SINS AND FOLLIES
ADDRESS BY MR JUDKINS
EXCITING SCENES
FUSILLADE OF EGGS
“Melbourne’s Sins and Follies” was the title of an address
delivered by Mr W.H. Judkins, under great difficulties, in the Gaiety
Theatre yesterday
afternoon. The meeting was for men only. Mr Judkins was subjected to
much interruption of
a personal character, and the disorder was almost continuous. At times
it was serious, and
eggs were showered upon the platform. Admission to the building was
obtained by ticket;
but many of these had got into the hands of the enemy, and half an hour
before the
advertised time for starting the proceedings the theatre was densely
crowded, a large
proportion of the audience consisting of a rowdy element.
Mr Lyman Pearce, general secretary of the
Y.M.C.A., under whose
auspices the meeting was held, presided. Anticipating disturbance, he
asked police to
remove those guilty of disorder. He added.- “I shall be willing to
stand against any
man who disturbs this meeting this afternoon; and there are hundreds of
others who would
be willing to do the same thing.” (Cheers and laughter)
Mr. Judkins on rising to speak was received with
mingled cheers and
cat-calls.
He said.- “We are passing through a great crisis.”
A Voice.- You’ll pass through a crisis soon.
Mr. Judkins.- It’s time for men to make a choice. (Disorder)
A Voice.- I’ll give you ten to one. (Laughter)
Mr. Judkins.- For years the life of Victoria, politically,
socially, and
individually - (Uproar)
A Voice.- You’re a loafer, Judkins.
Mr. Judkins.- God has come down into the midst of the people.
Another Voice.- Praise the Lord!
Mr. Judkins.- And to the hearts of men. (Disorder) The door
of opportunity is
opened, but the pity of it is that men will not pass through the door.
(Hooting) Doors of
opportunity have the habit -------
A Voice.- Haven’t you had one?
Mr. Judkins.- of closing. I wish all men would embrace the
opportunity.
A Voice from the corner of the gallery.- Why didn’t you marry
that girl? (Great
disorder)
Mr Judkins.- God has been flashing his ideals.
The Corner Man.- How do you know?
Mr. Judkins (impatiently).- What’s the use of speaking to me like
that? Men
have been staggered and confused ---------
The Corner Man.- Stuffed (Great laughter and prolonged
interruption)
A Voice.- What does Miss --------- say?
Mr. Judkins.- People are beginning to understand that in the
midst of Victoria there
are evils ------
A Voice.- Yes- Judkins (laughter, cheers and disorder)
Mr. Judkins.- Against these sins and follies God and the children
of God must fight.
A Voice.- Judkins is one of them
Another Voice.- He’s a blowfly.
A Third Voice.- What about Miss ---------?
Mr Judkins.- Look at Melbourne at night.
A Voice.- Be careful. This is for men only.
Mr. Judkins.- Then it is that evil reigns. You will have no doubt
as to the extent
of wrong in this city. It is not true that ----------
Voices.- No, no
Several minutes of disorder ensued, quite drowning the sound of
Mr. Judkins voice.
Is it not time? he managed to ask again, when a hundred hoarse
voices roared in a
deafening chorus, “No, no, no!”
Other voices shouted, “Ask Miss -------”, and “Loafer.”
Then someone started a counter demonstration of applause, and at
its conclusion Mr.
Judkins resumed:- “It is not true that it sometimes seems as if God
were cut out?
Look at the haunts of Melbourne which some of you fellows frequent.”
The disturbers resented this rebuke and there was another
outburst of disorder, cat
calls, the stamping of many feet, and the cries of “Loafer” rising
above the
applause which was started in opposition to the disturbance. “Rub it
in!”
shouted a sympathiser with Mr. Judkins.
“We’ll rub him out” was the reply of a disturber.
Mr. Judkins waited till the interjectors were tired, and then
continued.- “As
soon as the days work is over there is a proportion of the population
that plunge headlong
into vice. You do not need to go to another city to see an inferno; it
is here in
Melbourne.”
A Voice.- Yes; Judkins is here.
This interruption was the signal for another outburst of hostility from
a large portion of
the audience.
“Rot!” shouted one.
“Loafer!” cried another.
“What about Miss ------? asked a third.
“You have the drunkard and the gambler!” shouted Mr.
Judkins above
the din. “And the swaggerer!” added an interjector.
Mr. Judkins (misunderstanding the interjection) said, “I am as
much opposed to
the sweater as you are.” (Laughter) He was allowed to proceed in
comparative
quietness for a time. Then he put a few questions to the audience
essayed to
answer. “ Are you going to help to purify Victoria?”
he asked.
“Yes” answered a youth with a squeaky voice. “What kind of record are
you
going to leave? pursued Mr. Judkins.
A Voice.- Not the same as you left at Creswick.
Mr. Judkins.- I am not ashamed of any record I have left
anywhere. The gamblers
ought to know that because they had detectives looking into every year
of my life.
(Cheers, groans and hoots) Do you stand for righteousness?
A Voice.- Yes, and good wages, which you do not.
Mr. Judkins.- Has the vote God gave you been cast for him every
time?
A Voice.- Yes, I vote for the Labour Party. (Cheers, laughter and
hooting)
Mr. Judkins proceeded to speak of the duty of men to try and make
the world better
than they had found it. There was a lull in the storm of interruption,
particularly in the
corner of the gallery to the left of the stage, whence most of the
disturbance had come.
Evidently something was being arranged. Then, without warning, a shower
of eggs was thrown
onto the stage from that quarter.
In a moment the house was in uproar. One of the eggs struck Mr.
Judkins on the
forehead, and with the contents streaming onto his face he hastily
retired for a
“clean up”. Several of the reporters were struck, one egg falling on
the wrist
of one and then upon a lady vocalist, who was sitting upon the
platform. About a dozen
persons were hit directly, or else splashed, as the eggs struck the
curtain near them.
There was a temporary scatter on the stage. One ready witted gentleman,
with the yolks of
several eggs running down his clothing, seized a chair, and, holding it
aloft to protect
the lady, hastened her off the platform..
Tumultuous scenes followed the throwing of the eggs. Excited men
jumped to their
feet, and, pointing in a hundred different directions, shouted to the
police. “There
he is!” The bewildered constables darted about from place to place, but
some of them
had apparently witnessed the throwing. They hastened to the corner of
the gallery, and,
amidst tremendous excitement, seized their man. They were loudly hooted
by a section of
the audience as they left the building with him, while another section
cheered. Then a
group in the centre of the building started hooting in chorus. This was
followed by
singing of
“We’ll hang old Judkins on a sour apple tree,
but we’ll go marching on”
Someone called “Cheers for Judkins” which were given with an
accompaniment
of hooting. An altercation in a group among the audience concentrated
attention for a
time, and lessened the general uproar.
A gentlemen on the platform collected the scattered forces, and
formed them on the
front of the stage in a straight line, the object being, as he put it,
to “take the
fire.” But no more eggs came.
Mr. Judkins having mopped his brow, again essayed to speak, but a
young man in the
gallery shouted savagely at him, where upon he cried in a loud voice “
This is the
man who is trying to swear a man’s life away”. The interjector was
bundled out
by police. There was another scene of disorder, scattered groups of men
in various parts
finding something exciting to occupy their attention.
After a while Mr. Judkins was able to make his voice heard. He
said referring to the
shower of eggs.- It is a very small thing to suffer in the cause of
righteousness. Ten
thousand blows like that will not stop me (Interruption). Every man
here this afternoon
will have to take his stand before the bar of God, and be judged.”
A Voice.- So will you!
Another Voice.- What about Judge Neighbour?
At this point another was ejected expostulating volubly as he was
pushed through the
crowd.
A voice.- Tell us about the challenge. (Great uproar)
Sounds of disturbance came from the back of the gallery. Two stalwart
policeman were
struggling with a man near the ceiling. He was dragged down the steps
amidst yells of
execration from a number of the audience and cheers from others.
Mr. Judkins.- God wants to stretch out loving arms to you. We are
not out as
individuals in this great fight. We are out after evil.
A Loud Voice.- Liar! (Uproar)
Another interjector was ejected, the crowd surging round and
hustling the constable
as he removed the man.
Mr. Judkins.- If a man desires forgiveness, God will forgive.
(Disorder) Will you
turn your thoughts towards God?
Many Voices.- No, no.
Other Voices.- What about Miss -------- ?
Mr. Judkins.- You must get down upon your knees and ask for it.
A Voice.- You ask Miss --------.
Again a period of disorder ensued. By this time the air in the building
was thick with
dust caused by the removal of interrupters and the stamping of feet.
From the platform it
was impossible to see the edge of the great crowd, but hoarse, dust
choked voices were
shouting, and cries of “Out with him!” and “Leave him alone”
proclaimed that the police were putting someone out. This disturbance
over Mr. Judkins
related an anecdote, amongst much interruption, and then concluded.-
“there is a
pardon waiting at the foot of the cross. Thousands of men have died
without seeking it.
Seek the face of the lord for His name’s sake.” (Cheers and hooting)
Nearly all the audience then left the building. Outside in
Bourke-Street, a large
crowd waited, occasionally giving vent to angry and excited cries.
Within, a short service
of prayer was held; and then Mr. Judkins, escorted by sub-inspector
Biggs, several
constables, and a handful of friends, made a quiet exit from the back
of the theatre into
Little Collins-Street. The crowd in Bourke-Street, after waiting a
little while longer,
dispersed.
From: THE ARGUS October 1st 1906
