A REPLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1679, 29 December 1887, Page 2

A REPLY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sie»—ln your issue of Satard y last there appeared a letter signed John Dickson, the Manse, Temuka, warning the reading public against beinj imposed on by travelling book agents, for which gratuitous advice the said public ought to be exceedingly thankful. So far the action of Mr Dickson might be regarded as one of Christian charity, but, lo I on reading farther his object seems to be the condemnation of a work just published, entitled "Platform Echoes," by J. B. trough. Kindly allow me, sir, to say a word or two on each sentence. Ist, Mr Dickson says " I

believe in temperance "—a very ambiguous expression. J. B. Gough 1 believed in total abstinence. 2nd. " This book is a string of anecdotes." Why not have said, " It is a string of illustrations—illustrating the subject ', he was dealing with ?" And is the book j to be condemned because of that ? I have in my library Bix volumes of Bible Illustrations', a string of anecdotes by the Rev. J. Lee, of Stockport, and is the book to be condemned because of the illustrations? Experience teaches that those men who have been the most successful have always enforced the truths they, taught by illustrations. Take, for instance, Moody, the world's evangelist ; Bpurgeon, who has published a sermon, every week for over 30 years; Dr Talmage, the most popular preacher of the age; and many others whose discourses are all illustrated by anecdotes. For why ? Because abstract reasoning and dry theological

argument will not reach the hearts and consciences of the masses. 3rd. "It has no pretension to literary merit." Who says so? Mr Dickson! But on what authority does he. base his claim as a literary critic ? Has he read the whole 639 pages ? If not, I have, and have no hesitation in saying it contains more wheat than •haff. 4th. " Q-ough is more at home on the platform than writing a book." If so, he must have carried his audience by storm, for some of his written pereorations are profoundly eloquent, despite his literary attainments. sth. "Many of the plates are poor and inappropriate." As works of art, poor they may be, but 1 fail to see their inappropriateness. 6th. " The

price is enormous." That I have nothing to do with. I suppose supply and demand will settle that. 7th. "I could recommend no friend of mine to expend money upon it." Allow me to tell Mr Dickson if he wore to publish a volume of sermons, and though the price were only a tenth of the " Platform Echoes," where one would buy and read the former a thousand would buy and read the latter, and, in conclusion, let me add that the name of J. B. Gough will be green when that of Mr John, Dickson and the writer qf this will be for-gqi/ten.-"I am, etc., Wm, CoLTiiAJj/senr. j Qeraldine. ;