CHURCH GOVERNMENT.

Southland Times, Issue 1519, 5 January 1872, Page 3

CHURCH GOVERNMENT.

Fib, — You are probably aware of the existence of a governing body here called a Deacons' Court, having for its president a minister — the officials j consisting of a beadle. Curiously enough, the ! government would appear to assume the negative form on Sundays, when the beadle appears in a positive character, he being on these days the supreme governing body. He makes himself felt in a variety of ways, especially to the rheumatic and nervous people who attend the Scotch church. I guess these unfortunate individuals know what it is to be semi- suffocated and sitting in a gale of cold wind on alternate j days, and what " slap bang" means, this being a tune which said positive official delights to ] I play on the church doors. They ako know what j it is to have their devotions painfully disturbed j by the intrusion of a horrid impulse to do a " fellow-creature bodily h<irm. I confess this erection of a beadle into an autocrat every seventh day is to me something new in governments ; whether a stupid novelty or otherwise I will not presume to judge. It might be adduced as irrefragable proof of the wisdom of the government in question, that a few months ago they expended £20 in planting the church section with trees, and then deliberately turned in the minister's horse (and occasionally those of his friends, T suppose) to graze and trample thereon. — I am, &0., X.Y.Z. Invercargill, 3rd January, 1872. «