THE BALLARAT CLERICAL SCANDAL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2609, 18 January 1894, Page 3

THE BALLARAT CLERICAL SCANDAL.

The Rev. J. B. Johnson, late pastor of the South Street Free Methodist congregation, whose name h;is for some weeks past figured prominently before the public, appeared on Thursday night, January 4, at the hall of the South Street Debuting Society, to rebut the alleged slanderous statements of his accusers. Long before the time appointed for the opening of the meeting a lavg» crowd had r ssombled around the building, which at eight o'clock WiK filled to the utmost capacity, hundreds being unable to obtain admission. A strong body of police was in attendance to maintain order. The chairman, Mr Stevens, in opening the proceedings, stated that Mr Johnson would not answer questions, which announcement was received with groans and boohoos.

Mr Johnson, who came forward amidst groans and cheers, admittod that lie had tampered with the credentials taken by him to New Zealand, and through which he had abtaiuod a position in connection with the li el ping Hand Mission in Auckland. He obliterated, ho said, n fow line 3 in. the credentials which set forth th»tthe

authorities of the Free Methodist Church in Victoria could not recommend him to any other religious body. Regarding the allegation of forging the name of the Rev Mr Harrison ti a testimonial, Mr Johnson explained that the document was in typewriting, in which also he intended to print the signature, but owing to the operator, a clerk in the South British Fire Insurance Company's office in Auckland, suddenly jerking the sheet from the machine, the signature was not printed, and it had to be written in ink. This explanation, caused quite a sensation amongst the audience, who gave loud groans. Mr Johnson, when order had been restored, then gave a Bketch of his career as a minister and worker,saying thai he was converted to Christ at the age of fifteen years, and subsequently studied theology under celebrated dignitaries until 1885. He had, before leaving England, received three urgent offers—one from the Western connection, and two from missionary associations. He, however, refused these pressing solicitations, and set forth for Australia, where he had won hundreds of souls for Christ. (A voice: " And lost your own." Uproar). Mr Johnson next went on to refer to his " dear wife " who died in Ballarat some months «*go, and said the late Mrs Johnson had great relief in faith healing, and had sought his opinion as to to the efficacy of such a medium in effecting a cure of the disease from which she suffered, namely internal cancer. He admitted replying to his wife, then on her deathbed, in the following terms but said that portions of the original letter has been excised by some one : "Inreference to divine healing, I feel it must be left to you, but I really feel utterly callous, and cannot fix my mind on it. It seems as though we had tried everything else in the world, and then, when we have failed, we return to God and want to make a handle of Him. Again the question that comes to me first is: What do we wish you to be healed for ? Jußt to suit our pleasure and convenience or what 1 Our lives have been such a failure in the past that 1 could not desire you to be spared io continue a failure, for it would be only misery to you as well as to me. I would rather die myself first." Mr Johnson informed the audience that he had always treated his wife in a loving, kindly manner, and said Mrs Johnson, in her reply to his letter, had stated that his ideas as expressed in the letter had done her good. He still revered the memory of Mrs Johnson, who, though dead, was still his wife. In conclusion, Mr Johnson, who has resigned his charge in New Zealand, said he had sinned, but was sorry for his offence.

A motion to the effeot " That Mr Johnson's explanation is satisfactory," was put to the meeting, and about a third of those present held up their hands in its favor. The proceedings closed with the singing of the doxology.