The Optical Magic Lantern Journal (May 1903)

AND PHOTOGRAPHIC ENLARGER. 88 “The Church of the Catacombs.”— Messrs. Rathbone and Ireland, of the Hope Trust, visited Broughton on Tuesday, March 31st. ~ Rev. A. Gray occupied the chair, in the Central School. The subject of lecture was “The Church of the Catacombs,” and dealt mainly with the persecutions of the early Christians, the expressions of their belief as read from the inscriptions in the Catacombs, and a refutation of the claims of the Roman Catholic Church to be considered as identical with early Christianity in faith and worship. The lecture was splendidly illustrated with a set of beautifully coloured views. R. Webb, Esq., M.A., at Alnwick, under the auspices of the Universities’ Mission in Central Africa, gave a very interesting lecture in the schoolroom on March 81st. This gentleman, who saddles himself with this work, does so for the love of the cause, receiving no pay whatever. The audience much enjoyed the glowing account of the Slave Trade and its suppression. The slides, thrown on the sheet by a lantern lighted by acetylene gas, supplied from a ‘‘ Dreadnought Generator,” rivetted the attention from beginning to end. : The Sunday Lantern Services at Edin-. burgh.—The friends of Councillor Brown who inaugurated the Lantern Services in the Synod Hall for non-churckhgoers on Sunday evenings have received an extension of their lease for an indefinite period. Provision is made for referring the programmes to the Corporation censors. [Are they so unco’ guid in Edinburgh ?—Eb.] East of Scotland Engineering Association. A meeting of this society was held in 20, George Street, on April 2nd when papers on dock working and construction were read by Mr. A. C. Cormack and Myr. A. W. Cockburn, C.E. My. Cormack described the various methods of loading and discharging vessels at various ports, including the shipment of coal, the unloading of grain, jute, etc., and the appliances used in connection therewith, illustrating his remarks by a series of limelight views. Mr. Cockburn took up. the question of dock construction, giving examples of the general arrangement of various docks, dock and quay walls, etc., and concluded with a short description of the construction of No. 3 graving dock, Glasgow. His address was also illustrated by lime-light views. The authors were accorded a vote of thanks for their papers. ‘“‘Trpeason in the Church of England.— A lecture on this subject was delivered in the Temperance Hall, Walsall, on Monday, April 5th, by Councillor J. H. Chesshire, J.P., ex-Mayor of West Bromwich. The lecture was illustrated by a lime-light lantern. “The Church and Her Marching Orders.” —Was the title of a lecture, illustrated by limelight.views, which was given at All Souls’ Church. on April Ist, by the Rev. A. M. Peckham, organising secretary (South of England) for the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. The lecturer began by saying that the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge was the oldest missionary society in existence. For over two hundred years it had been helping the Church to carry out the command of her Leader, «Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel.” Scottish Photographic Federation. — A meeting of delegates from most of the Photographic Societies in Scotland was held at Perth recently, Mr. Henry Coates, Perth, presiding. Mr. J. B. Maclachlan, Blairgawrie, interim Secretary, reported that sixteen Societies had already signified their intention of joining the Federation, and that several others were favourably considering the matter. ; A draft of the constitution and rules was subinitted by the Committee appointed at last meeting, and, after much discussion and some alteration, was adopted. The following are among the objects of the Federation:—Intercourse and exchange of opinion between one Society and another; interchange of lecturers; interchange and circulation of lectures, prints, and lantern slides ; permission to photograph in places not open to the general public without special application to the various authorities; the services of approved judges for exhibitions and competitions; temporary use of the accommodation provided by the various Societies to associates away from their own districts ; the promotion of an annual national exhibition; and a tourist information bureau for associates. Miss E. J. Spencer gave a lecture before the members of the Southampton Literary and Philosophical Society, on April 6th, at the Grammar School, Southampton, entitled “ Recollections of a Trip through Hungary and Transylvania,” and was excellently illustrated by a series of lantern slides taken by herself during her trip. The tour included interesting descriptions of Dresden, Vienna, Buda Pesth, and other towns and historical details of great interest were incorporated with the lecture. Descriptions given of the churches and other public buildings. Buda Pesth was specially interesting, as it was