STORIES HEARD AND TOLD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 122, 17 December 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

STORIES HEARD AND TOLD.

By The REV. R. J. CAMPBELL. The Rev. R. J. Campbell's resignation from the City Temple pulpit has occasioned regret to thousands who have worshipped with the "grey-haired boy, with mesmeric eyes and musical voice." He is a genial raconteur. Ho tells amusingly how, when he was returning from America on the Olympic, he gave an address, when suddenly, owing to the rolling of the vessel, the whole congregation was flung to the deck. "It was the rockiest pulpit I have ever occupied," he says " but no congregation was ever more quickly moved." One gets an admirable illustration of Mr. Campbell's geniality in an incident which he relates concerning his American tour three years ago. At Los Angeles two rival parties in a labour dispute asked him to address them. Mr. Campbell would only do so if they combined for one meeting. Ultimately they agreed. "When the meeting began," says Mr. Campbell, "I turned to the chairman and said, 'Are you really the British Consul?' That gentleman said he guessed lie was. Then said I, 'At the first sign of trouble I call upon you to wrap me up in the Union Jack and get me out safely.' "This pleased tho rival factions, and the meeting went quite merrily after that."

Mr. Campbell is fond of telling this story. Ho :was once elected to be vicepresident of a certain religious lecturing body. Ono day a deputation came to him and suggested the propriety of resigning. The organisation's lecturers, he was told, were no sooner well started with their discourse in Hyd-J Park than some raycal in the crowd would jump up, and producing one of Mr. Campbells books, say, "Stop a minute; I've got you." His unconventional attitude and remarks have led to the criticism that one never knows what Mr. Campbell is going to do next. On one occasion he addressed his hearers upon the timely subject ot congregational coughing, and a6ured them that there was such a thing as the "ungodly cough.'' Then again, he once stopped Ins congregation singing the hymn, "0, beautiful my country,'' saying that the compilers of the hymn-book had spoilt it bv altering the tune. Then, breaking into song, he sang the lines as lie thought they should be written. Needless to bay, the applause which greeted this musical effort was tremendous.

Apparently, Mr. Campbell does not consider himself the broad-minded man his admirers imagine, for when he was once asked whether he was likely to stay in. America he replied, "I am such a narroy, bigoted John Bull that I am afraid I should not be comfortable in any other country but my own."