AN ANSWER TO PROTESTANT CALUMNIES BY A PROTESTANT.

Southland Times, Issue 1590, 11 June 1872, Page 3

AN ANSWER TO PROTESTANT CALUMNIES BY A PROTESTANT.

SlB, — I fate the liberty of sending you a copy of the Universe, published — London, Saturday, February 3, 1872, from which you will have the goodness to reproduce that paragraph relative to Mrs Elliot and her book, as it is a little apropos at present, and you will much oblige, — Youra, &c., J. Caeken. "In the midst of bigotry and intolerance it is refreshing to meet occasionally with some that dare have their opinions, that are honest enough to speak of things as they really are, and not as bitter prejudice would fain represent them. Mrs Elliot, wife of the Dean of Bristol, in the new edition of her clever and interesting book, • Diary of an Idle Woman in Italy,' pays the following tribute to our priests : — ' It is a ridiculous and idle prejudice for people to talk and write about the immorality of the Roman clergy ; such nonsense can only proceed from the pens of ignorant, prejudiced, and evil-minded persons. 3 lie higher ranks of the Eornisb clergy are remarkable for their moral conduct, serioua demeanor, and blameless lives.' Though we differ with Mrs Elliot in many things to which she alludes in her really talented work, we cannot help wishing that others had as much anxious desire to tell the simple truth as she confesses ehe has."