A GRIEVANCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 282, 6 October 1879, Page 2

A GRIEVANCE.

To Ike Editor of the Waimeapa Daily. Sik, — Were I not in distress I would not venture to ask you to hear my complaint, but I am in sorrow, and I hope you will give me your advice if I ask it, I therefore make bold to lay my trouble before you.

For a number of years there was no such building us myself considered necessary in Featherston, firstly, because the inhabitants were too feiv and the Church services so fur between that I was not required; and secondly, because the small bchool-house was used for the purpose and was found to provide ample accommodation for the time being. After a time, however, it was decided that I should be erected, and as soon as funds could be obtained to put up even my bare shell, it was done, and the services became more frequent and better attended, as the inhabitants could hear the bell hung in my turret ringing to tell them I was there for them to worship in, and consequently they began to take some little interest in me. Affairs connected with me went on very smoothly for some time. Then a learned gentleman with his family were added to our community, and he very shortly undertook the services upon the Sundays when our regular minister did not attend. This, in addition to the fact that the gentleman and his family were such talented musicians as to enable them to form a very efficient choir, was very much appreciated, and the congregation increased so much that serious thoughts were entertained of dispensing with my humble services, and erecting a larger building to take my place. At length a misfortune befel the congregation and myself in the very serious and protracted illness of our much respected pastor. The illness was of so serious a nature as to completely incapacitate him, and I was then only used for services by the gentleman before alluded to, who continued most energetically to conduct the services in me each Sunday, and by some one of the ministers from the Wellington district who occasionally visited my locality, but this was a very rare occurrence. However, as might have been expected, lukewarmness in. this direction was soon copied by the congregation, and notwithstanding, as I have said, the services were regularly held, the congregation began to fall off, and I was often grieved to see my doors open - the lay reader in his place, with his family to lead the musical part of the services, and—well, I was going to say empty seats but I will sinlply say,— and scarcely anyone there to join in the services. I several times heard of the Bishop being at the other townships, holding services, but I think I have been only twice honored by him with a call since I stood here. I suppose the poor benighted heathens who unfortunately live in the other townships, being further from the railway are consequently further

from opportunities of attending atnHHHH inga like myself in Wellington, andKßnH| consequently considered more in nwgKH ghostly admonition than the FcatheSHra people. But to resume. Some MSH months ago a meeting was which my financial position and that Church generally was discussed, Mh£ Bishop, among others, being present.{Era was then suggested that proper perjHHH should be appointed to canvass the BsH trictto see what funds for the Chs9B| could be raised. All present h«BmS| joked in the scheme. It was thegjfiH9|H| ted that the Featherston peoDjMHnSHH would support a minister jSrarannH and it was satci that prob|flnHnfflß| be provided, Now, -Mr—EditoPj. c that is weighing so What has been done sit}ce¥W9£ffiH| canvassers, I am told, halve wverraSM| seen at all. The Minister/" all our owgHra is, as the drapers say, "still to arrive, I "wP he is not here yet. There has been oni\ one minister to hold service in me sin<|; that meeting. The gentleman who devoted so much time and energy to me has, I suppose, become bo thoroughly disgusted at the apathy of those responsible, and of . the church goers themselves, that he has given up the services altogether. The consequence is that now I am entirely closed. I might as well never have been built for all the good I am; and as to ornament, I cannot certainly boast in that direction, for from neglect on the part of those whose duty it should' be to look after and care for me, there are only two other buildings in the township akin to me in appearance—the old survey office - at one end of the town, and Peterkin's would-be store at the other. The one poor miserable coat of paint, or rather of whitewash, of which I was sometimes inclined to feel proud, has now become a thing of the past, for it has been clean washed off me! At one time I could boast of having good, or at any rate wholo eyes; but now it is thought quite good enough for me to have a shabby bit of board nailed over half of one of them, making me as unsightly as I can well be. It is enough to make any passer by think fchat I have been misconducting myself. In fact, I am altogether woefully collapsed. My poor good pastor is still too ill to look after my welfare, and my visitors have dwindled down, one by ontP, until I am left to stand alone, unvisited and uncared for! Oh, miserable church that lam ! will no hand bp stretched out me from my present disgrace ? MTOfor, have you any advice to give nMWWiIW you stretch out your hand to | jape by® publishing this, my wail of k BJB n youra columns'? —Yours broken-heayfffly, 1 Poor Old' Church. 1