PASTOR CHINIQUY’S FIRST LECTURE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2158, 18 February 1880, Page 2

PASTOR CHINIQUY’S FIRST LECTURE.

TOWN EDITION.

A crowd of people congregated about the approaches to the Presbyterian Church last evening betokened that something unusual was on the tapis. Last night Pastor Chiniquy delivered his inaugural lecture at the above church, and long before the advertised hour of ■commencement —8 o’clock—the people began to assemble both inside and outside the building. At a quarter to eight the church was comfortably tilled, while at eight o’clock a seat was barely obtainable. It is estimated that between seven and eight hundred people were present during the evening. At the further end of the church were seated a number of gentlemen, including several ministers of religion of more than one denomination, amongst whom it was easy to recognise Pastor Chiniquy himself. The Pcv. W. Gillies opened the proceedings with prayer, after which he introduced Pastor Chiniquy to the meeting, in a short address. The well-known revival hymn, “ Hold the Fort,” was then sung by the united choirs of tho Timaru churches, in which all present joined with much heartiness. Pastor Chiniquy then rose, and was received with prolonged applause, which only ceased when it was observed that the Pastor was engaged in silent prayer, holding both hands to his face.

The Pastor is a little man, with a prominent iron-grej' beard, and a face of considerable power. Although having passed the rubicon of “ three-score years and ten,” he is yet hale and hearty in appearance, and but very lightly marked by the hand of time. The Pastor is,it would appear a ErenchCanadian hy birth, and speaks with a strongly marked, but by no means, disagreeable accent. He commenced to speak in a subdued tone, but quickly losing his identity as it were, in his subject, his voice rose until it filled every corner of the spacious Church. The subject of the lecture was “ Why I and 25,000 of my fellow countrymen left the Church of Home,” and step by step the speaker traced his history as a priest of the Homish Church, and his gradual emergance from “ Popish darkness into the light of Gospel truth.”

Pastor Chiniquy has been accused by his enemies of not being a ready speaker, but no one can deny after having once heard him, that he possesses the power of engrossing the attention of his auditors and keeping it enchained. For about two 1 lours and a half lie spoke last night, and was listened to with unflagging interest by his hearers, 'who seemed to be really sorry when he at length sat down. The utmost order and decorum prevailed throughout the evening, and judging from the frequent outbursts of laughter and applause which greeted the remarks of the Pastor —at times compelling him to desist from speaking—the iirst appearance in Timaru of this venerable champion of Protestantism sidered as having been a very great success.

A considerable number of people assembled in front of the church during the lecture, and did not disperse until the proceedings Avcre entirely over and the Pastor had entered his carriage, escorted by a large number of his admirers, on his return to the Manse, Avhere he is stopping Avhile in Timaru.