MR BURNETT'S MISSION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2339, 6 July 1886, Page 2

MR BURNETT'S MISSION.

The Presbyterian Church was the seene of Mr Burnett's labors in the cause of Temporanco-last night. .The chair was occupied by the 'Rev. D. Fulton, and supported by the Rev. J. N. Buttle. The choir, led by Mr F. W. Temple, contributed in no small degree to the Buccesß of the moeting, which was a most enthusiastic one, Mrs Gapper, as on all previous occasions, presided at the harmonium. The lecturer on rising to address the meeting was heartily cheered. He .asked the choir to.'favor him by singing Wp or three verses of a Sankey's soul-stirring song. He had,he supposed got ■ accustomed .to. have '.'his ■ address immediately; preceded by ■ singing, It acted on himas.asortof tonic, and gave him an appetite for the work he had to got through. He supposed it was on the same principle as the great controversialist, who could not get alon? at all without his snuff-box, a pinch . frym ■•; which occasionally, aided him in his argument, (laughter) He thanked Mr Fulton for placing the church, at his disposal that evening, and expressed his sonso of the kindness he had always experienced at the hands of fcho Presbyterian Church and its nunistors, who wore always to the fore in the cause of teruperanoe (cheers). The Rev. Mr Gillies of Timaru with whom he had been associated for months together, with others, had caused a resolution, to be passed placing on record the work he- (the speaker) had done in the South, (cheers), and a copy of that resolution had ,been forwarded to every Presbyterian ministers throughout the land, Of tho fifty-five Presbyterian ministers of the Otago District, no less than fifty-two had taken tho pledge and donned tho " bonnie bit o' blue" (oheors.) It spoke well for tho health and soundness, of the Temperance principles of thoir Scotch-churches (hear, hear). Turning to the Rev. Mr Buttle he said in the Wesleyan Church and its branches it was the exception to find a minister who was not pledged to the cause of temperance. The men who had to a very large extert the moulding of the oharaoter for here and eternity, were almost te a man to the front in oonneotion with the great cause. " May God bless the Wesleyan Church" (cheers). He called for a heartier cheer for them, which was joyously accorded. He was not going to reflect upon any one for not giving active sympathy, but in the name of their God they would bring the po--er of logic and reason to bear upon them. In God's own strength they would wrestle with them and they would ever pray for them. jHe predicted that before two years were expired there would be suoh a revival, with men like Canon Wilberforce and Bishop Stamford and many other eminent men to the front, in the Episcopalian Church as would astonish them. He would say "God bless the Episcopalian Church too" (cheers). Speaking that night nf the trio of inen he had chosen for the subject of his lecture, Dr Guthrie might be said to have been a convert to temperance almost, through the indefatigable labors of one of. the most astonishing men that ever lived. He referred to the late great temperance apostle of Ireland, Father Matthew. (Cheers.) He had left the footprints of his work from one ond of Ireland to the other. Among the multitude'of those who had taken the pledge from Father Matthew was'an'old Irish stage coachdriver. In old times a coach driver was regarded as a man of great importance and to sit 011 the box alongside of him and to hear the natural wit and. endless versatility, bearing as these remarks did on every variety'of life, was a treat; He seemed to know everybody, and everybody seemed to know him. Dr, Guthrio sat beside one of these men who was driving five-in-hand. The doctor was full of dry Tiumour himself. le could, particularly on the platform, enjoy as heartya laugh fts any one, and he listened with pleasure to the tales of the*'coach driver, which were, of course, all perfectly true. (Laughter,) He was with a brothordivine connected with the free church of Scotland, whon they reached the wayside inn they were wet to the akin, and Dr Guthrie in the kindness of Jiis heart, said "Come along with me, driver, and have a glass of hot-whiskey'- and water." "No thauk your, reverence, I never touch a drop of whiskey/' (Cheers) " From the first time your reverence, I took the pledge from Father Matthew, God bless him, Ihave never taken anything stronger, than hot coffee, your reverence." (Cheers.) "Thank your reverence all the .same, you can; . have your whiskey, I'llhave hot coffee/" (Cheers), Dr Guthrie was.astonished He said afterwards to his fellow traveller •" 1 never was so rebuked in.mylife,", and that .preacher who gathered found him tho highest in the land to listen to his discourse, told of.this.disciple,, of FatherMatfchow,who, .wet to ffie' was content; to take. hot coffee, whilst? he -with Ma brother minister could take nothing less than whiskey,; He told them he' had met everywhere" iii.lreland evidences of the mighty'.work done by Father Matthew.; He told theni also how he had pondered these things, and hiving his*attention, » eirikingly.

drawn to tho question ho luui ttucijleU far his own good, for the sake of his ;fiimily, for,the sake of .his congregation, his city, his country, indirectly the'■ world'aj r W«« he determined 'to sign 1 itKe'ple'dge.md identify himself with the great- aJMy , of the sober, and free. (Cheers), , and a great power he became for the good of the cauue. Among aU. the published, none ranked higher than-thi six great temperance of Dr Guthrie. (Cheers,) * The lecturer, spoke '.for ? ;», : considerablo time upon Dr Guthrie,' and thih\went oa to Bpead of Conon [WHfarforce.!' He gav« a thrilling and interesting account;of: his life and work, and also that ( qf/tHe,'jPeV 0. Spurgeori. Space will nofcp»rmilf»»>, enter into details, There could be.nop|§ii> ' new in the facts advanced in relation te to these great men. whose.. smallest actions have been related throughout the world. It was in the. power,and .energy the reality and earnestness of.the speaker that brought the various points of their history out and caused his hearers to take a new delight in their repetition. The meeting concluded by. an earnest appeal to all those who had not already dene so. to step forward and sign the pledge. ,'