DRUMTOCHTY IDYLLS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1456, 17 May 1905, Page 2

DRUMTOCHTY IDYLLS.

LECTURE BY DR GIBB.

Thors was a good attendance at the Theatre Royal last evening to hear Dr Gibb, of Wellington, in his lootnro on the Rev. Dr Watson’s Drumtoohty sketches. The .Rev. J. G. Paterson occupied’ the chair, and as no stood up to introduce Dr Gibb the town elock chimed eight. The chairman seized the opportunity for rebuking the Gisborne audience for their unpunctuality. “If there were a prize of £5 offered to a Gisborne audience to be in time it would be lost," said Mr Paterson. “ They are not built that Way.” Dr Gibb was received with applause. There were some he said that placed the author of Drumtoohty Sketohes first amongst the living authors of short stories. Although he gave a high place to Dr Wat son, he placed Mr J. M. Barrie still higher, and Dr Rudyard Kipling above either, lan Maclarin wrote of life in rural Scotland, he depicted the comedy and tragedy, the pathos and the sublime that existed in the lives of the poor and lowly, and showed the good there was at the heart of every thing. The lecturer had to make frequent translation of what he termed the language of Paradise into common English, but judging by the applause that followed these Drumtcchty phrases from a large section of the audience it would appear that little interpretation were needed. The speaker then showed the Scotsman, as lan Maclaren sets him forth, with his pride for his native soil and his deep faith in the Providence of God, illustrating the lecture with extracts from the work. He pointed out how greatly the Scottish people were attaebed to their kirk ; rain or hail they would be there, and only sickness or attention to farm duties would keep them away. “ Don’t you with you were the minister of Drumtoohty kirk ?” said Dr Gibb, turning to Mr Pater son. The speaker next dealt with th struggle for liberty and rights of conscience which made the kirk so prominent in Drumtochty sketches. The people were brought np, he said, on the higher catechism and oatmeal porridge. In dealing with the question of ordination, the speaker said the Presbyterians did not deny the church standing of any church. The typical Scot attached great import, anoe to their schools, and since the Re

formation a higher average of edncation was maintained than in any other country in the world. A sound knowledge was obtained of the Great Book. “ Would to God,” Baid Dr Gibb, “ that the children of

New Zealand knew something about this book of books.” The reverend gentleman gave sketches of dry, solid Scotch humor which pervaded the Drumtochty sketches. The spoaker conoluded by describing the Scot's love for his native land.

Mr Paterson, in proposing a hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer, said his heart was soft, and he felt very near tears, Dot from the lecturer’s eloquence, but from the quotations given,