“Voyage Round the World."

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 13, 9 July 1887, Page 2

“Voyage Round the World."

PASTOR WALLACE’S LECTUBE. At Matawhero on Thursday night Pastor Wallace made his first delivery of his lecture entitled " A Voyage Round the World.’’ Although there were several heavy showers just before 6, there was a capital attendance at the school-house (when the lecture was delivered. Mr John Parker took the chair. It was not every day, he said, that one had an opportunity of travelling round the world, and it was thus with additional pleasure they could listen to one who had done so. Mr Wallace was a young man who had travelled a good deal, and would doubt make his lecture very interesting, He was especially glad to see so many young people present. Mr Wallace opened very modestly—he even believed he had acted impetuously in under* taking the task, this being the first time he had attempted a lecture. The apologies, however, might very well have been passed over, as the lecturer soon began to interest, amuse, and instruct. He left Belfast towards the end of 1882, and crossed over to Glasgow. He commented on the characteristics of the different centres he passed through on his voyage. Glasgow was a fl-rld for the discussion of the ffiost diversified opinions in politics and religion. While travelling through Scotland he saw a number of sheep apparently hanging overhead from a heighth above. The sheep, while striving to get at the grass below, had boen frozen to death, and there they remained. At Preston the lecturer had spent the " shortest ” twenty minutes he had ever done in his life, being an interval in the running of the railway train. The soup and everything seemed to have been specially made red hot, and of course their meal had to be a very light one. Reference was made to the great developments in railways. Everything was done with almost lightning speed—they never heard of the driver getting off in those places- to drive a cow off the line. Following on the journey to London, the lecturer gave a short description of the more pointed features in the metropolis, and the social life there. Speaking of the distress in London, a quotation was given from Chambers’ Journal to show tbe extent to which the begging imposition is carried on, in all its real misery. A lady and gentleman meeting at a ball, became attached, and were subsequently married. But the lady could never find out what her husband’s profession was. One day she determined to do so. She followed him one morning, until he disappeared in a gateway. A little later a beggar emerged, all covered with sores, and with only one arm. She followed the beggar until he again returned into the gateway, from which there shortly afterwards appeared, in his usual irreproachable attire—her husband I That woman did not follow her husband again. (Laughter.) The liquor traffic in London was briefly referred to, The weekly income of one hotel that had been sold for £17.008 was something like £BOO, not 25 nor cent, of which had been lifted in sums above sixpence. The good work of George R. Sims and others was commented on in glowing terms. Referring to tbe churches he (the speaker) had asked three respectable people where Spurgeon's tabernacle was, and nono could tell him. After giving much information about London, the lecturer related his experiences until he got aboard the ship, and—

“ The Anchor Weighed ” was sung by Mr Frank Parker.

Sail was then set for Sydney, the incident! of the voyage—the “ crossing _of the line ” having an amusing interest—being repeated. The lecturer gave his own impressions on what he had seen, and then

Miss Dora Allen sang “The Old. Land and the New,” her performance eliciting much applause. All the places ot interest in Sydney—especially the magnificent harbor—were touched on. The preachers there were severely criticised: they were the greatest duffers he had ever heard, though there ware no doubt a few good preachers there. Many comical things that had struck the lecturer while in Sydney, Which he told with much humor. As to the preachers, he did not Wonder that Sydney was such a place for Freethinkers when they remembered how little fitted tile majority of the preachers were to lead the people. A start was next made for San Francisco. [Mr Parker here sang "To the West.”] The Californian goldfields were then a great attraction, arid sailors cortld not be got for the shipping, all sorts of enticements being held out to get the sailors to leave the ships. A hundred pounds was sometimes not sufficient to procure men to work the ships. The features of the place were treated the same as those of the other places which the lecturer visited, and the Yankees’ fondness for bragging about everything American was hit off with a little mild sarcasm. The Fire Brigade in San Francisco was the best in the world. The churches, too, and the preachers, were very fine, but their religion was conducted on very peculiar lines—everything was done on a high scale, partaking too much of formality. This was the second city in the world for crime. If such things as occurred in California took place in Ireland they would be flashed all over the world, but because they happened in the former place little notice was taken. The Divorce Court rules were also very lax—if a woman wanted a divorce all she had to do was to prove that her husband could not provide her good enough clothes, or something quits as frivolous. The speaker had never seen men behave more like maniacs than they did in the Stock Exchange at this place. Considerable attention was paid to the Chinese I question, and with the use of a number of curios their mode of living was explained. In fact the lecturer had a splendid collection of things to give point to his remarks, and some magic lantern views were also exhibited for the amusement of the children. After an eventful trip, home was again reached. At this point Miss Allen sang " Come back to Erin.” This young lady has a very sweet voice, and was enthusiastically applauded after each song. The lecture concluded at 10.15, with the usual votes of thanks. It was again partially repeated in the Congregational Church last night, when Pastor Wallace was quite as successful as on the previous evening, though the attendance was not good.