The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1884.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4964, 6 December 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1884.

—. —* - The extraordinary vagaries which have recently been indulged in by a lot of fanatics, under the cloak of a so called religions revival at Port Albert in the Auckland district, is a sad sign of the decadence of the various sects known to tolerate such practices as have been credited to those who appear to have been responsible for the disgraceful scenes enacted in the North. Our chief reason for alluding to the pitiful occurrences of the past ten days at Port Albert, is that it has been slated that the " Evangelists" purpose coming to the Thames, and holding one of their camp meetings here. We have every reason to believe we are expressing the views of the people generally, when we say that we hope that those disturbers of domestic peace, those unseaters of weak minds, those persons who interfere as much with the existence and exercise of Christian charity, as they do with the regular and peaceful flow of genuine religion, will not visit the district, and that should they do so, they will meet with a reception which will have the effect of either cooling their admiration of our place and people, or warming their desire to leave them to themselves. Within the past two years we hare had an abundance of this " revivalism " in one form and another, and yet it would be a difficult task on tbe part of even a statist employed for such a purpose, to show wherein any benefits have accrued. It is not our intention to attempt to knock down "strawmen'* by touching on the ways and habits of these rabid sensationalists from a theological point of view ; it is not worth while to attempt such a thing with parsons who have been ejaculating "Glory! glory!i "at the sight of some poor fellow being writhing and grovelling on the ground in a wild delirium, paused by no holy or pious thoughts, but arising from excitement produced in a weak mind by people remaining inwardly calm, while they electrify their—mentally leas powerful—hearers with all sorts of fWy objurgations practised fora purpose* We

are conrinced that it is the will of a very great majority of the people that such as those should not be encouraged to give any of their objectionable performances here. They have had good seasons elsewhere, and as their previous visit to the Thames was doubtless satisfactory to them, they may have a desire to accept the hospitality which will in all likelihood be again extended to them. With this, of course, we have nought to do ; should they resolve to come as visitors, and stay with theirfriends, is, of course, their private affair; but what we desire, is, to prevent any part of our immediate district being disgraced by occurrences such as those telegraphed all over the colony as having been carried on at Port Albert. Should the promoters of those scandalous scenes decide upon comiDg here, all we can do is simply ask ihe respectable, peace-loving, and charitable members of the community to refrain from encouraging them in giving any display of their powers of disturbing the peace of the people, or obtaining for them an unenviable reputation. When we read that in another place the police were called upon to interfere with their camp meeting, the best course to pursue in our case seems to be to endeavor to avoid having such performances here.