CLERICAL TYRANNY.

Kumara Times, Issue 2685, 30 April 1885, Page 2

CLERICAL TYRANNY.

[to the editor.] Sir-—ln reading the Rev. W. Dotin'las’s second letter, one cannot help feeling that throughout the whole of it is conspicuous by its absence that spirit of charity so continually impressed upon a church-going people by its pastor. The squabble in the Presbyteiian Church is not now between pastor and people, but against the

clerical tyranny of the Presbytery of Westlaud, presided over by the Moderator, the Rev. W. Douglas. It is pitiful to see a man in Mr Douglas’s position condescending to petty spite, and dragging the name of that unfortunate brother of his through the mire of his letters, as if doing his very utmost to bespatter his fame and ruin his future prospects in life. The ve>y position he (Mr Douglas) holds in the chuich, namely Moderator, ought to teach him how to use his power, and to have endeavoured to have restrained the passions aud make peace between the contending parties in the churchy instead of taking a one-sided view and thereby fomenting the ill-feeling that has arisen amongst the congregation. lam afraid it is a too true saying if you wish to look for charitableness and the many virtues ministers preach, do not go to one of them, but look for it outside the pale of the church. No wonder, sir, free thought is now taking fast hold of the people, when such a display of illfeeling is shown by those to whom they once looked up to as patterns of all that is good. Mr Douglas has made from the commencement of this squabble such a mesa that he has shown his utter incapacity as Moderator in dealing with any serious trouble. On Looker. Kumara, April 29, 1885.