The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, FEBRUARY 7, 1905. AFTER A HUNDRED YEARS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1373, 7 February 1905, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, FEBRUARY 7, 1905. AFTER A HUNDRED YEARS.

The above title has been seleoted for the centenary report of the British and Foreign Bible Society for 1903-4. The book is a neat octavo volume in stiff covers, and is well-illustrated with a number of photo-process blocks. The nine ohaptora of letterpress form interesting reading. Ab most people Tmow the British and Foreign Bible Society last yoor celebrated their centenary and the volume is an epitome of the progress of the Sooiety since its inception in March, 1804. During the century the Society has sent out 186,680,000 copies of the Scriptures in 378 languages and dialects'. In the first year of its existence it spent LB9l. During last year it spent L 250.000. So great has been the demands pressing upon the Sooiety from all quarters that for six years past tho Society had overspent its income, until accumulated deficits had depleted its roserve fund by L 67,000. The centenary celebration aimed at raising 250,000 guineas to augment the funds of the Society—a sum which, the report mentioned by way of ; comparison, the South Afrioan war,cost every day that it lasted. The records of the meetings held at home and abroad,,in every land beneath the Bun, is- very interesting. Numerous Gisborne children possess the centenary Testament-as a memento of the local celebration. In Bondon, at the Mansion House, the Prime Minister, Mr A. J. Balfour, paid an impressive tribute to the Bible, as tho “living record of the revelation of God,” and declared that wo might feel a thrill of prido, and even something of astonishment at the extraordinary work that had been done during the past hundred years.” So universal and cosmopolitan were the celebrations that Indian lepers, who bad no money, deprived themselvo3 of portions of food in order to forward tho sum of ten shillings. Tho Somaliland field force found time during their trek after the Mullah, to forward Jlls to the Society. Syria, Antioch, and Jerusalem contributed, and from the corners of the earth and the islands of the sea responses came. In Russia the day was observed by British

communities in various cities, by Lutheran Churches in Finland, by the Beformed Church and Baptists in Poland, by the Menhonite congregations in Armenia. The book deals extensively with the mission of the Society, which is to spread the written Gospel in • every land and language. Interesting details are given of the difficulties met and overcome by oolporteurs and missionaries. In pagan and Moslem lands Christian Bible-sollers are selected and equipped and sent forth to penetrate into every province selling cheap little Testaments. These Bible messengers go where no one else takes the Gospel, and ehoir footsteps “ put a girdle round the earth.” Last year’s reports showed thoy were offered to pilgrims flocking to the shrine at Lourdes and to the politioal exiles on their sorrowful transit across the snowy plains of Siberia, to the fisher folks of the gloomy Jutland coast, and to the vine dressers on the shores of the Adriatic. The lonely huts of Manitoba, of Boer farmsteads in the Transvaal, tho teeming rice fields of China and Hindustan have been visited. The messengers have penetrated the forests of the Amazon, the banks of the Nile, and the Euphrates. They have been opposed by the brigands of Kurdistan,and enoounterod barbarism in Morocoo. A Boxer turned colporteur in China, and in the numerous cloisters of the majestio Lanshan an energetic missioner placed his message. An engineer in San Salvador explains forcibly the manner in which he ovorcame a chronic gambling habit by the purchnso of a Bible from a colporteur. Especially in war time have the Bible agents beeD active —the Crimean, the Franco-German, the South African, and the Bueso Japanose (jauapaigns were the occasions for the distribution of thousands of Bibles, which cost tho Society large sums to produce. Mention is made of and satisfaction expressed at the fact that tho “ Pious Society of St. Jerome for She Dissemination of the Holy Gospels” has been allowed to issue from the Vatican press a cheap little | Italian version of the Four Gospels of tho Acts, and to disseminate it widely among the people at the low price of 2d per copy. It is also related that Pope Pius X. granted tho Jerome Soeiosy a special blessing on their work of spreading Che books of the Gospels. He said : 11 That bookis a written sermon, and all can profit by it. MaD_y said that the peasants, being slow of intellect, cannot I derive any benefit from the reading of the j Gospel. That is false. Peasants are much sharper than people think. They read I with pleasure the GoEpel narratives, mjd | draw their own conclusions from them, sometimes much better than certain preachers. There arc many devotional books oven for the clergy, but nothing is hotter than the Gospel, the trpe book of meditation, of opfritual reading and exercise.” The report states that the one implacable, invincible enemy of the sword is the Bible, which “ makes perpetual war against those selfish passions which are the real seeds of war:” Only by means of the New Testament will men ever learn to love their enemies, and this blood-stained earth grow beautiful with the lilies of; eternal peace. hundred years ' of the Society's existence it has found ways and means to pst into the hands of hostile Boldierc», as they to fight, the message of divine sacrifice and human brotherhood. Under the picture] of a Maori chief the report states that New Zealand raised last year £1430 in free contributions, beside? collecting £2OOO for the Centenary Fund

Fitz Gerald Bros.’ oirous will arrivo by the Manuka on Wednesday. City Band oonoort at His Majesty’s Theatre this evening.

The Gisborne Rifles Band will bo in attondanco at the raoes this week.

A fine assortment of oonfeotionory of looal manufacture is ut prosont on view at tho Swooterios, Gladstone Road. This evening, at tho Teohnioal School* a free demonstration of cookery-will bo given by Mise Ivey, cookery instructress. A young half caste was arrested at To Arai yesterday on a charge of lunacy, and will bo modically examined to-day. The scale of charges in connection with tho Gisborne Racing , Club’s meeting appeats in this issue ; also a notioo to bookmakers.

An important sale of horses will bo held by tho Now Zealond Doan and Mercantile Agency Company at Ormond to-day, commencing at 11 o’clock. Mr J. W. Bright will conduct the sale. The potato disease has appeared at Nainai, Dowor Hutt district, Wellington. Tho Ministor of Agriculture has given instructions that drastic measures shall bo taken to prevent tho spread of tho disease. CaptaiD Edwin reported yostorday : “ Strong winds to gale from between north-oast and north and west ; glass further fall ; tides moderate ; sea moderate ; rain probable.” Attention is directed to three epeoial building sites, situate on Clifford-street, Whataupoko, advertised for salo by T. G. Lawless, tbe well known land and estate agent.

Wo see no means, short of a miracle, by whioh an Independent Labor Party could hope to win more than twenty of the eighty seats in the Hous3 of Representatives, —Christohurch Times, Tho conviction is growing that the present Bystem of continuous;shqrt sentences is a totally unscientific way, of dealing with the habitual cfimihali It does nothing to reform him and n t much to protect the public from hie depredations. The system of indoterminate sentences certainly seems to be worthy of a trial.— Christchurch Press. There is not a feature of “ tohungaism ’ which has not something analogous in our own society, and the difficulty in the way of repressive or restrictive legislation iB that, unless it take the objectionable form of a special law for tbe Maori, it will interfere with certain matters in our own community of whioh the law at present takes no cognisanoe.—Wellington Post. It has been suggested, and we heartily endorse the idea, that a practical man, thoroughly acquainted with the oonditions existing in the colony, Bhould be sent home, whoso duty it would be to oome into oontaot with those people who contemplate emigration, advise them as to their prospocts in New Zealand, and give them a clear indication of what they have to expect.—Wanganui Herald. That prince of humbugs, J. A. Dowie, is not yet prepared to relax his grip of the monoy of tho late Frederick Sutton, of Thornbury. Though twice beaten, he is going to the Appellate Court, and if defeated there be oan still look to tbe Federal Court. When that stage is reached legal expenses will have eaten away a large sbaro of the 813,000 in dispute.

Particulars of the Opotiki A. and P. Show may be obtained on application to Mr H. M. Porter, secretary of the Poverty Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society. The show will be held on the 16th instant, and the entrios close on tho 15tb. On the 17th the Waiohika Jockey Club bold their raoes, and on the 18th there will be a steamer excursion to White Island. Messrs Murray, Roberts and Co. are in receipt of tho following London cablegram, datod the Ist instant:—The wool sales have closed brisk. Held over, 5000 bales. Merino and fine crossbred, market firm but shows no material change. Crossbred greasy medium, market shows no material change. Crossbred greasy coarsej advanced 5 per cent.” Mr J. D. Perrott, tho well-known New Zealand artist, is at present visiting Gisborne. He has brought with him a choice collection of paintings, which will be placed on view to-day at Messrs Williams and Kettle’s auction mart. Lovers of art are recommended to inspoct the paintings, which are amongst tho finest exhibited in the colony. Owing to the unusual counter attraction in Gisborno in the form of a circus, the management of the Rice Dramatic Company nave decided to only give one performance, the piece selected being, “Facing the Foe.” This will be given on Friday evening, and should command a crowded house. The box plan is now open at Miller’s.

.Tho ‘ Wouds-Williamston. Drama,ti'c Company, will inaugurate , a t'hree-nig-ht season at His Majesty's, Theatre on Wetinesfday, the 15th instant, when) they, will produce “ The Gar- • 'den of Lies,” The plays Cor the other: two nights will he selected from ftiie following repertoire, Tho .Christian,” a Myj Wife’s Mother,’? Pygmalioh and Galatea,.” fTIio company are now: playing to splendid! hiuaftnssa in Christchurch,, where ‘■‘■The .Garden of Lies £ -- had an: enthusiastic reception from botih press ail'd public. The public schools re-open to-day. Owing to the destruction by fire of a portion of the building during the holidays the classes of tho Gisborne school will be somewhat scattered. The various standards will be accommodated as follows : Standard VI., Presbyterian Sunday School; Standard V., Wbinray’s Hall ; Standard IV. (boys), Brethren’s Hall, Grey street; Standard IV. (girls), Wesleyan Sunday School; Standard 111., Trinity Schoolroom. Standard I. and the preparatory classes will, as usual, be taught in the old buildiDg, and the High School olassea will be housed in the Technical School. With the objeot of encouraging the study of Scottish literature in the colony, Mr John Lambio, Chief of the Ashburton Scottish Society, offers three prizes of £5, £3, and £'i for the best translations into English prose of Burn’s poem “ Tho Twa Dogs.” Translations must be tho bona fide work of residents of this colony, and must be in the hands of Mr Robert Bell, proprietor of the. Ashburton “ Mail ” and “ Guardian,” not later than March 31st, 1905. Tho judges will be Messrs John

Lambic, J. McLaehlau, .arid T,

1 Dunn, M.A. Full particulars' may ,bo f obtained'" bn application t 6 Mr Robert 1 Bell, Ashburton. 1 Mr W. Douglas Lvsnar, who rsturnod | to Gisborne on Sunday morning, was . astonished to find how the Californian thistle and ragwort were being allowed to spread in the South Island. In conversing with farmers ou the subject he found that they to some oxtent realiso the seriousness of the pest, but practically all they do is to cut tho plants when in bloom. Mr Lysnar intends to bring the matter bofore I the Farmers’ Union at an early date. The I matter is so serious that the only remedy I seems to be to pat a'stop to the imports- I tion of seed from the South Island, With I clover seed especially is a settler likely to I be sowing Californian thistle as he scatters I tiie seed. Even seed fcslsen from a clean I field i§ likely to be affected, owing to the I use of machines which have been working in paddocks affected. The weeds now I require a great effort to keep them down in this district without having them im- I ■ ported and sown with grass or clover I < seed. { I

At a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Metropolitan Jockey Club Committee, it was decided that the Te Karaka Facing Club be informed that tho protest fee refunded in tho Scurry Race jnust be ro collected, iu accordance with rule 113. The same reply was directed to be forwarded to the Takapeu Jockey Club, Permission was given to the Mahia Agricultural 'and Pastoral Society, at the request of Mr G. C. Ormondj to hold a walk, trot, and gallop j race, also a dismounting race over hurdles, at the forthcoming show. The following licenses were granted: Jo.okeys, I J. Plummer and Tamati Wherikore; I trainers, Tamati Wheirkore, W. Farrell, I H. Goodley, J. Auhl, J. Doherty, and A. Banks ; apprentice, J. O. E. Jones ; gentle- j men riders, Messrs H. H. PharazyD, J. Mo-yitie, <j,nd Jas. Wilson. Programmes approved: Tokomarjj IJoy Jockey Club; I March 21st ; Waipiro Racing Club, March I 25th (subject to conditions being altered in j eooordance ivith rule 42),