THE BISHOP OF MELBOURNE ON SOCIAL MATTERS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 24, 28 January 1878, Page 4

THE BISHOP OF MELBOURNE ON SOCIAL MATTERS.

Amid the din of faction and. the clamour of revolutionary politics, it is refreshing to turn for a moment to the perusal of the remarks, full of wise philanthropy and general social insight, contained in a recent speech of Dr. Moorhouse, the bishop of Melbourne, at Adelaide. Dr Moorhouse, after referring to his object and desire to aid " in trying to lift up the human nature of the Australian Colonies to a little higher level of social, mental and intellectual culture," proceeded—" 1 am sure you will excuse me if I say that in the days of early enthusiasm I used to dream — that dream so absurdly ex treme as some may imagine it — of voluntarily becoming a working mau myself, in order that I might learn to sympathise with the working men's class, so that I might the better, if the providence of Q-od would give me the grace to do it, elevate it a little higher. I believe that to be the great problem , of modern history, not to elevate one class above another, not to make one class the master of another but to take the common mass of humanity, embrace it in the arms of our affection and lift it bodily up. I believe that is the problem in England at the present time, and it is some satisfaction to feel that this problem is receiving some solution in these Australian colonies." The bishop declared that he is " not a bit afraid of what is called over - educating the masses." <% When the working classes find that plough-driving pays better than quilldriving they will stop the « quill-driv-ing.' Depend upon it, these things arrange themselves very quickly. Ido really try wherever I fiud any people to listen to me to impress upon them the necessity of inoulcating their children with the feeling of th© dignity and tha pleasure of labour." " Let* us," said Dr. Moorhouee, <% try to make people take their pleasure in their work, not after it. There are people who think of making their fortunes and then giving the slip to their daily tasks and being happy for ever. They will be miserable for ever." The speech was full of good points and of practical wisdom. We sadly want all of the good offices and wbolasome ia/iuences of such men &% Dr Moorhouse to holp men to see the dignity of honest labour, and to aid iv smoothing the asperities of class feelings in a community where so many men are pursuing their objects by seeking to fan class jealousies ioio internscine hatreds.