OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 350, 12 September 1889, Page 3

OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

jraoM obb own cor.REsrosnss'T. | Sydney, August 21. One of the most active and energetic sections of the religious world of the metropolis is moved tn its foundations by the arrival of Mr Varley, a preacher of great notoriety, sometimes called a " Gospel misaioner," sometimes “ the Christian man of business.” Now, the term 11 Gospel missioner " seems to remove us far away from the 19th century into the dark ages. The term “ Christian man of business " is more modern and more comprehensive. But it is quite possible so to construe it that the meaning attributed to the word “ Christian " shall exclude every, thing that moderns understand by the term “business.” Mr Varley is well-known as a courageous and energetic crusader againgt some of the grosser and more revolting farms of modern wickedness. He has, in Melbourne, assisted to bring to justice procuresses, keepers of infamous houses, and has struck heavier blows in the cause of morality and’ outward decency than all the police force, the magistracy, and the lawyers combined, If such results can fee secured by the singlehearted energy and activity of one man, what might not be accomplished, one would naturally ask, by a few hundred of such men ? But, perhaps, in the present state of affairs, it is just as well that the genus is rare. We may honor Mr Varley for his devotedness without conceding that his methods are applicable to society as a whole. Suppose men of the Varley type should gain the ascendant, and should be empowered to effect by power of law, and terror of penalty, the things which at present they can only effect by moral suasion and by setting in motion such legal machinery as already exists. What cutting and hackinjg-there would be at the body politic, what amputations, what excisions, what mbtilatiqps f Take the subject of temperance for instance. Here are Mr Varley’s sentiments, as reported in a daily paper: “He feared that in Sydney, as in Edinburgh, the majority of the Urge distillers, the brandy and whisky merchants, as well as the owners of the retail houses were elders and members of the great Presbyterian Church. . . So long as you have (in the church) men and women making money out of this hateful curse, I believe that you are an abomination to God—a stench in God's nostrils.” Now, there are men quite as devoted as Mr Varley who believe (as firmly as he believes the contrary) that this thing which _ he denounces in such sweeping language is a blessing and not a curse, and that it is only made a curse by the unregulated appetites of men. His anathema extends to almost every branch of wholesale and retail trade. Nearly every merchant deals in wines and spirits, nearly every grocer deals in beer and wine. And, on the principle that the receiver is as bad as the thief, and that there would be no supply if there were no demand, all their customers are in the same boat. Does Mr Varley or any other man of ordinary common sense really imagine that before Christianity can have any real and vital effect on this mass of humanity they must be converted to his own narrow and ascetic creed of total abstinence ? For my part I believe religion is active amongst them now, and that among the people who are denounced there are to be found already a fair share of the Christian virtues, which need encouraging rather than extirpation, If the world and the church must become teetotal before they can be amended, the "t-ood time coming ” is likely to be indefinitely deferred. The assumption raises up another and unnecessary barrier against real progress. Let every one make up his mind that he will use the articles of diet for their proper purpose, and not abuse them for swinish indulgence, and there will be no drunkenness, and I also believe very little total abstinence. The ate stages in the lives of most people when they feel that for them abstinence is the best thing. But unless they become inoculated with some such ideas as those which posses Mr Varley, this state is not a permanent one. It is a step from habitual abuse to legitimate, temperate, and rational use. It does not follow that the abuse was character, ised by excess ill quantity, though toq often, as we all’ know, it is. Th B error was in the spring of action, following pleasure aa an end, instead of use, It is quite possible that the great collective man, the body politic, may be about to pass through a similar stage, But such a possibility should not be allowed to obscure the truth, Still less should it be made a pretext for the coercion of individuals, If the use of wine and similar articles is law. ful, then the avocation of "(Supplying them' is 1 awful also,' and unless the vendor can be shown o wilfully lay snares for evil in the path of his fellow men there is, in my opinion, no reason to exclude him frorq Christian fellow, ship, Every genuine reform in religion makes it more inclusive, that is to say, more comprehensive, Everything that tends to make it more exclusive, to hand it over to some one section of opinion, (however zealous and courageous those who maintain it may be) is to that extent, spurious and selt-bondemned. Politically, matters are progressing qs as can be expected. Perliarggq j fg j e g big. It has about as many members, to begin with, as the country oan conveniently supply. And among those are pressed into the service to fill the too-numerous seats are a number of men, who are no assistance but a positive hindrance, to ths transaction of business, Their chief obi Hot is to hear themselves talk, and ta make themselves prominent before the country. So long as that object is attained they don’t cere haw much time they wasie, or how Serious may be thq consequences of thier action. Illiterate, or at best half-educated, ignorant of the very first principles of administration,' jurisprudence, finance, and the other matters which oonstitute the science of legislation, they will jump up and “spout' l about them by the yard. They are pachydermatous, like the rhtnbqeraua, Admissions of ignorance and presumption, they make quite airily revelations of self-confessed incompetence which would OOYer with humiliation any man of ordinary sensitivenes or self respect,' So ion? as they oan y/cupy a central position, they don’t dare ho* ridiculous a figure they cist. I have no partleutar individual in my mind, as I write. Probably no individual member is without some redeeming features. But it is to the unrestrained operation of vices of this kind that we owe the fact that Parliament had tat well into August, and line

hardly transacted any business worth the name. And still, as I said before, it baa done quite as much as could be expected considering these and other disadvantages which it has to contend with. Last night the Treasurer made a financial statement, the second of the session. He has abandoned his project for extinguishing the deficit by the sale of suburban lands and he now proposes to extinguish it by issuing Treasury bills at 4 per cent., whch he believes will be taken up in the colony. These bills he proposes to redeem at the rate of £150,000 a year, which is to be made a first charge on current revenue. At this rate our national monument of extravagance and recklessness will not be finally erased before the year 1907. That will take 30 years, ejaculated Mr Dibba, who stands sponsor for the deficit, in public opinion. There is a big difference retorted the Treasurer, between the time it takes to get into debt, and the time it takes to get out of it. This is undeniably true. At the same time there are many who think that with its magnificent revenue, and the great and inviting scope for retrenchment which presents itself, the colony could get out of debt a little more quickly. The execution of Morrison for the murder of Constable Sutherland, took place yesterday morning. He died with fortitude and composure, but made no confession, An effort was made on his behalf to obtain a reprieve in order that an appeal might be made to the Privy Council. But the executive decided that the law should take its course. This it has done a little more promptly than its wont, though with very much more deliberation than was shown by the murderer in taking the life of his victim. The crime was committed on June 31, on August 20 its consequences followed in due course. The Anglican Synod have ratified the election of Dr W. Saumarer Smith to the Primacy, There are considerable doubts whether the election was legal, and it is feared that trouble will ensue. Two names were submitted to a committee of bishops for a final selection, They chose Dr Moule. He, however, refused the position. The bishops then fell back on the other candidate, Dr Smith. It is contended that they exhausted their powers in the first election, and that an op* portunity should have been given to the Synod to nominate another candidate in place of Dr Moule,