were not so well recognised in those early days as at the present time, and Mr. Macarthur's generous action cost him his own election for Central Cumberland, for which he was subsequently a candidate.

It has been my good fortune for more than forty years to have lived on terms of friendly intercourse with every priest who has occupied the parish during that lengthened period, and this is by no means the first occasion on which I have been asked to take a prominent part in your celebrations. When the brother of your present priest was about to leave the district on a visit to his native land, I was requested to preside at a large farewell meeting, and to present him with a testimonial which had been liberally subscribed to by members of the various Protestant denominations. I regret his absence to-day, as he did much whilst a resident of the district, to promote friendly feelings amongst the people, and I regarded him as a personal friend. It was said of Dean Stanley that his sympathies were of such a comprehensive nature that he might have been an honorary member of all the religious denominations. I don't know that mine are of such an allembracing character; but whilst I am a firm believer in my own creed, I can recognise

the good there is in others-and I may say without self-praise that I have been, according to my means, a willing, if not a liberal contributor to the different denominations in my own district. I have always felt that the cardinal points upon which we agree are of more importance than those upon which we differ, and I am fond of the sentiments enunciated in the old Latin phrase: "In essentiis unitas, in dubiis libertas, in omnibus caritas," which in plain English means: "In things necessary let there be unity, in matters doubtful liberty, but in all things charity." There should be many

platforms upon which we might meet in defence of our common Christianity, and for the benefit of humanity. To me it is deplorable that there should be numbers in my own Church wrangling over such trifles as candles and incense, whilst the foundations of Christianity are being assailed by infidelity, and millions are sorely in need of the bread of life. It is because I believe in the liberal principles to which I have endeavoured to give expression that I have come here to-day to open your bazaar, and in doing so I do not think I have done anything to compromise myself or my Roman Catholic friends.

I should now like to say a few words on

the subject of bazaars. Although I do not altogether endorse the Frenchman's definition," It is a place where they sell nossing and charge a high price for it," I will candidly confess I am not particularly in love with them as a form of entertainment, or as a means of raising money for religious purposes. If we all contributed to our respective churches in proportion to our circumstances, there would be no necessity for such extraneous methods. But bazaars are now recognised institutions, or, dare I say, necessary evils. I have no intention of disparaging the voluntary and self-denying labours of those good women who devote so much of their time and energy to these objects, and who are chiefly instrumental in raising large sums for religious and charitable objects. There is also much force in the contention that there are many poor persons who are not in a position to give money, but who by work can contribute some saleable article as an equivalent; and this suggests the question of raffles, which have become a part and parcel of most bazaars, though there are many conscientious persons who entertain strong objections to them. It appears to me, however, that, if it is right to hold bazaars for religious purposes, there cannot be much harm

in the permission of raffles which are sanctioned by the law of the colony. Take the case of a lady who in her leisure produces a beautiful piece of fancy work, which is honestly worth say £5, an amount she could not afford to present in money. She sends it to a bazaar; few of those attending are able or willing to buy it at that price, while many will readily subscribe the shilling or half-crown towards a raffle. The prize, it is true, can only be won by one, but the others have the satisfaction of having contributed to the object of the bazaar. I recollect that Bishop Moorhouse, when Bishop of Melbourne, tried to justify raffles on the co-operative principle. But his argument was not quite logical, as co-operation implies that all who become partners in a business share in the profits (if there are any) proportionately to the capital each one subscribes. The chief objection raised to these innocent raffles is that they encourage a gambling spirit in the community. No one doubts that this prevails to a large extent amongst us; but I am afraid man is a gambling animal, and the same objection might apply to much of the enterprise and speculative industry of the world-even to matrimony itself, which is often said to be a lottery. The law, which has been de

scribed as the perfection of human wisdom, has assumed a somewhat anomalous attitude towards raffles. Whilst it has rendered penal all games of chance, it has exempted raffles when held for religious or charitable purposes; but, if the tickets are sold anywhere but in the room where the raffle is being held, the vendors are liable to arrest and punishment.

I have omitted to state that the object of the bazaar is to raise funds for paying off a debt upon the Presbytery, amounting, I understand, to upwards of £300. I congratulate the ladies on the display of their elegant wares, and hope their efforts may meet with the success they deserve. I now declare the bazaar open.