MOUNT OLYMPUS INVADED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 154, 14 May 1862, Page 5

MOUNT OLYMPUS INVADED.

We wonder how Jupiter would have felt if a younger god had set up an independent establishment of his own upon Mount Olympus. According to the tnjthic history, Jupiter expelled his father from the seat of government, and might fairly expect to be served similarly l>y his son. Mr. Trollope, to whom we iwe newspaper mythology, has called the Tines ths Jupiter, and has conferred on Printing-housc-squaro the poetical name Mount Olympus. But is he right ? Would not Saturn or Chronos be a better name for the " leading journal ?" Is there not an analogy between JSuropa Zeus and the Daily Telegraph ? Are we not on the eve of such a revolution as that which occurred when the thunder-wielding divinity dethroned hisiathcr ? Such question's occur to us on hearing tlmt the Daily Telegraph has invaded Mount Olympus.known among men and at the Post-office as Printing-house-square. Is the dead time come of which the oracles have spoken ? Nothing is immortal; even the divine Times must yield to resistless fate, and one might aptly compare it to Some strong swimmer in his agony, buoyed up by a cork-jacket, in the shape of eight pages of advertisements. We confess that we should, be sorry to see the influence of the Times transferred to any or all of the penny papers. Though it has shown little constancy, the Hems has always been polished in tone. Let us choose an instance of which all our readers are sure to be cognizant. On the Monday which followed the Prince Consort's death—to the English nation a loss unspeakable —men looked at the papers to see ■which had been able fitly to express the grief and sympathy of England. To the universal regret, the Titties was weak and even ungrammatical. But in the Daily Telegraph there was a mixture of cant and fine writing which provoked unmitigated disgust. One pitied the Times writer, forced suddenly to attempt a theme too great for him. One shuddered at the vulgar rhodomontade of the Daily Telegraph, conceived in the style of a funeral sermon by Spurgeon. We ventnre to take this great occasion as an example of what may be expected if journalism tails into the hands of such men as now manage the cheap press. No trifling evil will it be if a penny paper, conducted in the styL.- which is now popular, should supersede the Times, Very remote, let us hope, are the possibilities to which we have been induced to draw attention by the Daily Telegraph's invasion of Prinling-house-square.— The Literary Budget. Scab in Sheep.—We give in another column a long report of the seizure and burning^ of three thousand six hundred sheep on the Lower Murray, and we observe. that a number of ■ new. scab inspectors, are to be appointed in New South Wales on the strength of this. Things of this kind fall out very opportunely for those in want of Government berths, but as we are not without our fears, that, as in the pleuro-pneumonia case, so in this, that a great deal more is said than there is. any necessity for. Scab, is easily enough curable, if • set about in the right way, withont any such wanton destructioe of sheep as this. — Herald, May 7. The Submarine Cable.—At last there appears to be some ; probability of the Bass' Straits submarine ♦elegraph;beirig once more brought into use. A few weeks since we mentioned that the Government of Tasmania proposed handing over the cable, gratuitously,! to a" private company, on condition thai the cab:e should oe thoroughly repaired, and cominumca-' tion be restored and :tliorQughly maintained between thiß colony and Victoria, within a reasonable period,

It was also proposed at the same time, to authorise Captain Giluiore (untillately Master -Warden ;tl this port, and who is now on his way to England), to negotiate the matter with any person or persons in Great Britain who mijjht be inclined to accept the offer on the above terms. Since, then, this bcJieme has been s-ulnnitted to the Government of Victoria for their concurrence oh the distinct understanding that neither colony, should' be involved in any further pecuniary liability, arid that the Tasmanian Government were to initiate all proceedings through Captain Gilmore, to whom the necessaryinstructions would be for.wa«led t the Victorian Governnient being-informed of the progress' of the negotiations' from time to time. The Government of Victoria haveaeeetled to the terms proposed, on the condition that the cession of the cable should be for a term of years, subject to proper guarantees and conditions to (secure the repair aud maintenance of the line, and to preclude any increase of charge for the transmission of messages, &c.—Luuncenton Examiner, April 17.

Amusements.

THE DUNLOP HERESY, &c, CASE. From the Scotsman, February 7th. The Presbytery of Irvine met yesterday in the new Town Hall, Irvine, to resume the evidence in this case—the Rev. Mr. Sumerville, moderator. Compearauce of parties as before. William Dowie, Gardener, Penicuik, was the first witness examined. He deponded —I resided about seventeen months in Dunlop previous to August, 1861, when I left the parish. While living there I attended the parish church, and "was present at several of the revival meetings held in the church during October, November, and December, 1860. I was at one revival meeting on the evening of the 17th October, in thnt year, when Mr. Gebbic spoke on the subject "of the necessity of assurance. I heard him say that for people who were not converted to sit at the Lord's table or present their children for baptism was the greatest mockery out of hell. He used words to the effect that no one was entitled to go to the communiontable who was not satisfied or assured of his own salvation, and I was led to believe that such was the doctrine he taught. On the same evening Mr. Gebbie came np to me and asked if I had found Jesus. Ido not recollect mv answer, but it was to the effect that 1 could not say 1 had found Christ. He then turned \ip a passage in the Gospel of St. John, which he rend to me, and added, " You are already damned." I attended another revival meeting in the church atDunlop on the 19th October— that is, two evenings afterwards —when Mr. Gebbie again spoke to me. He directed my attention to the-last clause of the Bth verse of the sth chapter of the Romans, " Christ died for us." I read the words aloud, arid he replied, " No." After a while he left me, and in a short time returned, requesting me to read the passage again. I did so, and he again remarked, "No ; that is too general." This was once more repeated, and on the last occasion Mr. Gebbie said, "No; whom did he die for?" After putting the question, he turned round to speak to somebody, and in the interval one of the girls near by wisperal that I should say, " Christ for me." When Mr. Gebbie again turned round, I said "For me," whereupon he took hold of my coat and lifted me up from where I was sitting, and then grasped my hands, telling me to rejoice and sing. I did not sing, but the converts —or those who pretended to be converted—surrounded me, and began to sing one' of Weaver's hymns. Mr. Gehbie still kept hold of my hands, and some of the converts struck me on the shoulders, keeping time with the tune they were singing. They sang the tune of " Polly Hopkins." 1 was "at another revival meeting in Dunlop Church on. the 22nd October, 1860. 'In the coiu'se of the-night, Mr. Gebbie accosted me in one of the passages of the church, and asked me if I was rejoicing yet. I said " No." He then replied that Christ had paid my debt, and I had nothing to do but to believe. When he ■was leaving me, he seized me by the coat lappel, gave me a shake, and said, "We must shake the devil out of you." (Laughter.) At all the meetings which I attended there was a great deal of excitement, and I myself became excited. (Laughter.) On the night following the previous revival meeting, I was present at another in the church, and I was very much excited that night. I was excited before entering the church, and I believe my excitement ■was caused by my attendance at the revival meetings. When" going into the church, Mr. Gebbie asked me if I hud found Christ, and if I was rejoicing?" 1 replied, " that I was rejoicing." "T knew it," Mr. Gebbie replied, "1 sawChrist looking out of'your eyes." Then taking me by the shoulder, he put me into the seat where the band sits, and which was generally appropriated to those who said they had found Christ. When I went home the excitement left me, and my old feelings returned. Until about a fortnight afterwards I did not reflect whether a real change had come over me as regards religion or whether the change was mearly the result of temporary excitement. After "some consideration, however, I came to the conclusion that the change was caused by the exictement of the moment, and that no genuine conversion had been effected.. I have heard Air. Gebbie say that it is not sufficient for people to go upon their knees in prayer ; they should go upon their backs. I Avas present at about twenty revival meetings in October, November, and December 1860, and I have seen Mr. Gebbie standing on the end of a pew seat, but not upon the book-boards, during xhe confusion and uproar. On one occasion, Mr. Gebbie said that as soon as children were born they were damned, and on another occasion he called those who could say they had found Christ " the children of God." He said on another occasion, " When you go to converse with an anxious soul, don't help them; point them out a passage from the Word of God, but for your very souls don't show them the way; let them sit a week, or a fortnight, or a year, but for your very souls don't show them the way." I believe that Mr. Gebbie might have controlled the tumult at these meetings if he had chosen. On cross-examination by Mr. Hope, witness deponded that he had signed the paper to the Presbytery of Irvine for an inquiry into the proceedings at Dunlop. He adhered to the Confession of Faith, but there was a "while he had his doubts. He had no particular reason for saying " Christ died forme" to Mr.Gebbie; he just said it because of the gM's suggestion. Interrogated—Had you ever your arm round the waist of a young woman at any of the revival meetings ? Depones—Yes, I had. (Laughter.) 1 have read the works of Paine and Voltaire, but I have now cast them all aside. -I was not in the habit of reading them when attending the revival meetings. lie-examined by Mr. M'Geokgj:—When I joined in singing Weaver's hymns to secular tunes, and when I liad my arm round the yonng woman's waist, I was in a state of excitement. When that excitement passed away I became satisfied that I had done wrong. By the Court—Were you excited because you thought at the time that you were not converted and not prepared to meet God in judgment? Depones—During the time the excitement was on me very few of these thoughts entered my mind. Interrogated—did you ever pray during that excitement ? Depones—Yes, I did. Interrogated—What was the nature of the feelings under which you engaged in prayer ? The question was objected 'to and disallowed as incompetent. Mr. Gebbie said that assurance was necessary for giving us comfort, and that no person could be saved who had not assurance. I gave Mr. Gebbie no reason to believe that I was a sceptic. I asked him whether he could say that the Bible ■was authentic, but I expressed no doubts regnrding its genuineness. Interrogated—Had you any doubts at that time about the authenticity of the Bible. Witness (speaking in an excited manner, and raising his right arm in a threatening attitude) —Don't ask, that question, The question was objected to, and ultimately disallowed. James Ross, parish schoolmaster, Dunlop, was examined, and deponded that he was present at several of the revival meetings, the proceedings at which he described.' lie had heard Mr. Gebbie say that if there was a deeper and a hotter place than hell, those persons who disbelived the Dnnlop revivals would be put into it. Before the excitement began to any great extent Mr. Gebbie said that people might all believe before leaving their pews. On another occasion, at which Mr. Gebbie was assisted by a clergyman from a distance, that clergyman took it upon himself to ask the converted to stand up, when he would pray with

them. Certain of the people stood up, and others remained sitting. After those who had stood up had resumed their seats, Mr. Gebbie rose and said that during the time this was heing done, he had kept his eyes shut, so that he might not see who were standing or who were sitting; but that he was moved by the Holy Ghost to say that there could not be greater mockery out of hell than for an unconverted man, or one who had not found Christ, to sit down at the Lords-table or ask for the ordinance of baptism. Mr. Gebbie, at one of the ordinary Sunday services, said that he knew the converts by their countenances —that | he saw Christ or God looking out of their eyes. At the meeting on the 22nd October, j Mr. Gebbie's gestures appeared unusual and striking ; while in the precentor's desk he clapped his hands loudly, dropped down upon his knees, swung his arms round him, and beat upon the sides of the desk in a very excited manner. There was decorum and quietness among the people at that time, but about midnight the the turmoil and excitement were extraordinary. Some were moving through the church as if it' were a common thoroughfarre; some were stamping and jumping on the tops of the seats, and shouting out at the full pitch of their voices; some were singing in groups different hymns in different tunes, and beating time with their feet. Mr. Gebbie made no effort to calm the turbulence, but some time afterwards he went'up to the precentor's desk and held up his hand for silence, and the effect was magical, as all immediately sat down; Mr. Gebbie preached in Dunlop Church on the revival movement on the last Sunday in October, and his sermon appeared to be a vindication of that movement generally, and of all the proceedings connected with it." He alluded to the agitation in his parish, and said that there would be excitement both in heaven and hell. Alluding to the converts being ac nised of madness, he said they were not half mad enough, and exclaimed, " Would to God they were a great many times madder, and their numbers were greatly increased !" The witness was examined upon some matters already brought out in evidence, and corroborated previous.witnesses. Cross-examined : The morality of the district was better in 1861 as compared with 1860.

The Presbytery adjourned till Tuesday week at twelve.

GENEALOGY OF A DISAGREKAIiLE FAMlLY.—Expii*lon tho sth instant, the Income Tax, the seventh holder of the title and estates. The first made its appearance in 1542, and lasted for three years, taking from us 7d. out of every sovereign. It yas succeeded in IS'ls l>y another of three years, which- again was followed in IS-1S by a third; an attempt of Lord J. Russell's Government on this occasion to raise the tribute to Is., was very soon disposed of; 1851 gave us a one year's tax, Mr. Hume beating the same Government on the question of the number of its days; and 1852, in prospect of a dissolution of Parliament, brought a,successor of only the same brief existence. In 1853 came Mr. Gladstone's grand and comprehensive creation —the longest lived income tax of the ser i eg —extended also to' Ireland, and (but a lower rate) to incomes of £100 a year; the rate to be 7d. for two years, 6d. for two more, 3d. for three more, and then to cease. This tax saw many vicissitudes of fortune in the course of its seven years' existence; its rent-roll Was doubled for a while, then had 2d. more added to it temporarily, and finally, wheu at its lowest ebb of fld., andalmost in extremist, it was raised to 9d. It came to its end in April 1860, and a temporary tax—a new rate —was granted for one year. That period expired on the oth, and the family is at this moment extinct; but its custom is to continue itself by posthumous heirs, and another is "expected" immediately. The property, however, was originally granted on the understanding that it v.as to bo taken only for a time; and, since 1812, Income Tax has got hold of £110,000,000 of the public money. — Times.