THE REV. MR. REID IN REPLY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5043, 23 May 1877, Page 2

THE REV. MR. REID IN REPLY.

TO THE EDITOR OE THIS NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir, —To pickle a parson is to editors of a certain type a most congenial task, and, provided fair play be observed, there are few people even among the “ unco guid" who altogether fail to enjoy the sport. But when truth is sacrificed in the process the pastime becomes too costly to be regarded favorably by honest men. It occurs to me that such sacrifice has been made, unwittingly I doubt not, but still not the less actually, in the strictures on my sermon published in this morning’s Times. In the criticism referred to I am represented as saying that the Turks ought to be “ wiped out.” The words I never uttered ; the sentiment which they are meant to express I abhor. The following is my note on the subject, to which I adhered almost literally;—“ They cannot afford to remain Turks, and humanity cannot afford to allow them to occupy the lauds which they usurp. They are in the world’s way. They refuse to be civilised themselves, and they hinder the evangelisation and civilisation of peoples more numerous aud better than they are. If the Turk refuses to be civilised, and insists upon oppressing Christian races, then is Christendom bound to see him safely deported to the land whence he came forth. . . . Formerly the tender made to vanquished peoples by the Turk was ‘ the Koran, tribute, or the sword.’ We propose that united Christendom modify this for the Turk so ns to road ‘ Civilisation, tribute, or Tartary.’ . . . Let the European physicians prescribe for the sick man a pilgrimage to the land of his fathers, and let the nations prove their good natures by a general subscriptions to provide a suitable outfit for the invalid. To convert the Turk to the Christian faith would undoubtedly be the most successful solution of the problem. Not a more difficult task is it possible fortheChristiau Church to undertake. Young people ! not a piety equal to, hut excelling, that of your fathers, superior to that of any preceding generation, must you possess, if you would succeed in overthrowing the Turkish barrier. Obtain this, and you shall prove the true crusaders, before whose exploits the chivalry of the Middle Ages will utterly pale.” The above was my only appeal to the young. I solicited no contributions for the conversion of the Turks ; nor did I insult or even name the Roman Catholic Church. X spoke of the “ Christians of those days,” and warned my hearers against “ evils prevailing among ourselves.”—l am, &c.. Alexander Reid. [The Rev. Mr. Reid preached extempore (or from notes) and not from a written sermon. The good faith of the rev. gentleman is indisputable ; but we are bound to say that independent testimony confirms the accuracy of our report, though we willingly concede that Mr. Reid is not aware of having uttered the expression ascribed to him.— Ed. N.Z. Times.]