PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 170, 20 August 1879, Page 2

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

On Sunday evening last the Rev A. Alexander, 8.A., Point Presbyterian Church, delivered a special lecture in connection with the coming election. We give the substance of bis discourse, as at present it may be interesting to some of our readers. Mr Alexander announced as his text Exodus, 18c, 21, Thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, haling covetousness, and place such over them to be rulers." The preacher began by saying that it would be interesting to compare the representative system propounded by Jethro with that now in operation among the Anglo-Saxon nations. They differed verji greatly, and yet at bottom they were similar. Jethro’s wish was that the men to be chosen should represent the ruler of the people, while it was of the essence of our Parliementary system that the men to be chosen represent the ruled—the people. A closer study, however, would show that at bottom the two schemes of representative government were at least very similar. After all, those rulers of thousands and rulers of hundreds, &c., were the representative of the Ruler of Israel. And the fundamental principle of the institutions of Israel was that not the people, nor one of themselves set apart from the people, but God himself was “ King in Jeshumen.” In Israel the magistrates stood in God’s place and spoke with his authority. So much was this recognised indeed that some of the sacred pen-men have not hesitated to speak of men of unjust, iniquitous rulers as “ gods.” “ God standeth in the congregation of the mighty. Ho judgeth among the gods, I have said, ye are gods, but ye shall die like men.” On the other hand, the teaching of the Christian Church is evidently the same. “There is no power but of G r d ; the powers that be are ordained of God. . • • They are

God’s ministers, attendin'? continually upon this very thing ” The rulers of men are, for the purposes of their government, God’s representatives, whether appointed to their office by one man or hy a popular election. This being so, the preacher had no hesitation in speaking to them from that on so important a matter as their choice of men to represent them in the governing body of New Zealand, Ho intended to deal with the matter under three heads : —I. What sort of men to be chosen ? 11. With what purpose in view to be chosen ? 111. How to be rewarded ? The text specified four things regarding them—l. They were to he chosen out ot all the people. So, ton, if our representative system were to he properly worked, no considerable section of the community at least ought to be excluded. Run holders should be well represented ; so should farmers, so should the mercantile classes, the artizan classes, and the professions. Our Parliamentary representatives should be chosen out of all the people. 2. They should be able men. The work our representatives were called on to do was often of a very difficult, not to sav extremely delicate, nature. The position given them could not, in circumstances even the most favorable, be called an easy one to hold. The business of Parliament was the business of the nation, and it was but reasonable that the nation should set the ablest men in its ranks to deal with friends and foes, as well as to manage internal affairs in a manner to sustain the national honour, and to bring honor upon themselves. ’ 3. The next point made in describing the able representative was that he should fear God. Many, even in that place, might be doubtful as to that. They might have the idea that State-craft demanded i facile readiness to accept expediency for principle. But, let them remember the great power for good and evil entrusted to their representatives. Without a doubt, the abler an unscrupulous, unprincipled man was, the more dangerous, if not positively mischievous. Remembering the accepted saying that Parliament is omnipotent, they must take due care that their representatives be under the necessary restraints from courses likely to harm the nation as well as impelled to efforts for the national good by. the proper spirit. And, demanded the preacher, where more certainly get such than in the able man who fears God? 4. The last point descriptive of a good representative, according to the text, was that he hate covetousness. If among the Pasterns covetousness was the vice of a ruler, did we not recognise pretty much the same thing among ourselves, although more tenderly spoken of as self-seeking? Of course, like other men, our Parliamentary representatives were largely influenced by many and various motives. Undoubtedly,, were it not for self-ieterest impelling men to it, the public service would suffer. Men who made pretence to being wholly unselfish might safely be dealt with as ignorant of their own motives, or envious to blind others regarding them. . Still, all these things considered, a representative who allowed his own interests or those of his class to influence him against the public good was, on the very face of if a dangerous man, and one to be got rid of with all speed. I. The preacher then proceeded to discuss the second head, “ What purpose should, constituencies have in view when proceeding to elect ?” In endeavoring to answer this question, he said that —(1.) Generally it n ht to be to uphold the

honor of onr country in this region of the Empire ; and constituencies would be well assured of this were the four point-- of il, properly attended to. A Parliament having little claim to be representative might uphold and vindicate the national honor. The thing had been done again and again. But, ns "thoughtful men, we should endeavor to assure aurselves of it. And who more wisely and well speak and act for us than the ablest men we have—such of them at least as were not mentally endued with a wholesome fear of their constituencies, but who also, and in a higher degree, feared from their hearts the Eternal King of Nations 1 11. A second point under tin’s afforded the reason for thus addressing such an assembly. It was important to remember that our representatives were in duty bound to makeVirtfl enforce the laws we need. In regard- tp this point, at least three things received claimant for attention at present —(1.) There was the question of intemperance. Ho wished to speak guardedly. At another time ho might speak ont his whole mind on this subject ; just now he wished simply to put it shortly. With the Bible text staving us in the face, “No drunkard shall inherit the Kingdom of God !” how could we neglect or ignore this question ? Intemperance was not the least mischievous influence at work in New Zealand. There wore respectable men among the hotelkeepers. As the hospitable entertainers of man and beast they perfonned a useful function in the State. But the business of hotel-keeping seemed necessarily associated with the making of drunkards both men and, alas ! women. And the, Bible distinctly has it that no drunkard shall inherit the Kingdom of God. Therefore, as Christian men, they were hound lo consider carefully the proposals to bo made by the temperance party to the Legislature ; and as Christian men they were bound to see to it that their representatives do not, with nil the power of the nation, bolster up the kingdom of Satan. 5. Then there was* sure to arise a discussion regarding the Bible in the schools. The Otago people at any rate had spoken out clearly. In the treatment of tin’s difficult subject they must bo reminded—(a.) There are certainly parts of religion to be taught best by parents. Who belter to teach the tender child than the parents What better influence upon the moral and spiritual life of boys and girls than the wise sympathy of a father 1 Who but a parent can probe the heart’s secrets and divest the heart’s affections of manly youths and tender maidens ? (b). Other parts of religion, again, had better be relegated to the trained teachers of the church. Most doctrinal points and the discussion of many of the dark and intricate problems of life would, ns a rule, be most judiciously and safely handled by our scholarly ministers. Even wellinformed parents had better allow their clergy to instruct the young on such points as called for literary research and deep consideration.

(c.) No schoolmaster I should consider, would meddle -with these things in the school Bnt every schoolmaster worthy of the name knows that he most teach more than what is strictly secular. Ho has much to do in forming the characters of those under him. Something more than the rule of experience was needed to make boy« and girls truthful and full of the spirit of honor. Without morality the pcnceab'o and wholesome government of a school was impossible. The best book (the Bible) in all literatures was being avoided by the youth of New Zealand, as if it were pestilential. This key to the literature of the English literature, although it could not, be destroyed, might be ignored. The legislators of this country were, in their wisdom, attempting to ignore it. And were the electors to remain indifferent the results might he disastrous. Therefore, the sneaker contended, the electors should speak out firmly and at once. Those of thorn who had a mind were pretty well decided on the- point. Let them warn would-bo legislators, • then, that to got i,heir votes a distinct promise must ho given that the Bible will be restored to its own place in schools. It would not do merely to read the Bible without note or comment. V

No more would it satisfy the demands of reason to shunt the Bible into a corner, to be dealt with perfunctorily by the kind permission of the inspectors. Let the Bible be studied, and let, teachers prepare them as part of the regular work of the schools, and let learning in Bible knowledge be made necessary for grants. It might be objected that this would be to do an injustice to those whose tender consciences were wounded by what,a public teacher would be obliged to deal with du ri n g Biblo-lessons. What of the wrong to their own children 1 Those who oppose the teaching of the Bible in schools are wrong enough. Are they equally numerous 1 And do they all exclude the Bible from the schools in which their own children receive their education ? -Grant to objectors the largest number of cbildren they can claim. Do they outnumber those of the Christian parents who desire their children to bo well grounded in Biblical truth? If the choice between two evils, then a wise statesman will choose the loss. And you, at any rate, hold that to offend the weak consciences of a hopeless minority were infinitely better than to allow our children to ignorant of Bible truths as our public-teaefters' can give, or ought to be able to give, i| worthy of their position. 111. The preacher then went on to treat of the rewards due to our legislators. As mercenary motives had been in great part at any rate excluded, there must chiefly he found in their satisfaction of serving in a position of great, trust and honor, their God, their country, and their Queen He concluded by declaring that members were to be chosen not because they could sing a gone! song in fine style, or entertain a company with bon mots. Nor oven would electors be justified, at this time of day, in voting for a man who, on the morning - after an election debauch, was able to provide his boon companions with a “ hair of the dog that had bitten them.” They must keep distinctly before them that in this matter they were on the point of choosing the best men to be found for the performance of their most important business.

Thirteen Chinese prisoners, accused of murder, were handed over by the English to the Ciiincse authorities. They were barbarously tortured before execution, and it is now stated that they were innocent. —, —*-*•