THE REV. A. R. FITCHETT AND THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

Evening Star, Issue 4256, 17 October 1876, Page 4

THE REV. A. R. FITCHETT AND THE YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION.

3w • J-. I , <Jhi^^tt v y()tin'gTnau 6f Dun+ hinfelf to ;ta ; in anew .jihaseu _ He ha* taken into hWowhahds'the office verdict asd pronouncing judgment npon a -Christian minister of th| City, whose unpardoriabld sin it is to have ( views which the Christian young cular product l WE hfeaself * 'quife ddhal to Chits'« d&sf t|k. lf But wd th^ now see <sf ! ii e&W .‘under the stiff orthodoxy of the• ‘Y dung *' Men’s Mr.fitj. i.mum yo]?^, o{ Dunedin. But when an association,,calling tfa*st!e of ,C^ristifin. .pronounces 4 (iMplllSW evasion,pp<m eqpthcr Christian,' TticMtmty! taftt /tnay /wcUi vkmik tM 1 ibingito-<i Of Him whose name thty speciaUjsfksSutofe] We ask iq astonishment, what is to become! ir thty-art enehuwiged their fellows, an ft and who sha3| Odt j Mosjg tb a Ohi<tet&n /istfdcislftgii? B^yejp^imdi<k thsty i&j(afe .the: nmcnog And i&uluMk f6*it oi dswhniaiug who is, >

and ■who iis toot a : Christian? Ori do they really suppose that there is to be a reservation and a difference made in Heaven's eternal!

Now, we have always thought that the founded .by Christ was of a Catholic j and universal nature and- filot an exclusivei aoeletjr, w fact, toiwhioh ali+aT©ji right of admission. But in this nineteenth century of the Christian era, we are told, by this action:of;exoludipg-Mr Fjtphett from their number,..;that the. Dunedin Young Men's Christian Association have formed a different" of > a Christian society. Their action is r really a* grotesque caricature pf^the/prmcrbles s ,which they so ostenta.display. Instead of invitihe men,^they'would Separate them; instead of bringing men together, and by intertitiinge of fre^ : inquiry 1 seek for truth, they start with the assumption'that' they have! already found it, .and that,unless you accept their definition of it you cannot belong to the select and favored, few who are to divide the good things of heaven among tiientselves./but:must take your, lot with the rejected majority. ."Will the association tell us ho differs from Mr Darwin's view of natural Selection ?' l " '' " " :

It is to be noted that this black-balling is' done because Mr Eitchett's views are disljked,. npt because his character is doubtful. 'We askr then, what is most needed for the well-Joeing of humanity—good character, or orthodox view* ? We would not hint for a moment that the members of the association are wanting in,character s, y§t, at the same time, they would be the first to admit that they are not all perfect. It is quite possible that a Christian young man • behind the counter ma} puff an article beyond its real value—may even mutter a few doubtful phrases as to the texture and quality of that, he isrltrying. to sell, in his employer's in- ; tereste—perhaps.may, now and then, h.lpto: mix a little sand with the sugar. Now, if such character as thfa may be possible in its nieinbers, what presnmptuous arrogance must, it be which dares to pronounce exclusion against another man, > simplyv pn a matter of opinion. * * Clear your mind," says Dr; Johnson," of J cint, have nothing to do with it, cut it away ;" and Mr Catlyleis fond of qu ting the same useful precept. •We commend Qie sentence to the consideration of I the Dunedia Christian young men. We do not know many of them, and we would, rather not know them, if the priv/gishness and vulgar rudeness evinced in their action of r'riday evening is to betaken as a fair sample of the article which the association manufactures in Dunedin.—l am, &c,, ; , : , M. C. Dunedin, October 17.