CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 114, 14 April 1870, Page 5

CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

(To ths Editor of the Tuapeka Times)

Sir,- -In your last issue, under thH heading, there appeared two of the miftt flippant letters I have for a long tiina seen written on church mat'ors. After reading the letters, you ask, What do tho. writer.! mean 1 They give us the negativo information — our churches are not preaeh-ing-houres aud our ministers machines, but they do not tell us what they are ; and this is the truthful and forcible lesson which our churchmen heroabout need to ba taughi.. Mr. C'>uvy says "a good sermon is not everything."' Are we to understand by this that a bad one is ?■ or is a m*vi nob able to. praach, bettor qualified to {ill his other duties than a. man who is 1 Mr. Coflfay thinks it degrading ro a clergyman t>> come on trial, or exhibit his powers in the pulpit. If so, clergymen may thank themselves for it. Now-a-day, whon crmr'abnunds to such an extent, and whon men are ap-. pointed pastors without any regard^ to their qualifications as readers- or speakers, it becomes imperative iti congregations rto. see to their o\vn interest, and, the difieatinn of themselves and families. We arc willing to give a fair remuneration to an. earnest, cflljcionfc, and; godly minister ; but we are not willing to accept any man, merely because he h?s " rev." to his, name. 1 have only to add that whether, the tplegram came or not, on no account would we accopt Mr % J. L. S. Keen's., nominee ; and we are willing to w.ait " till January, 18T1, or other indefinite, period," if we cannot sooner get a man. suitable to our wants Might i ask, was. Ik with the sanction of the Church Committee Mr. Cuifey's letter was published ?• [ thought they had more reg ird for that gentleman than to let such a letter ap-. pear in print with his name t') it, as evidently it v;as written, in answer to re-, marks made in Mr. Keen's, and not, intended for piiblication. — I am, &c, A Mejibek.

(To the Editor- of the Tuapeka Times).

Sib, — J am happy to be in a position to-, inform you that on Friday night last I received a. letter, of which the following is a cop}', from the Primate :—: —

Christckarcfy, Canterbuiy, April 4lh, 1870.

My Dear Sir, —There is a clergyman now in, *■ Canterbury, the Rev. (i. P. Bo.iumont, who, uiijjhfi he induced to undertake the cure of Lawrence if satisfactory arrangements could be made, for this purpose. He has been serving with my son, Archdeacon Harper, for the last three years 0:1 the West Coast Go'.dftehls, ch icily at Gieytnpnth, where he succeeded ir. buildii'g, wirh.the, assistance of the church members there, a good, church and parsonage, and where he would have, still continued. in charge to the great satisfaction of the inhabitants, but for other arrangements, made by the Bishop of Ne!so 1, to whose dloie3e Gieymontli and its neighbourhood hnve Iseen. lecent'y added. He is an unmarried man. ofactive h/ibiis, in full shength and health, and an earnest pi'oacher (extempore), and from'the-* first days of his ministry (which convn.T'c^d in. England, on the Ure idoii Hills, Somersetshire), has been accustomed to serve among a mining, population. I can candidly say that you are not likely to meet with a clergyman moi-e s-iifced to. the cure of Lawrencn than Mr. Beaumont.

Mr. ]>eiiuuio',it, wleii on. the West Coast, received as his stipend £300 per annum, an. l not h-ts than tin? should beguaiiititeed to him ; anil; after the exertions \shiuh have been m.vle in Ln\v.ronce in church matters, I should think that, there ought to bo no difficulty in raiding this amount, if the district of Waifcihuna is inclmled, as it.sh.mlil lift, in the cure. Will you have the kinduess to ]ny this communication, so soon as you can conveniently, and let me have tire resujfc. Mr. Beanmont^ at present, is taking temporary duty in one of the suburban parishes of OhristchurQli, and has received from YVesti>orl\ a goldfields, town in the Diocese of Nelson, an invitation to take chaise of it, but will wait your, reply to my letter. "Believe me to be, yours .very faithfully, k. J. G. Chuistchuuch. John L., Shadwell Keen, Esq., Lawrence.

The Committee mot that night, and. resolved that the Primate should be communicated with by telegraph the folio wing, moraiug. This was done, and I have this day received the following reply :—: — " Must soc Mr. Beaumont before final arrangement. My letter may be pub-, lished."

I may adu that T requested the Primate to allow,,- me to publish his letter, as I thought it would thoroughly explain the position of matters. — T have, &a., Joii> t L. Sttadwell KEstf, Hon. Corresponding Secy.