HOLINESS CONVENTION.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 462, 12 April 1890, Page 5

HOLINESS CONVENTION.

PASTOR BIRCH AND MR HENRY VARLEY. Auckland, April 8. About a thousand people assembled in the Baptist Tabernacle, Upper Queen-street’ last evening, the occasion of the gathering being the continuation of the “Holiness” Convention which was begun at Pitt-sfcreet Wesleyan Church on Good Friday. The Rev. W. Birch (pastor) presided. There were present on the platform the Revs. E. Best, J. Dukes, W. L. Salter, Messrs H. J. Ross, R. Fry, R. B. Shalders, y. Parker, F. A. White, Sutherland, R. Bycroft, J. Bycroft, and in the body of the hall wero the Rev. Mr Williams and Mr George Aldridge. The proceedings commenced with the singing of a hymn, and the Rev. W. L. Salter road a portion of Scripture. After another hymn had been sung, Mr Birch rose and started an address on “Holiness.” He spoke strongly in favour of the dogma of perfect holiness, and what is termed entire sanctification, and went at length into his subject. After a few minutes ho pulled out a copy of the Star of Saturday last from his pocket, and read the report ot Mr Varley’s speech at the Holiness Convention in the Pittstreet Wesleyan Church on Friday evening. After quoting the speech he proceeded to very strongly denounce the sentiments embodied therein concerning the doctrine of “holiness.” Here, he said, one of the greatest evangelists of the world who had come to aid in the work of regeneration, actually taught that the adulterer, the murderer, the liar, the swearer, the thief, may live their wicked lives and be saved ! Mr Birch emphatically denounced Mr Varley’s teachings, more especially that gentleman’s statements in which he held that it was impossible to live without committing sin. At last Mr Birch waxed so emphatic in his denunciation of tho evangelist that more than one person present was moved to an indignant defence of Mr Varley. Mr J. Douglas rose and protested against such treatment of Mr Varley in his absence. It was unfair and most unbecoming a servant of God such as Mr Birch professed to be. Mr Birch jumped up excitedlyand told Mr Douglas to sit down, stating that this was his meeting, convened for a special purpose. Mr Douglas could reply through tho press, or could take a hall and reply there. That was a holiness meeting. Mr Birch again proceeded with his remarks on Mr Varley and his preachings. In a couple of minutes Mr C. B. Stone, a deacon of the Tabernaclo, rose to enter his protest against the preacher’s attack on Mr Varley. That gentleman was his guest, he said, and though he loved and respected his pastor, he could not sit still and listen quietly to such treatment of a servant of God by another Christian minister. It was most uncharitable, unbrotherly and unChriotianlike. Mr Varley should have been invited to the meeting, and these things should have been said to his face, and not behind his back.

Mr Gaze, another deacon of the Tabernacle, rose and endorsed Mr Stone’s_ remarks. He was very sorry to see Mr Biich take such a stand as he did. It would have been far better to have gone about the work in a brotherly and Christian-like spirit. Dr. Kenderdine also spoke strongly on behalf of Mr Varley. That gentleman had, he said, been thoroughly misrepresented, and what had been repeated was a caricature of his sentiments. Then his teachings on the subject of i he supposititious “perfect holiness ” were quite in accord with reason and common sense and the teachings of the Bible. “ Why,” Dr. Kenderdine said, “there isn’t a sinless man in this building. If there is a man without sin here, well, if he have two coats let him rake one and go down the street and give it to the first poor man he meets. There is not such a thing as perfect sinlessness amongst us here. There isn’t a single man amongst us here that keeps the Ten Commandments in their entirety." The speaker entered an emphatic protest against Mr Birch’s treatment of Mr Varley in his absence. Tho Rev. Mr Williams rose and followed Dr. Kenderdine in his remarks, protesting against Mr Varley being attacked behind his back.

The spirit of protest and indignation against the reflections cast on Mr Varley here seemed to seize a large portion of the audience. The meeting was getting very excited, and about a dozen persons jumped up in different parts of the building and started to harangue the assemblage, some at the top of their voices. One man at the back excitedly proceeded to air his own views on the subject of _ “ entire sanctification ” as applied to himself and his family, bub was soon pulled down in his chan by some considerate friends. Another waxed very indignant at the pastor, and for a moment matters seemed rather dangerous, The noise and disturbance was hardly very edifying, and a stranger casually glancing in at the moment would havo taken the meeting to be the very reverse of a “holiness convention.” The meeting was getting out of hand, when about a hundred and fifty people here rose and left the Tabernacle. Pastor Birch waited through the excited discussion patiently. The uproar continuing Mr R. B. Shalders, another elder, rose and mado an effort to secure a peaceful meeting, and to nrocoed to the business of the convention, bub he was unsuccessful,

It was very evident that the meeting had been thoroughly aroused on behalf of Mr Varley,and the Chairman, in continuing his address, wisely ceased his references to the evangelist. At this stage Mr Varley entered the body of the hull through a side door. He was immediately recognised, and was very loudly applauded. He walked up the aisle to a seat, but was subsequently invited to a seat on the platform, Mr Bircb, for Mr Varley’s benefit, considerately repeated to him a summary of the remarks he had just made regarding him and his doctrines on the “holiness ” question, Mr Varley then started ta reply to. Mr Birch’s statements.. Ho spoke eloquently and forcibly, and appeared to carry his audience \vifch him throughout his few minutes’ address. First Qf all he gave a fiat, contradiction to the imputations cast on him and a direct denial to views which some opponents had attributed to him. Mr Varley was about half-way through his speech when Mr Birch, presumably of the opinion that enough had been said on the question of holiness, gave out a hymn, “ There is a Fountain Filled \yith Blood,” which he started, The hymn was taken up by a portion of the congregation. Wfiile they were singing Air Birgh moved and spoke to Mr Varley, v/fio then joined in the hymn. At the' conclusion of ffie singing Mr Varley resumed fiis address. He proceeded ta show in earnest and forcible language that only the incarnate One could justly assume bfie title of tfie. Sinless. “It is an utter impossibility,” h© said, • ‘.‘.fwj manj \yhil©‘m th© fi©sh ? t© live per-

fectly free from sin.” Mr Varley repeated this sentiment several times, and his remarks hinged immediately on it. After a few more words Mr Varley concluded his remarks. Tho meeting was then brought to an abrupt conclusion by the Chairman reading a fow verses of Scripture, and prayer by the Rev. E. Best.