THE FIRST CHURCH.

Evening Star, Issue 2867, 27 April 1872, Page 2

THE FIRST CHURCH.

To the Editor, Sir—That the pastorof this church, after the severe ordeal he baa recently passed through, had need of a change of scene, as well as some rest and relaxation for mind and body, few, I should say, will be disposed to deny. 1 observe from the papers of last week that he has gone to Australia on leave of absence for a couple of months, as I am informed—a very fitting, and, under all the circumstances of the case, perhaps the most proper time to take a retrospective view of, as well as inquire into, the origin or cause of this lamentable estrangement between himself and a portion of his office-bearers ; together with a few of the congregation connected with them by the ties of nature or relationship, and thus unfortunately unveiling to the outside world a spectacle which every sincere Christian must deeply deplore. Ist. As to the original cause of this misunderstanding, it should be borne in mind that Mr Sutherland’s appointment to the pastorate of the First Church some few years ago, was felt by not a few of other ministerial laborers in the Presbytery of Dnnedin to be an engregious blunder, and a never-to-be condoned offence, as well as a slur npon themselves, who, in their own estimation, bore the burden and beat of the day in this vineyard ; and surely to one of whom (if to any as a matter of right) belonged this much coveted prize, notwithstanding one and all of them already received the penny stipulated for on the morning of his engagement* Yet, why a stranger should be elected to the first charge in Otago, they neither could understand nor brook ; and if they could not retaliate on the appointor, they will more heaven and earth to be revenged on the anpointee. A fitting time to give a practical expression to this malignant feeling seemed eventually to be at hand, in which they will show that the animus thus at the first most unreasonably entertained, lost none of its virus by the delay. If in* deed, and all along, on every available opportunity, they did not famish with the promptest diligence their quota of the fuel to this approa.-hmg bonfire, and which now waited but for the match to be applied to cause such a conflagration as religious fanaticism alone is adequate to produce. It might not be oat of place, further on this head, to add that some three years ago Mr Sutherland felt called upon, in the discharge of his ministerial duties, to admonish and warn some of bis youthful flock against the danger to their Christian principles incurred by their countenancing and frequently attending of balls, concerts, and theatres. This faithful dealing, however, they could not understand, but took highly amiss, and, what is more strange still, tneir parents, guardians, and others who ought to know better, coincided with them in thinking and spitefully saying the pastor overstretched his duty, and unnecessarily outraged their feelings. This cold bath shower, however, though certainly unexpected on the pastor’s part, could not prevent him discharging according to his conscience the duty laid upon him, whether they heard or forbore to bear. Shortly thereafter another link was added to this chain of the so-called over-zeal on the minister’s part, and in the manner following. At an election of deacons for this church, there happened to be a tie in votes between two of the candidates, and as one of those was confessedly addicted to and publicly extenuated the practices censured above, the pastor, as chairman or Moderator, gave his casting vote in favor of the candidate who stood aloof from such practices. This, however, the rejected candidate took in high dudgeon, and used all his influence to alienate such as would be persuaded by him, of the office-bearers and congregation, from the minister ; and with a pertinacity and diligence worthy of a better cause, did his utmost to foment and sow dissension and discord between them, in which he unhappily succeeded to an incredible extent, as the sequel will show. In elucidation of the effect produced upon some of the elders by the disunion just referred to, permit me for a second to note their conduct shortly thereafter; but you will bo apt to say to me, do not accuse one elder unless before two or three witnesses. Well, so be it; and upwards of a score of credible witnesses could be produced to attest to what I am about to assert, and the fact itself, indeed, was as good as admitted, and justified, by at least one of the reverend members of the recent august tribunal of our Church here, and may be stated shortly as follows, viz.:—That the recusant elders were

not satisfied with abstaining from contributinc in their own persons to the weekly maintenance of the church, but took the doub.f’liberty and trouble of tampering with suc.i of the congregation as they supposed they were safe to dictate to on this matter, that thus it might appear that if the salt of the church, they would at least be thought to be, and to have m the past been the sugar thereof, as the vulgar culmination proper, of the embrogho may be thus stated, on the pastor being appointed to officiate up-country some months ago-—He left a positive instruction to the session clerk -‘That the monthly meeting which in the ordinary course fell to be due on the Monday evening following, should be postponed till his return, as there were very important matters to be discussed at it. But in the face of all this however, the office bearers, by circular, convened a meeting on the prohibited Monday evening, and proposed as well as pass'd a series of resolutions thereat, the Moderator’s absence and prohibition notwithstanding. All of which however was pronounced unconstitutional and ultra vires at a subsequent meeting by the Minister, and this verdict was confirmed by the Presbytery thereafter At this subsequent meeting however, and from a strong stand taken taken by one of the session who was also precentor in the church, the minister felt it to be bis disagreeable duty and in accordance with the discipline of the church as laid down by Forbes, to discharge him of the office of precentor, which dismissal however was a heinous offeucc in the eyes of the office bearers, and by their support and countenance he took bis seat as usual at the precentor’s desk next Sabbath beside the one appointed by the minister, which, and to avoid a scene caused the pastor to dispense with the service of praise for that day. The proceedings before the Presbytery and the Synod, when both parties were bebar of those courts, are already (for the credit of our Christian charity in Dunedin) but too widely circulated, and I would not now refer to them but for two things, in both of which the animus above referred to, discovered itself with an unmistakeable prominence, and may be thus related : Ist Mr Riley (than whom, by the way, no member of either Presbytery or Synod earned for himself, all through this protracted trial, more distinction for sagacity, clear-sighted-ness, but above all, disinterestedness) had more than once to complain, that he no sooner got up to speak than three revei end membera of those courts (mentioning them by names, which, for obvious reasons, I decline doing at present) attacked him tooth and nail, like furies. 2nd. One of the above referred to three reverends, in lecturing Mr Sutherland for the place and prominence, he (Mr S.) gave Forbes, in indicating his late proceedings and the charges laid against him, reminded him that there was a higher authority than Forbes, who said, “Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye so unto them ; for this is the law and the prophets.” Overlooking, perhaps of purpose, that the same authority said also—what is at least equally revelant for an impartial finding in this case—“ Thou hypocrite fin-.t cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.” Comment on the above is superfluous, if not out of place; your readers cannot help drawing their own conclusions from them ; and, finally, I beg to say that I have no connection with the First Church congregation or minister, but for the most part, attended both the Presbyterian Synod public meeting recently held here, and the impression left on my mind, at least, is that the whole affair might he shortly, but truly, termed a deep-laid scheme of persecution, awfully and systematically, but pertinaciously carried out against the pastor. At the same time, Ido not for a moment hold that all the steps of Mr Sutherland throughout this controversy were immaculate, or even such as his best friends could, in every instance, call discreet or prudent; but, Ido fearlessly ask, what child of Adam could come out of such an engagement without a scar or scatbless out of such a furnace. —I am, Mr Editor, Yours respectfully, Casual Observer.