JOHNSON INTERVIEWED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 324, 15 January 1909, Page 4

JOHNSON INTERVIEWED.

' "TIN': PKXTJ'KNT SMOOIHIK." COLOI'KUD CHAMPION UXPOPCLAI! IX SYDXEY. LITKKAKY CDXSOLATIOX. Auckland, January 11. A Sydney paper lo hand contains » laughable interview with Johnson, the volouroil pugilist. Prior lo his departure •Hi.. champion expressed his views rela•tivc lo I In- ethics of his profession. "Since I heal Burns/' he observed, "Hie people of New South Wales have suddenly taken a great dislike lo me. 'Though lie got a, great walloping, Bums is more pnpular here than I am, and all 'because he doos what you Australians 'call the 'penitent smoodge.' However, I never expected to find sympathy here, as my colour is against liic. "When distressed by criticism of this sort I simply turn up one or two of my favourite books—Shakespeare's 'Titus Andronicus,' Ilunjan's 'Pilgrim's Progress,' or Hilton's 'Paradise Lost,' and'there I find plenty of consolation to soothe away any irritation. ■ " Von may be surprised that I should turn to literary work when annoyed instead of seeking sympathy from the •church to which I belong.* Of course, you know I am a Methodist, and our church is regarded as second to none in America, or in the world. It is the world's champion church. When I arrived here in Svdncv iirst of all \ expected to be well looked after l.v r,iv follnw-rolhrionists in Svdncv. A Yell, do you believe il. not one' of the Methodists called on me. At iirst I resented tlii.- very much, and 1 fretted a lot. so that my manager had/ fears lost i should go back in my training. However, a week or so convinced me that flic Methodists over here are quite a dill'eront crowd lo what I have been nocustomed! 10. and I fee! glad „ow thai I had brains enough to li'nd consolation in reading a few chapters of • I'il-riin's Progress' instead of publicly relinking the sect to which I belong. Outside the cindncf of the local Methodists in not inviting me to church, there is not a single one. so far as I can learn, signt'lied his intention of witnessing the lignt. I "In America, whenever I had a 'scrap' T could always count on solid support from my denomination. However, I am not going to be nasty aihniit Sydney's people. The majority' of von arc all eiglit. but as T am a descendant 'of Ibi'in I must bear your reproaches because I heal a white man. <'onld any Christian nation have extended a more inhospitable welcome to a victor in a great contest? When. T won I fully e.\pivtcd to lie feted. That was my due. However, you spurned me.'' j

The Hev.W.O. Taylor, of the Sydney ' Central Mission, seen in reference to Johnson's stntemenls, said he had no idea that Johnson was a member of the Methodist Church. He was not debarred from attending the services of the church. In fact, lie'believed that Johnson, shortly after his arrival in Sydney, did put in anappearance once, and was seen engaged hi ea.'nest prayer. ' Asked ii' it was ~. fact Unit Johnson was not welcomed on arrival. Mr. Tavlor said. "Certainly not. How we're 'we to kno.M- that he was a .Methodist at all 1 Kvery Methodist when he leaves one place gets a. letter which he presents at the next place he visits. Joliii'son did not present his credentials, and we took no more notice of him than of any other stranger, but did not draw the colour line at all. We have men of many colours hi our church."