CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 964, 27 July 1881, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

(JFe <Io not hold ourselves responsible for opinions expressed by our correspondents']. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I must with regret express my surprise at the words with which you have headed an article (in your issue of Saturday, 23rd. inst.,) on some remarks made by Mr. King at St. John’s parish meeting Napier, and which runs as follows : —“ Holds this for High." They seem to me to savour of a levity which is unbecoming on such a topic. Permit me briefly to explain to you, and to those of your readers who do not already know 7 , the reason for rising when the clergvman enters and leaves the church at the, commencement and close of the service. It is the custom when the Mayor of a town enters a church officially for the congregation to rise and remain standing till he has gained bis seat and to do the same as he is leaving the church. Why ? Because the Mayor is the representative of the Sovereign. The same refers to the members of the bar and others rising when a Judge enters the Court. So, when the clergyman enters the church, clad in his robes of office, the people rise because he is the representative of the King of Kings and acting as his mouthpiece; not, as your article would indicate, in obeisance to the clergyman personally, any more than to the Mayor or Judge, but to Him in whose service he is employed, —I am &c., Churchman. [We thought any one, not intellectually obtuse, for instance, “ Churchman,” might have seen that we meant “ How’s this for High-Church.” Ed. P.B.S.]