REV. L. M. ISITT IN ENGLAND.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5216, 30 December 1895, Page 3

REV. L. M. ISITT IN ENGLAND.

The London correspondent of the LytteUnn Titnes, writing on 15th November, says:—

" The lost Leonard of tho house of Isitt has beeu run to earth at last. He came to town on Saturday, called on the Agent-General on Monday and was hounded down by active and intelligent pressmen a few hours later. I found him at an early hour yesterday in the salubrious suburb of Clnpham, where he is the guest of a married sister, Mr Isitt looks well, but he has already had several nasty colds and will obviously lmve to take great care if .lie desires to escape the influenza this winter, Tho fiend, as you know, has a special regard for disciples of Eechab, The New Zea--1 lander received our reproaches for keeping out of the way so long with composure.

"I wished," ho said, "to feel my footing first. There was no use coming till Iliad something to report, was there ?"

It seems tlmt though the English temperance leaders welcomed Mr Isitt with most cordial hospitality, they did not at first seem to hunger for his oratory. The idea was that he had come (or ought to have couie) to learn, not to teach, and that disciples shouldn't talk too much, This misconception hardly chimed in with Mr Isitt'o programme, but he bided his time. After ho had taken advantage of opportunities for addresses in various centres, the wirepullers began to recoguiso their blunder. WhateverMrlsitt'senemies may consider bis faults, they can't deny he has a blulf, go-as-I-pleaso, no-nonsense-about-me style that bas powerful attractions for the masses. He gets on excellently with English audiences, and is now in genuine demand nt gatherings in honour of St, Pump all over England. Up to now our reformer bas tally been in London at all. During the early weeks of his stay the Wesleyan, Bible Christian, and Rechabite Conferences drew him to the south-west counties, and subsequently he attended a number of similar meetings in Scotland and the north of England.

I That Mr Isitt has really (to use his own phrase) " found a footing " seems proved by the fact that' ''/ is this week been asked to .t an important private conference amrringdon Hall, consisting of leaders of all sections of the temperance cause. Its object is to get parties as diverse in their views on temperance reform as the Phi|rchof England Tepipevance Society, and that of the Established Church of Scotland, on the one hand, and the 1.0.G.T, and tho United Kingdom Alliance, on the other, to agree to some united course of action, Men of alt grades and shades of opinion are attending, from Bishop Barry to Mr Guy Haler, The debates are exceeding lively, not to say fierce, and Mr Isitt anticipates that an irreconcilable split on tho question of compensation will render the affair abortive.

Mr Isitt leaves London to-morrow, on a lecturing tour in the North, which will last till Christmas, commencing at Stockton on Monday. Continuing in January, he will again be on the stump till Mnrpb, )yhen he leayes for home, r(q America. My. |sitt intended going to Swedon and Norway to investigate the Gothenburg system, but be has learnt so much from those who have been there, that ho hardly thinks it necessary now.

Mr Isitt tells me he has captured that rabid and rampageous teetotaller, Mr W. S. Caino, for a tour in New Zealand, commencing next September,'aiid'thai ho is trying Wd 'to persuade' oither Canon Wilberforce, or Dean Farrar, or Canon Hicks, to come out and influence your Anglican parsons to uphold the temperance movement in a whole-hearted manner,

Mr Isitt expresses himself genuinel)impressed wity the hold'Sir'\Vestly Fercova' |ii\a 'jr tlio English' oar. Wherever ho -\vent in the provinces lie found traces of tlio Agent-Genev^Vs work, and pf the pushing policy which |ia injvvgi?ri(ted three year? Ago, and Jigs §p thoroughly carried OHt; Mi' Isitt's tribute carries special weight because, like many others, he arrived rather inclined to scoff at the newspaper butter poured on the Agent-General, and to doubt He now adroitsthey might have said much more without exaggerating,