BRITISH ISRAEL ASSOCIATION.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2250, 14 May 1881, Page 3

BRITISH ISRAEL ASSOCIATION.

A meeting of the Christchurch British Israel Association was held last evening, in the Temperance Hall, Gloucester street, the president, Mr T. S. Lambert, in the obair. The usual pre'imuary business having been got through, the following latter to the secretary from the Rev. Canon Brownrigg, of Tasmania, was road :—“ Dear sir, —I am in receipt of your letter on behalf of the British Israel Association of your city, inviting me to lecture on Anglo-Israelism in New Zealand. I assure you it would have given me very great pleasure to comply, but after the fullest consideration of the matter I am reluctantly obliged to decline the invitation. lam without any curate, and there is no clergyman available to take charge of my parish daring my absence ; you will hence understand how it is beyond my power to give effect to your wish, and to what is also my wish. lam likely to visit Sydney (D.V.) in June next, but shall be enabled to effect that visit by an exchange with a clergyman of that city. I mention this so that you may know how it happens that I could go to Sydney and not to New Zealand, should it come to your knowledge that I have been absent from Tasmania. Kindly convey my best thanks to your association for their invitation, and _ inform them how much I regret my inability to accept it. I have been much pleased with the systematic manner in which your association proceeds with its work, and I wish it every possible success. The doctrines of Anglo-Israelism are fast and widely spreading. Two sermons lately delivered by the present Bishop of Rangoon (Dr. Titcomb) on “Joseph’s Birthright England’s Possession,” are likely to help forward the movement in which wo are interested. If you have not seen them I would recommend your procuring them, and in some, quantity also, either for sale or for gratuitous'distribution. They are sermons such as thoughtful men would read with satisfaction and profit. It would be desirable that your association should send a copy of the sermons to every bishop of the Church of England in New Zealand as the production of one of their own Bench. I purpose to do this in reference to the bishops in Australia. Trusting that the members of your association may be strengthened by many additions to their ranks, believe me, &0., M, Blake Brownrigg.” Much regret was expressed by the members at the decision the reverend gentleman had been obliged to come to. The subject for the evening, “ Israel Fashing her Colonial Aborigines to the Corners,” was introduced by Mr Pearce, and articles bearing on the subject were read by Messrs Lambert, Gee and Hubbard.