Original Correspondence.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 191, 29 March 1848, Page 2

Original Correspondence.

Tv the Editor of the New Zealander. Sir,— ln your paper of last Saturday, appeared a Notice of the opening of a Wealejan dispel lor the Natives, and in the same article were soamremaiks about the '• Observance of the Sabbath" m Auckland 1 sun happy at being abie to concur generally wi'h tin- Ben i men 1 s expressed ia the " New Z^alaader," with respect to the improvement of the morals ol the cunismu.ity, and particularly o\ the Native poition thereof : in the present case, ;illh<u,h Ido not hold thti tarni views with m.uiy, and m ist probably with tha writer of the article in qu btion, legaiding Saboinn

him in sentiment, in his apparently ardent desire for the benefit of the Natives, and his fear lest their advancement in civilization and morals should be impeded for many years, if not rendered utterly impracticable. There, however, appear to my mind, greater hindrances than the want of Sabbath observance, to their advancement in civilization and morals, but as this is h subject which would require greater discussion than I could ask for in the " New Zt-alander," and a better advocate than myself, I only refer to it to show thai although I hold different views on Sabbath observance, from those implied in the article noted, still I have kindred sentiments with the writer, on the importance of the cultivation of the Native population. There is one portion of his observations to which I object, and which has led me fo make the present remarks — that is where he abks — " Could not the Government require that all who are employed on the public works shall attend Divine seiv'ce on the Sabbath day, at the respective places of worship ?" I think there is in the sentence quoted, a principle of rompulsion of power or authoiity involved — a principle which terms to me to be contrary to the ieligion of Christ— contrary to our Colonial feeling of liberty in religious matters, and contrary to the feelings of the Native tribes, who, if I may argue from temporal to spiritual affairs, have great reluctance to any service being forced upon them. With respect to the scenes which occur in the streets on Sdbbath, I am quite of the opinion stated in ths article qaotfd, as to their oliaiactc-, and that it would! bi well it mo^ ot them did not occur either on Sunday or batu relay. lam, Sir, Your most obedient servant, A Constant Reader. Auckland, March 27, 1848.

To the Editor of the New Zealander. Sir,— -Allow me to make through your journal a few remarks on a communication contained in your number of Wednesday last, giving an account of the Consecration of the Romish Church in this city. I have no wish for a controversy on the points of difference that exist between the Romish and Piotesfcan> Clm ches, nor do I write under the infl uence of illiheral or Ingotted feelings : a plain unfinished statement of facts would have passed unnoticed, but the arrogant assumption contained in th it communication demands exposure, and the insinuation thrown out against out Protestant form of Christianity, in support of which our fathers nobly went to ihe stake, merits rebuke : I refer especially to the following sentence " The old vener, bie rites of pi-itnitive Christianity, were it ni.iy be foi the first time, he introduced on this desert shore, and hence it was that they seemed to find a responsive chord in all hearth." Tluie appear to me but two modes of intcrpieting this softly and carefully woidcd assumption : it means either that this is the first place of worship that has been opened in the countiy, or that the venerable rites of primitive Christianity have never been introduced in any of the other Churches in this land. The latter is clearly the meaning of the writer } he evidently wishes to insinuate that his Church alone contains primitive Chnstjanity, and that every other is false and heretical But his representation asserts too much, for if these rites were indeed for the first time intioduced, then has even his o« n Church withheld them, for its forms of worship have been observed during the last seven or eight years, in this land. But '• to the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Let us compaic the ceremonies of the occasion with the records of" primitive Chnstianity," and see how far they really harmonized with its " venerable,, rites.'' Ttie New Testament contains the only authentic leconis we posses', on the institutions and customs of the primitive Church. Whatever is tbticiu enjoined is imperative </n Chriitiaiii m all ages — whatever may be ascertained Irom other somees has no Divine authority, and though some customs of the early Clnrche* that are not contrary to the doctrines of Holy Scnpturu may be innocently followed, yet we should not unchurch those uho choose lo leave them, h-st we incur the punishment of addintj to or taking from" the words of the prophecy of t'ns book." — Rev. xxn, IS, 19. What (hen were the rues performed oh the occasion ? The h'rst lefersnce if. to tuu Bishop's pnyer for the SanctificaUon of the edifice. Of this I speak with reverence : prayer offered with solemnity, and devout simplicity, is in accordance With primitive Christianity; but I can scarcely understand " the Church perso .i/yuig the Redeemer," and in His name piaying to Uiniself, as one of the persons in the ever Glorious Trinitysuch a personification has no wairant fiom Scripture. Another reference is to the Sermon preached on the occasion. The pi eaching of God's word is a Divine institution, and if it be " accorcing to the glorious Gospel of the blessed God," is in harmony with primitive Christianity. ThLse two appear to be the only "ritesof piimitive Christiuniry " that were observed on the occasion : but can it wi:h truth be asserted, or even in-muuied, that such riles weie then for the fitst lime in roduced inio this countiy. Has there no pn.ver been oft', red to God, arid no G.ibpel preached on these shores till now ? If j the rest of the ceremonies had any authoiily from the New Tastainent, then would tlie ltprescritntion he true, for certainly they had not before beeu introduced, nor would Hue Chnstiauiy have sustained any Jos', had they never made their appearance heie. For I cannot allow that the " Saciifite of the Mass" is " a v< nerable nte of piimitive Chiistianity." The Apostles and first Chris ians, in obedience to the Divine command, re* gul.irly parlo ,k of the Holy Communion as mutilated by Christ himself, each believer eating the biead aud drinking the wine, in remembrance that Christ died for him, and as a public confession of his faith ; but never regarded it as a real sacrifice, rather as a cocnmenaorative lite, observed in remembrance of the one great s> cnh'ce, " once offered and not needing repetition."— lieu, vii, 27.— li, 25, 28,— and x, 12. On the floor of which of the Primitive Churches did an Apostle trace the form oi the Cross in Greuk and Latin? When, nnd where, were nhes boine mound j the Chuich to testify that we suould follow the footstf p a of the Saints. G)d exhot ts th.it we be " followers of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises 11 ' — but never authorized m appeal to the senses by the exhibition of relics. In uhatplac of woisiiip in which the primitive Chmtians assembled wete taprrs lighted, or incense humid ? To call such, c remonies " the \enerable rites of Christianity" is solemn tuHing, is to put outward forms iv the place or spiritual warship, i>nd by employment of dramatic represcmciilions to call men's minds away from the purity and (simplicity of Scriptuial Chnstunuy. God is a spirit, ana they that worship him must worship him in spiiitanditi truth" — John iv, 24. What then becomes of yourc correspondent's insinuation ? It is cleat ly pioved to be unfounded — for iv the first place those parts of the ceiemony he details which are sanctioned by the New Testament,

ago ; I mean prayer ami pi caching, and the great Author of Cluislianky has set hid broad seal on the la» bors of those who introduced them, in the conversion of numerous tribes from heathenism to the worship of God. And in the second place, many parts of the ceremony have no sanction whatever in the woid of God, nnd ought never to be termed " the ritei of piimiiive Cluistianity." I am, &c, A PIIOTKSTANr.