PUBLIC OPINION.

Patea Mail, 25 August 1882, Page 3

PUBLIC OPINION.

Contributions, Letters, Inquiries and Answees thereto, arc invited on Farming. Commerce, Politics, and matters of interest to the Patea district. Names of writers need not be Printed.

PATEA CHURCH AFFAIRS.

An item in your paper informs the public that Patea will be shortly in need of a pastor. The action and preaching of the present rev. incumbent are commended, with a hint that his influence would be still greater if his teaching contained less of the Church of England element. The Rev. Mr Keating must be quite well aware that Church of England doctrines, are distasteful in some quarters in Patea, and he has shown unmistakably that he does not covet a popularity which depends upon suppressing the Church of England. Bu* what can be the conceivable use of an Anglican clergyman among us, if he is not to teach the tenets of our church ? The ignorance of Churchmen about their religion is notorious, and in my opinion it is this ignorance which is ruining our denomination here. A parson, a congregation, and a church with no distinctive doctrines worth mentioning are not likely to have many lively supporters, and St. George’s Church proves how such a congregation may expect to flourish. Wesleyans, Roman Catholics, Presby-, terians, and others all teach peculiar doctrines, and succeed simply for this reason. Why must the Church of England favor all but herself ? If we do not want an educated Anglican clergyman to live among us, let us say so. To get one and then muz/.lc him by declaring that the differences between the Church of England and Dissent are considered here unimportant, is to say we do not want any English minister at all. Not long ago, a Home paper contained this advertisement: “Wanted, a curate who can play on the violincello, for Brocklcshy, Hants. Address John Morrant, the Rectory.” Punch improved the advertisement to this form : High diddle diddle ! a priest who can fiddle Is wanted for Brocklcshy, Hants ; Yc reverend follows with violincellos Just call in at Johnny Morrant’s. After reading your item I would suggest a similar advertisement for Patea : High doody doody, a priest who’s a booby Is wanted for Patea quick ; His doctrines lame, Ids practices tame, And yet he must not bo a stick.

High diddle diddle! he musn’t meddle, Teach Anglicanism, nor aught; An Anglican preacher who isn’t a teacher Is the sort of a parson who’s sought. A Friend of St. George’s Church.