pieces were well chosen, but for our own parts we should have been better pleased to have had his own well judged, elegantly expressed, and pointed criticisms, even had one or two of the extracts been omitted. Yet they were wonderfully tellmg as they were delivered, especially The Courtship of Miles Standish” and the touching story of “ The Return of Enoch Arden. We can add nothing to our opinion, already expressed, of the merits of Mr Clark as a lecturer. Before his arrival his fame had preceded him, and only done him justice. Precisely the same may be said of Miss Christian, Although contrary to the opinion or our two morning contemporaries, we are not prepared to say she has had no predecessor to equal her. On the contrary, we think there Have been many equal to her both as vocalists and musicians, although this fact does n >t cietract from the pleasure of listening to hj r highly finished ana effective singing. On Saturday evening, Miss Christian’s songs were interspersed with Mr Clark’s readings Her fi rat waa Poor Jack Brown, ” which was given with great expression and pathos. “Auld Robin Gray ’ preceded and formed an appropriate introduction to “ The Return of .Enoch Arden. ” Ever since its first composition, this bi autiful ballad may be said to have been a test of a singer’s power of expression and intonation. Commencing in a major key, proceeding in its progression to a minor, and returning to the major mode, any fault of voice or ear is easily detected in rendering it. Miss Christian’s stylo is rigidly severe, both as to tune and text. By many excellent musicians, this is held to bn essential to perfect ballad singing, and, judged r , ' lB , Btau dard, Miss Christian’s conception of Auld Robin Gray” will be pronounced faultless. Her enunciation is clear and distinct, her voice rich and full, her vocalisation absolutely true; there is no wonder that she was loudly, almost enthusiastically applauded; yet we are of opinion that a little abandon is not amiss in a ballad, nor even a cadenza, when introduced and executed in good taste, and so as to touch the feelings. Music, like poetry, has its rules, but the knowledge of them is often best exhibited in the exceptions. “ Come back to Erin ” was equally effectively sung as the precedin': pieces, and it may be fairly said that Miss Cnrwtian has established her claim to be one of the leading vocalists in the Colonies, and a special favorite in Dunedin. Mr Clark gives his final readings at the Queen’s Theatre tins evening, when Miss Christian has announced her intention to sing, Kathleen Mavouraceii. ” 11 , r rendering of this sweet Irish b.ulau is said by Australian journals to be so perfect that no other songstress has attempted it since she gave it. THE SERMON IN THE PRINCESS THEATRE. Last evening (Sunday) the Rev. Charles Clark, according to promise, preached in the 1 nncess Theatre, for the benefit of Ihc Benevolent Institution, In anticipation of this religious service a committee had been fora ed to make tin: necessary arrangements, and it was proposed, in • rder to seeme comfoit to the large numbers who were anxious to hear the rev. gentleman preach, to charge a smalt admittance fee. To this Mr Clark deWrminately,

and, we think, judiciously objected, and, accordingly, with the exception of appropriating the dress circle to ladies, who were admitted by ticket, and the centre box to the choir, no restrictions were imposed. The theatre was filled in an incredibly short time after the doors were opened, and was densely packed, and in order to accommodate as many as possible, about one hundred and fifty were admitted on the stage. It is estimated that 1,600 persons were present. The service was conducted in the usual form of worship in Congregational Churches, both the prayer and sermon being extempore. Mr Clark selected as a text the 15th, 16th, and 17th verses of the 33rdchapter of Isaiah :

• walketh righteously, and speoketh up. nghtly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his h:uids from holding of bribes, that stoppeth his oars from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from seeing evil; 16. He shall dwell on high: his place of defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall bo given him; his waters shall be sure. 17. Thiue eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off. Applying the promises contained in those veses to Christian life, he, with fervid eloquence. traced the outlines of character in the • true Christian, whom he described- as intellectual, moral, energetic, cheerful, and loving, and submissive to the Creator’s laws. He forcibly pointed out the folly of expecting to realise any promised benefit if those laws were not observed, and showed that infraction of any one of them was inevitably followed by appropriate suffering. Referring to the rewards promised, he out that even in this world the truly religious have better chances of success than the selfish, indolent, or immoral; but that, even should worldly success not follow integrity, steadiness of purpose and conduct, and intellectual and moral culture, the promise was not that means of luxury should be supplied, biit that necessities should be provided for, and this life rendered a fitting preparation for a higher, pur>=r, and ever-enduring state of existence. The sermon was enriched by frequent .vnd apt quotations from the works of English poets, and was listened to with breathless attention throughout. ‘ Under the direction of Mr (x. R. West a very effective choir was improvised, by whom the hymns selected and the anthem ‘ Thine, 0 Lord, is the greatness,” were very well rendered. The collection on behalf of the funds of the Institution was made with some difficulty on account of the audience being so closely packed. It amounted to LBB 10c*.