WESLEYAN CHURCH, GRAHAMSTOWN.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 5, 12 October 1871, Page 2

WESLEYAN CHURCH, GRAHAMSTOWN.

LECTURE ON BIGOTRY. The first of a series of Wednesday evening lectures was delivered yesterday, in the Wesleyan Church, Grahamstown, oil the subject oc “ Bigotry.” There was a large attendance. The revel, lecturer said the word bigotry was derived from the old French, and was first used by the Emperor Rol'o profane l }' —for it meant by God’s grace —when he refused to kiss the toe of Big Pope. “ Bigotry ’ hadbeen we I 'defined by Mr. Wesley as an ino! d'oate at tachment to ones own opinions, forms, and pracl ices, and did not arise from a ch'isiian spirit, but was rather the emanation of the evil one. The spi’it of “Bigotry” was not unknown even to St. John the Evacge'ist, who, when he saw one casting out devils who was a fo'lower of their own, rebuked him. But did Cinist commence this conduct ? No! Ho said, “Forbid him not. He that is not against us is with us. The histoiy of the early Christian Church was fu 1 ! of bigotry, and many an un-christian-l’ke act had been pe’petrated in hisssavedc v ed Dame. Pau 1 , James, and John were all Ingots before they imbibed the spirit of their Master. Bigotry t was not to be confounded with a decided preference for the p.incipies of any pait’cidar denomination, for the widest Catholicity of spirit was guile compatible with the most decided fidelity to a man’s own acknowledged principles. A t'.u’y Clnistian man seeks that communion which he felt in In's heart b 1 ought him nearest to God. The narrow sectarian spiiit of a bigot was well illus’iated in tiie old sloy which represented a man as praying to his Maker lhas : Bless me and my w'fc, Brother John and his wife, These four and no more— Amen. Foster, one of the most classical writers upon religion, whose works were not quite so familiar at the present dav as they were when the lecturer was younger, and whose discourses on “ dec's'on of character” lie would cordially recommend to young men, rad likened a bigot to an African buffa’o. That anbna l looked straight before him, and neither to the right nor to the left, and as a bigot looking the sl’-a'ght I'ue of his own particular religious soct, would neither see an anny of an go's on one side, nor a legion of devils on the other, hilt simplv what came light in front of him. There were points upon which all denominations of Chris-Jans could agree, and the points upon which they differed were often not essential points, but related often only to some minor point of doctrine,

polity, or form. The rev. lecturer said that the older lie grew, the more lie often saw to admire in some of those whom he knew who differed from him, although there wore some characteristics exhibited, perhaps, which lie did not deem worthy of imitation. Of all the denominations of Christians, the Methodist who was a bigot was the most guilty in that particular, for bigotry was falsehood to the name of Christ, and to the name of Methodist, who ought to be the friend of all men, the enemy of none. Bigotry often made men look upon another as a monster, like the man who in a thick fog saw some fright-ful-object coming towards him, which partly frightened him, hut as it approached lie found it was his own brother. The rev. lecturer concluded an eloquent and practical lecture, replete with good instruction to all, by urging all Christians to live in harmony together, and to seek the same Spirit which is in Christ Jesus. At the conclusion the rev. gentleman said that he expected Captain Peek would lecture next Wednesday, and ou the following Wednesday lie proposed (D.V.) to lecture himself on “ Temper.’’