THE PULPIT IN DANGER.

Evening Star, Issue 3134, 6 March 1873, Page 3

THE PULPIT IN DANGER.

Melbourne enjoys among its institutions “a Sunday Free Discussion Society,” a name so indefinite and inexplicit as to convey no information, but whuh compels the curious to peep under the surface to get the re quired information —probably the thing aimed at, since the unwary may he drawn into giving the Society a thought, who, if it bore its purport in its name, would pass it by with indifference. The object of the Society, as described in the Anjns, is for the purpose of debating any topics of interest that may occur to the members,” and, as its name in part indicates, Sunday evening is the time set apart for this purpose. The office-bearers, overlooking the fact that chrgymen arc all engaged in their own proper sphere of duty on Sunday evenings, and at the very hour these “ free discussionists” meet, have issued circulars to some thirty of the leading e’ergymen of the different denominations in Melbourne, which circulars invite the presence of the person addressed, generally at the meetings of the Society, and particularly request him to consent to read a lecture before the Society on some Sunday evening convenient for himself, giving the Committee ten days’ previous notice. For the relief of doubters, and those who do not go to churchet because they feel themselves compelled to maintain a decorous silence, we give the following explanation of the Society’s design, taken from the circular. We are to'd :

The Committee is anxious that every important sect ami opinion should be properly represented at the Society’s discussions, satisfied that, in fair and free discussion, truth must prevail. The Committee desire me to beg of you to remember that Christ himself discussed ■with the Jewish doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions; and that the Apostle Paul habitually disputed in public, and made himself all things to all men, in orderthat by any means he might save some. The rules of the society require that papers shall be read' at 0.45 p.m., and shall not exceed half an hour (which may be extended to forty minutes by the Committee) in delivery. That then, any person in the meeting (priority being determined by the chairman) shall have the privilege of speaking from the platform for ten minutes each until 8.45, when the lecturer sh ill be entitled to fifteen minutes to reply to their remarks. Manifestations of approval or disapproval arc prohibited by the rides, which it is the function of the chairman to enforce. The subject of each should be notified on the preceding Sunday evening, and advertised in the Anjus of the Saturday before its delivery. The Committee is anxious to impress upon all thas the Society advocates or favors no particular views, theories, or doctrines whatever ; but invites and promotes the exposition, and the freest temperate discussion of all without exception, as the unrivalled means of educing truth and exposing error of every kind, and therefore of achieving moral and intellectual improvement.

To this charming p : ecc ot dictation, and impertinent reminder to the ministers of Christ of the example of their Great Teacher, the elergyim n of Melbourne, with one solitary exception, the JKev. Robert Potter, who has of late kept himself so much before the public in connection with spiritual mani testations, returned no answer ; and for this they are called soundly to task by th • Afjns. and twitted with the contrast between their laziness or pusillanimity and the fe irless examp'e of Mr Potter, “ who has the courage to contend for what he believes to be the truth in any company.” The Aryns regards it as a marvellous fact that only one minister of the Gospel should bo found willing to accept the cha'lengc.