LECTURE AT TEMUKA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 263, 27 May 1880, Page 2

LECTURE AT TEMUKA.

The Rev Mr Gordon delivered a lecture on behalf of the Temnka Good Templars Hall Fund, on Tuesday evening, in the Volunteer Hall, M” Job Brown in the chair

Notwithstanding unpropitious weather, the attendance was good Miss Amelia Brown played an overture in ber usual finished style ; Miss Warrington (Timaru) then gave the song ‘‘My Boy and I,” for which she was deservedly applauded Mr Brown having introduced the rev speaker in a neat speech,

Mr Gordon said that the Leader had ad. vortised the subject to be on “ The Great Leading Movements of the Times.” It should have been, “ A Glance at the Leading Movements of tlio Day ” The former, be said, would exhaust a series of lectures, so he could only glance at the great movements of the times We regret that space will not permit us to publish a full report of the lecture

The lecturer continued—You cannot but see the great changes that are takirg place all over the world Old Dynasties have boon lately undergoing great changes He would first point out the political changes After the Battle of Waterloo the crowned heads of Europe met to devise measures for securing the Divine right of kings They met in Paris, and claimed the legitimacy of kingcraft ; another object was to arrange the balance of power The lecturer showed what led to this : A Corsican officer had by energv and determination crushed many crowned heads, and promised to destroy all the old dynasties The Congress at "Vienna was not to enlarge the power of the people, but to secure the right of crowned heads. Toe revolution in Am-rica opened the eyes of the people <J_e after another of the

monarehs of Europe had to give way, and grunt more liberty to the subject Love of glory had bli 'ded Russia of late to her real condition Nihilism was opposed to both liberty a d freedom Britain is the only limited monarchy, but there was a power that acted as cause and effect —yes, education. S( ain and Italy were rising to this At present she has cduc itlo ito a proportion of 76 for every 1,1-00, derma y 150, France 135, Britain 156, and in other countries like proportions "Victor Emmanuel hud done much for Italy No kina' ever did more for the liberty of his people than he did in his day There was a unity between liberty and education were working gruff changes In the next place science had done much for liberty and the freedom of the races We live in an age of new discoveries almost every day Ait had also made marvellous progress, as evidenced hy the new inventions —the sewing machine, the improved plough, and the reaping machine. Then the power of steam by shorthening the distance brought one country nearer to another, and this shortening process is still going on, and possibly sometuing more powerful than steam may yet be made use of for that purpose. Tim value of machinery con'd not be estimated Three-fourths of the work done in the world is done by machinery The rev lecturer then touched upon the change faking place, socially and morally, giving a history of Nihilism and Communism He pointed out the power of the Press as a public educator, a r d staled that every day more than a hundred mils of printed matter wi s turned out daily This is valuable in disseminating knowledge, but unfortunately rolls of filthy, corrupting prim is sent forth to the world This destroys ihe morality of the people As to religion ho said some people were of opinion that true religion was less widespread now than in olden times Fie was not of that opinion He behaved there was more true religion now than has been since Adam’s time Corrupt prints, ho had said, had done much mischief, but there is another terririble enemy, viz, drink Intoxicating drink bad Jdone more to destroy men’s souls and bodies than any other agency in his knowh dge He instanced the case of some promising men who had their bright prospects dashed to the ground hy this demon Time prevented the lectun r from going further into these matters at present but he hoped to be able to return to them at some future time

Votes of thanks to Mr Gordon and to Miss Brown and Miss Warrington for the son,ms and music close I a most interesting lecture, which was extempore, and delivered with great power