MR VARLEY, THE EVANGEL-IST AND A REPORTER.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 43, 19 February 1879, Page 4

MR VARLEY, THE EVANGEL--IST AND A REPORTER.

A CURIOUS SCENE. [N.Z. Herald c^kbespondent.] Dunedin, Friday. The following account of a rich eceoe between Mr Variey, the Evangelist. and a reporter on the Otago Daily Times, appears in this monning's ueue of. that journal:— On Wednesday one of our report re, fcß usual, attended Mr VarJey's evanpeiistic meetings in new Knr, x Churcb. The main portion 0/ tbe service over, a meeting wbb held, at which, es Isas already been stated, about 70 pet sins were end to which, as in duty bound, our reporter also remained. Mr Verify wfmi through the church holding conversations with perhaps half-a-dozen persons seated htre nmi tl:ere, and at last he reKched the buck part ol the cliuicb, in whinli ihe reporter had teken hi 8 Bent. Mr Variey enme within the pew, n nd afked, '^Huve you put your trust in Christ ? Qrir reporter rxplained that be w»B there in pursuance of his office, and had no wish to enter into particulars upon this delicate question. Mr Variey at once took a Beat beside him, and elated thßt he considered it his duty (o ask an answer to the question. He proceeded to aek further queatioue 11 Do you think if I bhw you in some" great danger, and I could save you, would it. he kind of me to leave you to perish ?" Reporter: "Really Mr Verley, I don't know; at any rate, I would takr it very kindly if you would leave rre just now. lam here ae a reporter, and have no wis'i to converse W'ah you on socb a subject." Mr Variey: "Are you the reporter who wrote that account, of my conversation with Mr Brinton." Reporter (hesitatingly) : " What report waa that ? " Mr Variey : " Come, sir, you know very well what report it was: the one about my holding a knife in my hand. You are cavilling. Why are you not honest ? It is what is to be expected from tbe person who wrote it. Why don't you says at once you did or did not do it ?" » I bad no wish whatever to cavil about the thing. I suppose I may ae well tell yoo I did write the report." Mr Variey: "Oh, I was aore of that, you did me a contemplated injury. Sir, you saw nothing of the addresß, hut you picked a single circumstance, and geve that an untrue colouring, in order to hold ma and my services up to ridicule. You were guilty of a meßn, dishonest thing, eir." Reporter : " You have no business whatever to talk to me about the report. If you have any complaint, go to the editor." Mr Variey : " I have been to your editor. If* I had been a strolling comic singer, you would never have treated me as you did, giving a deliberately - untrue colouring to what took place. You would not have singled out any one thing in connection with George Rignoid, and ridiculed him about. You would not. You were cuilty of a mean contemptible action. You prostituted your pen, sir, and I warn you of the deplorable end you will come to if *ou persiet in your present course. You pave that report out of enmity to Jesus Christ." Reporter: "I presume, when you talk of enmity in my heart to Jesus, you mean enmity to Henry Varley." < Mr Variey : •• I will not be insulted in this place. You are dealing with a man, sir, and I shall let you know that." Reporter: "I have no desire to insult you, — you have passed a few compliments. You may allow me to return them. You have inßolted rne moat grossly, and I tell you, I consider your language baa been disgraceful. You have not epoken by any means as a gentleman, and moat decidedly not as a Christian. I wish to have nothing more to say to you, and will thank you to go away Bnd leave me alone." Mr Variey : " I shall apeak to you as long aemy time allowa me. You have steeled your bad, wicked human heart against the Lord Jesus Christ, and I warn yon what you will come* to. Oh, the mean, the dishonourable thing you did." Reporter : " You may talk, Henry Variey. I shall treat anything farther you have-to eay with the most utter contempt. Your language has been disgraceful to you, and most contemptible. I Bhall listen to nothing whatever more from you " Mr Variey continued to talk for a minute or two longer, the reporter paying no attention to what he said. Ultimately he rose from his geat, and bestowing a moat evangelic glance upon the reporter, left the pew. In one directly behind wbb a young man who must have heard, and no doubt profited by, what had taken place. Mr Variey flat down beside him, probably for the purpose of allowing bia cboler to cool before going towards the platform, and the reporter heard Mr Variey giving this young man advice as to opening bin heart for the reception of saving grace. The young man waa to i d t * get into the habit of imagining Christ in bia company as he rose in the morning, as he went about business in the day, &o. After continuing this conversation for a minute or so, Mr Verley went forward and asked Mr D. Wright to close the proceedings with a few words of prayer, which was done. The local referred to by Mr Variey is as followa ,— « Mr Henry Vat ley's service in the Knox Churcb, last night, was attended by about 700 people! At the close of the service, an afterneeting was held, the proceedings of which consisted of Mr Brunton, of the Plymouth Brethren, reading a portion of the Scriptures, and being questioned tbereopon by Mr Variey, who, in turn, decanted upon Mr Brunton'a answer

for the benefit of tbe audience. Illustrations of faith, unbelief, etc., were given,— such *e by Mr V-rley's Jelling Mr Brunton he held a knife in his nlosed hand, and then aakine him if he believed the fart. Befo'fl bringing the meeting lo a close, Mr Variey invited as many as were willing to put their trust in Christ to stand up, but none responded."