THE CONGREGATIONAL MEETING.

Kumara Times, Issue 2654, 10 March 1885, Page 3

THE CONGREGATIONAL MEETING.

[to the editor] Sir—l cannot allow “Presbyterian’s” letter to pass without remark. I shall pass over the narrative part, with its unfairness and misrepresentation, and shall merely glance at the petty nonsense, extreme bad taste, and the false sympathy displayed towards Mr Hay and family as being beneath notice, and come to the point. “Presbyterian” says that the Sunday School is “decimated.” This I emphatically deny. Six months ago some five of the teachers at almost a moment’s notice did resign for the reason that a play was got up for the funds of the Sunday School, and thus showing the interest they took in the children attending the school by resigning on such paltry grounds ; but their resignations were accepted and the places filled by other teachers at once, and the school still flourishes, and survives even the loss of the late organist. It is not true that MiHay gave his promise to resign and leave within three months. It is not true that the nineteen who signed the petition included every member of the church except one. It is not true that the congregation is simply destroyed, but the contrary, as the nineteen exclusives found out at the congregational meeting held last week, when they were out-numbered by a very large majority, and confronted with a balance-sheet and report which put the matter beyond dispute, notwithstanding their active opposition for the last six months. But, sir, what is true is this : the starving-out policy has suffered an utter collapse, and the ring has failed completely to drive forth from the place an able minister of the Presbyterian Church. The power of the coiner is gone, its glory departed ; it is no longer a name to conjure by. The majority of the congregation may have heard the song of the siren, but like the ancient mariners they sailed on and were not deluded to her fatal shore. We would advise “ Presbyterian ” to cease misrepresenting, and conform to the rule of the church, which says plainly that the minority should submit to the majority. Truth. March 9, 1885. [to the editor.] Sir—l see that Mr John White has again and again rushed into print in your paper; and I think it is hardly fair to that gentleman that no one seems to take any notice of his effusions or his grievance at a late church meeting. He complains of his not being allowed to speak, his voice being drowned by the playing of a fiddle. Now, sir, the chairman on that occasion may have thought that “ music had power to soothe the savage breast but that was not the case, and Mr White’s memory plays him false if he forgets that it was put to the meeting to say if he should be heard, and by a very large majority the meeting said No; and I think rightly. So far Mr White has not been an attendant of the church for the last fifteen months, nor is he a subscriber to its funds, but what little he could in the way of harm. So, under the circumstances, I think he has very little to complain about; surely he must see that he was sadly out of place. Poor man! I hear that of late he assumes the role of prophet, and makes prophetic utterances at banquets and church meetings. Now we find no fault with him for riding this hobby of his, as it is very harmless, and has been a weakness in many great men ; but we would advise him to make the fulfilment of his predictions at a remote date, so as to save his credit in that line, also to cease propogating scandal, and he may yet in good time be allowed to speak at a church meeting. , Flora. March 9, 1885.