KNOX CHURCH. (To the Editor of the DAILY TIMES.)

Otago Daily Times, Issue 271, 1 November 1862, Page 6

KNOX CHURCH. (To the Editor of the DAILY TIMES.)

Shall the church permit this"? Never—no, never. It will rend her to pieces first, and ra'se a storrn which will disturb the coolness of men who take five weeks to conclude that the instructions ofthe church to her trustees are to be carried out or not, as they see fit. One word more. A very short time ago there were arrears of rent due to the Trust Fund that would have more than met the L4OO for ihe expenses of the Presbytery's mission. I shall give my own people more full information next week, at Green Island on Tuesday evening, and at East Taieri on Wednesday evening. The enclosed extract wiil show you the state of the Australian church four months before the meeting of the Presbytery. The gentiemanwho first spoke of the church of Australia did so with a good spirit, and never dreamed that such a use would he made of hissuggestion. William Will.

Extract from Christian Times of 6th May :— f' The most important business of this half-yearly meeting was the report from Mr Campbell, the convenor of the scheme for providing ministers. Six months ago it was ascertained that the Presbyterian church lequired from thirty to forty additional labourers. Several energetic men in the Assembly insisted upon the necessity and the feasibility of raising funds for defraying the expenses of such labourers from the old country, The sum of L3OOO was spoken of as necessary. The colony was parcelled out into dis tricts Deputations were appointed to visit these, and the convenor had the satisfaction of reporting that the whole sum was virtually subscribed, and upwards of L2OOO placed in the bank. A plan for distributing this fund was agreed upon. By the arrangement made, all parts of the Presbyterian church are represented—Dr M'Leod, of the Established church ; Dr John B-mar, of the Free ; Dr Cairns, of theU.P.; Mr M'Clure, of tiie Irish ; and Dr Hamilton, of the English; with James Cunningham, Esq., P.1., as lay agent." -Quoted in Edinburgh Witness. [We insert this letter, although, in two respects, Mr Will departs from our rules. He refers to letters which appear in another paper, and which he should more appropriately answer through its columns ; and on a previous occasion he forwarded a duplicate of a letter he sent to us to another paper. Should the reverend gentleman require touseourcolumns again, he will have to avoid the first error, and to give us the assurance that he has not departed from our practice in the second.]

{To the Editor ofthe Daii/j; Times.) _ Sir,—l regret exceedingly that Mr Will has considered it his duty to publish the letter which appears in your paper this morning. The whole spirit of it is altogether unbecoming the position which he occupies, and is not calculated to forward the object he has iu view. The Trustees, I have no doubt, will be quite able to defend the course they have taken, and being men accustomed to business transactions, they should be fully as well qualified to judge of what was right and proper in the case as Mr Will could be. And, I would simply remark, that if the Trustees are to be subjected to such uncalled for attacks, there may be some difficulty iu finding any gentlemen who would be willing to undertake such a charge. I was the person who proposed at the meeting referred to, that the Presbytery be authorised to carry out the proposed Mission, and I said so on the distinct understanding that it wa3 to be done, as all things of the kind havo hitherto been done, by subscription. This was also the opinion, I believe, of all who then supported the proposal. And, I have no doubt, had it been curried out in this way by those in charge of the matter, the necessary funds would long ago have heen collected, and the present unseemly and unpleasant state of things have been avoided. I stated at the time as my own opinion, that we were not in a position yet to require the services of a Professor. This opinion I still hold ; but not wishing to stand in the way of a measure which those thought advisable, who, I supposed, had given the matter more serious consideration than I have done, I acquiesced in the proposal. I know there are many who object to the scheme altogether, and some, who at first approved of it, have seen cause to change their opinions, from circumstances that have transpired since it was first, adopted. For myself. Ido not regard the matter as so very essential as I did before. Since then, we have learned that two more Ministers are now on their way out, and probably the next mail may bring intelligence of others being appointed. And supplies can also be obtained from other quarters. But I do not think the columns of a newspaper the proper i>laee for discussing such mutters. I should be sorry to givo expression here to tlie feelings which Mr Will's letter has called forth. I have no doubt, while it has deeply grieved many of the Church's best friends, it has also gratified and pleased some of her worst enemies. I am, Sir, yours, &c, J. Paterson. Dunedin, 31 it October, 1862. THE FIRE SBRIGADE. {To the Editor ofthe Otago Daily Times.) Sir,—l am glad to find that the Dunedin Fire Brigade has at length assumed the position of a local institution. The Benefit to take place this evening (Friday),will be, I trust, so demonstrative, that our almost embryo corps will henceforth be regarded with the favor, supervision, and support, which such an elementary association should receive in a city, as yet happily unaware of the ravages which may be effected by fire.

The Brigade, in which I have the honor to hold the most responsible office, is pleased to have its movements and management commented upon through the columns of the pre?s : and criticism upon its actions is held as a proof of public recognition ; but, at the same time that I make this acknowledgment, I confess entertaining a dislike to such theoretical hint3 for practical management f>s are put forward in the letter of your correspondent—" S. G." Without occupying too much of your space by exposing the fallacies of " S. G.," or of referring too particularly to the organisation of the Fire Brigade, and the difficulties it has endured during its struggle into existence, I will endeavor to point out the course which should be adopted, in anticipation of a calamity, which it is only reasonable to suppose will some day, or night, cultivate too closely our acquaintance. Your correspondent suggests the " laying of a pipe from Princes-street along Rattray-street underground nnd extended to the beach below low water-mark •" and for the information of a citizen, whose belief in hydraulic power is probably equal to that in his own, let me state— that m Princes-street the pipes would have to be laid at a depth of forty feet, and in Rat-tray-street at a depth of fifty feet, to carry out his theory of engineering. His notion of erecting a standpipe to fill buckets with water, is so ridiculous, that the less said about it the better. But, supposing this scheme practicable, what water resources have we within our reach? The most powerful fire-engines ever manufactured suck from a depth of only twentyeight feet—those of the Dunedin Brigade from a depth of sixteen feet.

3* Our idea is to have a reservoir constructed between the hills at the summit of Maclaggan-street, laying pipes therefrom through tho various streets of the town. This gigantic dam should collect the stormwaters from the higher hills, and the pressure would then be so strong that, by fixing fire plugs at proper distances—say, from fifty to eighty feet apart—an adequate supply of water would be readily obtainable. So that in fact no necessity would exist for a fire-en-gine at all. This plan, simple as it seems, is so much preferable to other and more difficult schemes for water supply, that of late years in Victoria a reservoir, at a proper elevation, is regarded as the best security for life and property in large towns: and as few difficulties seem to interfere with the accomplishment of this great object, it is to be hoped that the Town Board and the Executive Council will co-operate in this, or some similar enterprise, by whicli a feeling of comparative security will be established, in the event of fire in the City of Dunediu. I am. Sir, Your obedient servant, gA. C. Rbes, Capt. D.V.F.B

■."Sir,—As it may not be generally known that theMilJenium is at hand, it may be as well that the pubhc should know of it, lest they should be taken by turpnse when the good time should come. I gather this piece of good news from the fact of one of the few churches of „ihis new city having lately come to the serious conclusion, that a ha'f day service is enough ; so that 800 or 900 peop'e are sent adrift for thertinaicderof the day, thereby giving every encouragement to Sabbath-breaking in every shape and fornv and nullifying any god impression * the preacher may have made in the forenoon service on his hearers. How a mubitude of people like that assembling and holding seats at Knox Church submit so readily to such degenerate improvements, I cannot comprehend. I think it will easily be seen that the lame excuse for doing so could have been supplie I in another wav, with- ut destroying the good old grey-headed custom of the church. However pleasing it may be to have a half day service, and to wind up the Sabbath with a stroll or a drive, it is not agreeable to all; therefore I maintain that neither minister nor session, (elders) are at all justified in coming to so grave and serious a conclusion in depriving so many of the Christian public from attending the house'of God either forenoon or afternoon, or both, if they choose. At present, there is such a rush at the one service, that it is anything bat agrr c - able ;—besides, all families cannot get to church at once. There is much need at present for another church and minister at the north end of Dunedin. I am afraid there is more vanity and pride at the root of such changes than true godliness, and if simpleminded people were more often admitted into sessions, the more fashionable portion would not so readily introduce their downward tendencies.

I believe the frivolous excuse for closing the church to the public, was the ardent desire of teaching the children, as if there could not have been some other building that might be rented. Knox Church has no cause to complain for want of funds; therefore let them pay for the use of some place to teach the young. It would do high and low in the church a deal of good if they would adopt, instead of affect to demise, the more humble and Christian efforts carried on at the First Church, Dunedin. Yours, &c, A Mejiber of Knox Church. October 27, 1862.