Correspondence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 626, 6 November 1858, Page 5

Correspondence.

To the Editofrof~tiie Lyttelton Times.

Sic, —As 1 believe brevity will be rigidly required in any correspondence admitted into your columns at the'present moment, I shall not say another word to prove that it would be a righteous deed if our representatives in the Provincial Council resolved to devote £10,000 in aid of. building houses in which to worship the Giver of all the prosperity we are now. enjoying. Allow me to give some reasons which I trust I will convince my fellow-colonists that it would be an act of justice so to do. By whom were our present Churches built, such as they are ? By the original Pilgrims and eaily settlers, who in addition to special subscriptions paid £1 per acre in order to I secure ibr themselves this and other objects of a kindred nature. . What makes our present churches now quite inadequate to meet the wants of the population? Surely the larger : influx of immigrants who have arrived since the £1 per.acre plan was given up—to be increased still more rapidly by funds dependent chiefly upon the land sales. If churches are to be built for the accommodation of these new comers by public subscriptions alone, upon whom will the chief burden fall P I appeal to what we all know of the circumstances of new comers generally^and of that numerous class of land purchasers" (the 20 acre men) just emerging out of the class of day-labourers, spreading far and wide into new -districts, and therefore requiring additional churches, and I ask whether these are the persons mainly and chiefly to be depended upon to subscribe the large sums ■required? If nol,:to whom must we look to carry out this work of God in the province, but to the same original settlers.who built the present churches ? •

Well Sir, I trust it will be found that we have the will to contribute according1 to our means, aye, and beyond our means—but have we the means to do all that is required at once ? And again I ask, is it fair, is it just, to throw this great and holy but costly work upon the same shoulders ? Can the land purchasers of the last two or three years wish that so it should be P Sir, I "appeal to their sense of justice, and challenge them to join with me in one loud and earnest call upon our representatives to grant out of the monies paid for their land £10,000 in aid of building additional places of divine worship, for the use of themselves and very many of those who built tho present churches, now crowded out of their acoustomed places at church' by new-comers. If permitted by you, I hope to give in your next a brief sketch of what is now wanted in the province, in the matter of church building. I trust other communions will speak for themselves.

I am, sir, yours faithfully,

A PILGRIM.

Chvistehuveh, Nov. 4,