H.P.W. IN REPLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1998, 23 January 1890, Page 3

H.P.W. IN REPLY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Ths title of the last effusion of the "G*ruldiue prophet" ia singularly inappropriate, as instead of " More discord" it bhould have beun "More distortion."

Of the honesty of the man who deliberately asserts that .mother adopted and gave out to the public as his own what was the work of soTQOoneclae I leave your readers to judge, and,- sir, I muH emphatically protest against my wheat being measured by Mr Ailken's bushe', but to enlighten him, and at the bpdjo time assure him that Lis mighty oastigalion which he promises to the " man of straw ' falls upon innocent shoulders, I wish to inform him a lay pen, and not a clerical one, wrote, and a lay mind conceived, the few disjointed remarks drawn forth by he promposity of his initial epistle. As to the who or the what Mr Aitken might be, there was no enquiry nor curiosity on my part, and as no necessity arose, nor has arisen, to disolose nay identity, despite the jeers, snoars, and random shots of this geullarnaD, I choose still to conceal it.

My remarks have no offansiveness towards members of tho Anglican communion, with whom 1 live, and ever have lived, on terms of amity, but, sir, ihey were meant as a warning to what are known in our colonial vocabulary as "railers"—persons who in every clime and in every age are looked upon by oid and new friendß alike with suspicion and distrußt—for, sir, tbosa who open their arms to receive the convert ever view with Buspiciou the individual who, no matter from what conscientious motive be may act, is alike uutrue to his early inspirations and old associations, and if opportunity offer would as willingly and speedily desert the faith of his adoption. 1 cannot accept the simile of app'e and rasp, but I suppose the brotherhood exists; in the fact that tho same gardener and the same soil nourishes. The Bame «ould apply to the UDprofitably gay gorse j so where would this end !

Let Mr Aitken spend or spare his musical or other talents in the service of aay Christian Church, as he pleases, but, air, I, as a Presbyterian, must enter my protest against lowering our proud old "banner of the blue" to the "sable pennant of the prelacy," and tho' Clavers and Dalziel are long since turned to clay, let me assure him the Bpirit which their bitter persecutions aroused still exists, and, while conceding toleration for *]), ever will oppose self-effacement as a means towards the creation of episcopal aupremacv.—Yours, etc., \ Temuka, 16th January, 1890. \