SHANNON’S EARLY DAYS.

Shannon News, 24 June 1921, Page 3

SHANNON’S EARLY DAYS.

By OCTOGENARIAN. \ (No. III.) The Primitive Methodists were the first- to build a church m the town in those bygone days, and all througn the years it has been the meetingplace of the Methodist body. People of all religious beliefs forgot creeds and doctrines and met together m warm fellowship. The pulpit was supplied from the T’oxton headquarters, and , Revs. G. Grindley and S. Barnett were regular visitors. Mr Kirby was the superintendent of the Sunday School, which was well attended and well taught. But modern thought in time interested these tlilee gentlemen, and both ministers withdrew from this fold. Now all three gentlemen are believers in Spiritualism. The Rev. Barnett is partner in a.flaxmill firm in the far north; the Rev. Grindley is teacher of a Native school in Auckland Province, and Mr -Kirby is in England, i must here bear testimony to the selfdenying and devoted work of the Saunders family, who lived on the other side of the river. They never failed to come across to teach classes in the Sunday School. It might be in pouring rain or when the river was high they manned their boat and crossed ,and then trudged a full mile to the church. “Alic-k” Saunders and his three sisters brought lunch with them, attended the morning service, taught in the Sunday School in the afternoon, and remained for the evening service. In these modern days it is seldom that Sunday school teachers of such a type are to be'found:

The schoolhouse was nsed by Ihe Presbyterians for their Sunday services. I remember an occasion when the Manawatu River was running high that there was no appearance of the “Meenister” at the time for. opening. The schoolroom was full, and while the congregation waited they sang hymns. At last Mr Voysey, the schoolmaster, asked the editor of the “Manawatu Farmer,” who w T as present, if he would take the service. Now, newspaper men do not carry notes of sermons in their pockets when they go to> ; church, and the request caused all eyes to be turned to the-“ink-slinger.” But he did not express surprise at the request, nor did he apologise for not being prepared. Newspapermen have to play many pans during their earthly career, ana they arc supposed to be well read in social problems, politics, philosophy and religion. The gentleman in question quickly stepped forward, read the story of King Nebuchadnezzar’s images and Daniel’s interpretation ol the King’s dream, and then gave an address, blending history, prophecy and religion together. He spoke on the world’s four great Empires of Babylon, Greece, Persia and Rome, told us that the ten toes of the great image represented the ten kingdoms into which Rome was broken up, ami said the stone wTiicli broke up these kingdoms would in time give place to a universal religion, which would fill the whole earth. That the editor made an impression may he gathered from the fact that he was asked by’ the Rev. Barnett to preach in the Methodist church occasionally. But the editor preferred the press to the pulpit. As the Poet Laureate says:— Though the fatted calf was killed for

him. That feast had no zest for him; I-Ie thought the pigs were the best for him — So he went back to the sty. In later days, when Fitchett’s hall was built, the Anglicans held their services there. The sclioolhouse was a general meeting place, and besides Sunday services, all kinds of entertainments were held there. Mr Nation took an interest in the children of the town, drilled many of them in singing and reciting, and every now and then the youthful talent appeared at the sclioolhouse, which was always packed. In addition to the songs and recitations, there were tableaux and a laughable farce, ah carried through by the juveniles. Some of the children who took part are now “children of a larger growth,’’ married, and have children attending the school. They will remember Mr Nation, and the time he spent in working up the raw material among the children and fitting it for public view. When Mr Fitchett, built a large .hall, entertainments of all kinds were held there. This building has since been demolished. In this hall, a large one, I have seen the youth and beauty of Shannon assembled. And the farmers and their wives with babies in arms came from the country round to be present at the dances, which were conducted in a manner beyond the slightest reproach. I call to mind the occasion of a bachelors’ ball, when the young men brought in from the hush its richest growth in nikau trees and fern fronds. The hall was fumed info a fairy bower, and Ihe floor was as smooth as glass. In the middle of the

hall a large square dais stood, and at each corner a fern tree was fixed. Tne pianist and insirument were enclosed in tins sylvan hower, and around'it me dancers whiled the hours away. This turn-out drew from the ladies a resolve to oul-tlo the efforts of the bachelors, and in addition to the beauty ol the bush, they added flags and an orchestra. At the door, upon entering, every bachelor was presented with a buttonhole bouquet, of which there were full baskets. No such bali has since been seen in Shannon, a so, in those by-gone days the settlers enjoyed themselves. After milking was over the farmers, their wives, their sons and daughters, and their children too, drove in to town and forgot everyday drudgery.