Our Stratford Page

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 229, 26 March 1912, Page 3

Our Stratford Page

■Stratford, Monday. STRAIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER. SUNDAY'S MOUNTAIN PICNICS AND THE CHURCH. POWERFUL SERMON IJY THE REV. W. A. BUTLER. The Rev. W. A. Butler, vicar of Stratford, preaching at Holy Trinity Church on Sunday night to a crowded congregation, dealt forcibly with the growing tendency on the part of many people to disregard the sanctity of "'the Sabbath of the Lord thy God. God's Sabbath. I God's Day. Not yours, not mine." He took his text from 2nd Corinthians, ch. 4, veree 7: ''We have this treasure in earthen vessels," than which, said the preacher, St. Paul never wrote a truer word. "You and I as Christians are entrusted with a priceless treasure—a treasure, as it were, of innumerable jewels given to us for distribution, and if as we meet together from time to time we were asked to state what success had attended our distribution, we should be bound to acknowledge that it was very small in comparison with our opportunities. People often assert that the church has been a failure, and we cannot deny that its success has been imperfect, and' its early promise has not been fulfilled." It was 'true that the signs of religious activity were never 60 numerous as now. During the last half century church work among the English-speaking peoples had increased tremendously; services, guilds, religions meetings, brotherhoods, organisations of all kinds for the spread of religion, for healing sickness, and for helping those who had been beaten down in the paths of life, had been greatly multiplied. Yet. notwitstanding these and many other hopeful signs, one could not help doubting whether Christianity was really leavening society as a whole. He asked. "Is not EVERYONE FOR HIMSELF" I becoming more and more the rule of life —the determination to get place, or power, or wealth, irrespective of the means of winning them, or for purposes merely selfish? In commerce, in politics, in too many callings once deemed honorable, falsehood and fraudulent practices are not seldom either justified or considered so venial that the chief sin'. consists in being found out. Has there] ever been a time when so larse a num-1 ber of people have apparently determined j to give themselves a dispensation from j the public worship of God. and, as it) were, bow him out of Society? All around are the signs of weak faith in things spiritual, of growing trust in the material, and what was worse, the consequent

WEAKENING OF THE MORAL FIBRE, j The creeds of the church had become] more elaborate and precise, but it was ■ possible to surpass the early Christians; in orthodoxy, and yet fall behind them; in the one thing needful. . . . "Now.j it is perfectly clear that a remedy i is needed, or else, as I believe, the people] of this country will never grow into a great nation. We need to regenerate our little island-world by the building up of individual characters. . . To teach men and to lead them to something higher, to something that tends to true greatness, must be the principal part of the work of the church, and it therefore falls within the limits of the duty of J every Christian in this town and district j to see that this work of the church isi faithfully carried out." . . . The preacher then pointed out that the Christian faith made no demands upon a person which need be burdensome or objectionable, while, if it called for selfrestraint, the results showed it to be desirable wwing to the ultimate benefits. This they had learned first through the Sunday School, and later from the attendance at church services, and it was i undeniable that to these latter they owed much of what they knew and what i they were. This being so, it followed that if those outside the church could be drawn to these services, Christianity wxrald prove attractive to many 7iien : and women of the best type, who at present shunned it on account of certain apparently objectionable features which in reality arose from the inconsistent conduct of its adherents. Let them consider briefly how many men there were in this town of the finest type who never entered a place of worship, and then let him ask of each churchman: "If you were stricter in your practical Christianity, more consistent in all you do, and ready to own when required to do o that Christianity is the true motive of all your worthy'aetions. would not these excellent non-churchmen become more appreciative of our Faith and be led in I due course to follow where we have led?" These men would regard church attendance as the outward expression of a genuine, healthy, religious life, free from objections, and full of attractiveness. And yet. in the place of offering this, many ehurchpeople were in the habit of presenting the reverse, not 'only being erratic in attendance at Sunday services, but setting an example opposed to the interests of the faith they confess, and spending the day in direct disobedience of the intention and spirit of the Fourth Commandment. WICKED WELLINGTON.

In Wellington la-t year he had received one 'of the shocks of his life when he had seen the large number of people who apparently had no thought of God on Sunday. "We hear." he said, "of the Continental Sunday: but the Continental Sunday is nothing to what T saw in Wellington. Thank God that up to the present the small town in which we live is in a far healthier, happier, and holier position than some of the bigger towns of the Dominion!"

THE MOST GIUiSS NEGLECT. '•What arc the people of Stratford doing to show these others the reality and need of by means of the outward expression of public worship and tho proper observance of Sunday? I venture to say that there is. and has been, the most'gross lie pi pet of the direet command of fiod: "Remember the Sabbat!) day to keep it holy." T ask many of you. "Can you honestly say that it is permissible to absent yourselves, as many of you do. from (lie serviec over and over again?" Owe in a way there may be domestic circumstances which necessitate your absence, but there is apparently ,1 large list of domestic circlingtanr-rs which we don't come across in the week. But many of you aggravate the offence against Ood by devoting time to gardening, picnics, and trips to the mountain, and by thes things you strengthen the hands of those who don't want to care about things of God. those who are easy-going ns well n< tile agnostic, while you aid in his infamous designs the enemy 'of the Church of Christ by giving him an argument why Christianity mav I be regarded a« a humbug and n farce." '•I tell von. plainly as it is possible to. • that * ' ' .. ■

* * * From Our Resident Reporter. * * * 4> Office: No. 3, York Chambers, Stratford. * * * + + + + + 4,4, mm ******************

I AM PULLING ONE WAY in the Master's service, and many of you are pulling in the opposite direction. I don't tell you of the struggles and fights I have for the church. This non-observ-anee of Sunday is a continual source of worry. It will oat the life out of cliurchmnnship if it goes on. You imet me in the street, and say, ''You're doing good work here. But don't work too hard, you know. You are making splendid progress." Then next Sunday you are off on some pleasure excursion, more often than not with some weak ones whose place should be in church. I can never forget the words of Jesus, "He that gathereth not with Me, seattereth." And then I put it plainly to you, "D« you think Jesus Christ will go with you if you asked Him, go off to the mountain for the day on a Sunday?" No, I'm sure he wouldn't. He'd rebuke you, and he'd commence where you would least expect it. He would say, "Even my Father's animals need this day of rest; the very horses which you ride or drive six or *ight miles, and which then toil four miles up that mountain track; the horses that have done a week's work. Turning the point of example to men, the preacher pointed out that boys recently confirmed, just becoming regular at church services as the result of infinite pains on the part of the clergy, were following in the footsteps of the Sabbath-breakers, making up parties to : the mountain, and, when rebfcked, saying, "Well, grown-up people do it." It would not need much self-denial on the part of many to give up some of these things for the sake of others. The issues were so stupendous that no sacrifice was 1 too great. 1 The reverend gentleman then urged hi» hearers to observe Eastertide as a re-1 ligious festival; to set aside the Day of the Crucifixion for meditation and prayer instead of spending the day ill holidaymaking; and to communicate on Easter Day. Those visiting friends at Easter should see to it that they do not interfere with their friends' observance of their duty in this matter.

THE OPPOSITION RALLY. Mr. W. F. Massey, M.P.. leader of the Opposition, will arrive in Stratford by Wednesday night's express. On Thursday he will visit the various centres as follows to meet electors: Midhirst dairy factory, 8.45 a.m.; Tariki, .0.30 a.m.; Inglewood, 10.30 a.m.; Toko, 1 p.m., at the sports ground; Ngaere, 2.30 p.m., at the Ngaere gardens, where a picnic is to be held. In the evening he will deliver an address at the Stratford Town Hall, where Mr. J. B. Hine, M.P., will be made the recipient of a presentation. There will be addresses by other members of the Opposition. Seventeen hundred tickets have been issued, and as the hall won't hold more than a thousand there's likely to be a crowd. Big contingents are coming from Inglewood, Tariki, Tarata, Ngaere and other centres. It will be advisable to leave home early, and to get to the hall early, especially in the case of country people, who would be most inconvenienced by finding no room available.

THE MAYORALTY. The name of Mr. C. D. Sole is being frequently mentioned as a candidate for the Mayoralty. As yet Mr. Sole, who has achieved more than local fame as chairman of the Stratford District High School Committee for a loner time past, has been approached on the matter by; quite a number of ratepayers, but has not made up his mind on the matter. l Thus we have mentioned the present Mayor (Mr. J. Masters), Councillors ; Sidnev Ward. R. McK. Morison. and Dr. Paget; Messrs W. P. Kirkwood, C. D. Sole, and W. G. Malone. ■ One thing is certain. Stratford wants a good Mayor to-day. She wants a man of initiative, a man of grit, a man ready, to put his shoulder to the wheel and shove hard and consistently. Stratford is becoming a bit conceited, and seems inclined to rest content. It wasn't this spirit that made her one of the best inland town in the North Island, and this isn't the spirit to keep her in that position. She wants rousing. The Chamber of Commerce and the Tradesmen's Association want rousing up, too. The borough council has no chance of sleeping as at present constituted, but it seems to need the rowels every now and again. Who's the man to fill this hill?

THE TERRITORIALS. The following circular has been is-, sued in connection with the forthcoming camp of the 2nd Wellington (West Mounted "Rifles, to be held at Waverley from 10th to 23rd May:—"Should any man find that he cannot possibly attend camp without seriously interfering with his work so as to cause him- considerable loss, he should immediately apply direct to the commanding officer of his regiment (in this case Colonel Davics), stating his reasons for asking leave, and if after due inquiry it is found to be a case where genuine hardship will be incurred, ho will be given leave from bis 1 regimental camp on the distinct understanding that he must attend a camp of casuals to be held early in .Tune. Major-Onoral C.odley. general officer commanding the Xew Zealand Defi-n-f Forces, will be in camp from May 20th till the 23rd. A parade of the Stratford squadron will be held on Thursday, from 11 a.m. till 3 p.m. BERNARD'S PICTURES. Ab-nhiicly out oil its own amongst (be pirturc'entertainments in the lesser towns is lb," reputation that Madame Bernard has earned for her cinematograph then Ire in Stratford. The delights of each succeeding programme an enhanced by the incidental music capably played by" the "Symphony Orchestra." Thi's week's programme is a judiciously varied one. 'T.v the aid of the lariat" is one of those thrilling Western dramas that are so popular with Stratford audiences. Tt is a splendid piece of cinematography, in which is introduced a slariling e\hibilion of accuracy in lariat throwing and of prairie horsemanship. ''The Fated Ships." "At .Tones' Ferry.'' and '''Weighed in the Balance" are also very fine dramas which appeal to the. moral sense as well as to the imagination of the audience. It is not given to us all to travel through the world's beauty spots, but here we sec the tropical scenery of the Malay Peninsula and the industries of the natives, and enjoy (he entrancing views along the Swedish-Xorwegian boundaries —truly a contrast. Xovclly and comic films complete an excellent programme. Matinees will be held every Saturday at 2.30 p.m., when full programmes will be screened. 1 The Wcstinghouso motor. generator lias arrived and is now being unpacked and fitted into position.

STRATFORD ELECTORAL ROLL. '

I Vot«B who?e names appeared on the StratfWd electoral roll at the last general election, but who did not exercise their privileges, will be struck off. and ft will be n<>crssary for them to reregister before they can again claim a vote. Over 900 names have been eliminated from the Stratford roll for this cause, some of whom have no doubt left the district, but the majority are still resident. Fresh claims for registration are lieing sent out by the Registrar of. Electors (Mr. F. Bird) to those who | have been struck off the roll, and it j would be well if they, as well as others | who are qualified, but are not at present registered, should attend to the matter at once, for there is no telling when a fresh election may be held. In filling in claims for enrolment it would be better if the postal address was given as well as the name of the street or road upon which the applicant lives. For instance, it is not sufficient to give an address as '•Durham Road." It should be ' "Durham Road, Inglewood," or the place where letters are delivered. Electoral rolls should give the correct postal addresses of every voter, but at present it is very difficult to tell in what part of the electorate some voters reside. In the case of female claimants it is only necessary to answer the question, "What is your occupation?" by inserting "married," "widow," or "spinster," as the case may be. |

STRATFORD A. AND P. ASSOCIATION. Novelty is the keynote of success in all forms of public entertainment in these modern times, and in the case of the A. and P. Association's Gymkhana to be held on Easter Monday this keynote will be struck to some purpose. It is customary at outdoor sports in the matter of music to engage the services of a brass band to charm the car, but the above Association has decided to have music produced on the day by a string band. To this end the orchestra of the Stratford Orchestral Society has been engaged to "Maconigram" the ether with the dulcet and sweet strains of music that can only come from string and reed instruments. The orchestra will be composed of fourteen players, and a varied and selected programme will he executed. The engagement of an orchestra, however, is not the only novelty at the Gymkhana, as the programme of events is novel riglut through. If all reports are true, the menagerie race will bring forth some weird eompetitors. In this race any animal with the exception of dogs may be driven, the driving to be accomplished by a single string, the distance being 120 yards. This event is post entry, in consequence of which competitors are keeping their racers as dark as possible. In the Girls' Novelty Race, each competitor is to carry a billy of water without spilling for half the course and an egg on a spoon for the balance of the distance. This event will be carried out on horseback. The conditions of the motor-car event will be such as to test the skill of motorists competing, while at the same time being of a spectacular nature. To go through all the- events on the programme would take up too much of our space, and we advise all who wish to spend an enjoyable day to visit the Gymkhana on Easter Monday and see for themselves. Hot water will be supplied on the show grounds to families or picnic parties. Numerous entries for the various events are reaching the secretary daily, and intending competitors should note that entries cannot be made after Saturday next, the closing date.

GENERAL. • \ Although the Stratford Courthouse i has had the words "burn off" freely j written in large letters over various pori tions of the building since before ChristI mas last, no one has yet had the hardihood to perforin the operation. j Four rinks of Stratford bowlers will ; visit Waitara on Thursday to play a I banner match. As the next meeting of the Borough Council falls on Easter Monday, it haa i been adjourned until the 15th April. j j Christchurch Boys' High School old boys will all join in congratulating Mr. Barney Fearon on his appointment to the secretaryship of the A. and P. Association. "Barney" knows the district, knows the men in it, and how to get along with them. If he's half as solid a secretary as he has been a footballer, the Association has room to congratulate itself on the appointment. ; Public Works and Pohokura cricket teams played another match on Saturday, Public Works winning again. The vicar of Stratford doesn't confine his activities to the pulpit. It is on record that he painted the roof of Holy Trinity Church. To-day he's trimming the hedges around the church grounds. Some of the Sunday School boys will help in clearing up the cuttings. The vestrymen don't take part in the function, perhaps because the Vicar says exorcise is good for him.

BUSINESS NOTICES. A GIGANTIC SALE. The whole of the stock of the late Mr. H. S. Priestley has been purchased by Mr. John Leydon, and it is to be turned into cash right away. Mr. Leydon got it cheaply—very cheaply. It is being sold at prices that are staggering in _ their insignificance. The late proprietor had a tremendous amount of splendid sideboards, duchess tables, and the like in an unfinished condition, constructed in first-class style. These have now been stained and completed with bevelled glass mirrors. Thus they are not shop-worn, but new goods, just out of the tradesmen's hands. The prices asked are very low. Then there is a big stock of couches, from 30s each; brass rail double bedsteads at 37s Gd eai'h; best mohair hearth-rugs 12s (Id each; dining chairs 5s (id each; linoleums 3s 7(1 and 3s lOd a yard. These are a few sample figures, but all the easy chairs, carpet squares, dressing tables, mats, and all the miscellaneous articles in a big stock are offered just as reasonably, perhaps more so in some case-. People from other towns are coming in. and saving money. Those contemplating a visit to the great sale are urged to liurrv, whilst the bargains are thick. A SITTKSSFUr, SALE. The manager of the Egmont Clothing Co. is well pleased with the success attending the company's first sale. It ends on Wednesday night, but fresh bargains are being brought forward so that there will be a L'ood "tail."