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ABORIGINAL CONCERT.
The party of aborigines from Lake Condah station,
who have been in the city for the past few days,
under the charge of the Rev. J.H. Stahle gave a
concert on Thursday evening 6th February at the
Mechanics’ Institute, when the hall was crowded with
a very respectable assemblage. Bishop Thornton pre-
sided, and the Rev. J.C.P Allnutt and the Rev. W.
Henderson occupied seats on the platform. The Rev,
B. J. Mercer and the Rev. Mr Adeney were in the
body of the hall. The party of aborigines, which
comprised 9 males and 13 females, were ranged on
the platform under the direction of Mr Stahle, and
Mrs Stahle presided at the organ. The aborigines
were neatly and tastefully dressed, and their staid and
self-possessed demeanor spoke very highly for the
character of the culture they have received. The
bishop opened the proceedings with a brief description
of the missionary work in the Western District, and
the industrial labors of the aborigines in question.
He also referred to the Government expenditure in
the matter, and intimated that there were about 1100
aborigines in Victoria, 700 of whom were in missions.
Mr Stahle also said a few words on the subject. The
aboriginal singers were then called upon to
commence their vocalism, and they gave a selection of
anthems and hymns in a style which elicited very
marked sympathy and applause. Whether the effect
of the singing owed anything to the circumstance
that people were not prepared to expect great clever-
ness in such pupils it would, perhaps, be hard to tell.
However, it may fairly be said that their voices
possessed a very large share of sweetness and; pathos,
and that the time and precision shown were quite
surprising. Indeed, both Mr and Mrs Stahle deserve
to be warmly complimented on the general musical
culture of their pupils, and notably on the way in
which they all supported each other in the different
pieces. One of the females, Euphemia M‘Donald,
played an accompaniment to the singers in such a
style as to elicit hearty applause. Mr Allnutt, who
was called upon by the bishop to say a few words,
expressed the great pleasure he experienced at the
opportunity the audience had of seeing the fruits of
the mission; and he said that the Church in placing
Mr Stahle at the head of the mission, had put the
right man in the right place. Mr Stahle, a native of
Germany, had labored successfully in that country;
had joined the medical staff of the army of his native
country during the late Franco-Prussian war; and
subsequently, obeying a call from God, had come here
and cast his lot among the aborigines in Victoria.
Mr Allnutt then described the industrial
habits of the aborigines at Lake Condah,
showing that they were always busy from morning to
night. They had 2000, acres, of land, and 400 head of
cattle, and were making quite a little settlement.
They had daily prayers, and their church bells were
ringing twice a day. He had taken up some of those
children in his arms and baptised them in the name
of Jesus Christ, and he thought he had a right to
be glad that night to see their progress. After some
more music was given the bishop requested the Rev.
W. Henderson to say something, and that gentleman
expressed the great interest he took in the matter,
and said that everyone should, sympathise with the
attempt to Christianise the aborigines: The speaker
made a few touching remarks regarding the way in
which the influences of modern civilisation were
sweeping away the lower races of mankind, and he
also referred to what the Presbyterian Church was
doing to Christianise the aborigines. The bishop
then presented his own thanks and the thanks of the
audience to the visitors from the Lake Condah Mission;
and he also said a few words on behalf of those
aborigines who are at present wandering about through
the colony. The proceedings concluded with the
singing of the National Anthem by the entire assem-
blage. It is worthy of note that during the evening
five or six aborigines, of both sexes, belonging to some
local tribe, and neatly dressed, came into the hall
and evinced some curiosity respecting the proceedings.
It would doubtless be interesting to hear from the
wandering aborigines an intelligible description of
the feelings with which they regarded the Christianised
sons and daughters of their own dusky race then on
the platform, and now united, through religion, in a
fraternal bond with the noblest blood in the British
empire. The following was the programme of the
aboriginal vocalism:—“Glory of God,” “Sowing the
seed,” “Go bury thy sorrow,” “Make a joyful noise,”
“Whoever will,” “Come to the Saviour,” “How
beautiful upon the mountains,” “Hold the fort,”
“The armor bearer,” “Awake! awake! ” “Light in
the darkness,” “I will extol Thee,” “Jesus keep me
near the cross,” “Now unto the King eternal," and
“God save the Queen.” Mrs Stahle describes the
aboriginal children as quite as affectionately disposed
towards each other as are the children of the white race.
It may be added that the aboriginal party visited
Bishop Thornton’s place on Thursday, as also Lake
Wendouree, and were shown the beautiful sights and
scenes in that quarter. The party will, we learn,
return to Lake Condah station to-morrow. The
result of the visit to Ballarat has been fairly success-
ful in a monetary point of view, but of course the
travelling expenses are pretty heavy.
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