THE REV. J. K. ELLIOTT AND HIS CONGREGATION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2288, 6 May 1886, Page 2

THE REV. J. K. ELLIOTT AND HIS CONGREGATION.

LIVELY PROCEEDINGS.

A meeting of the congregation of St, James' Presbyterian Chujch, Newtown, was held last night for the purpose of discussing before the Wellington Presbytery certain matters in connection with the resignation of the Rev. J. Kennedy Elliott of his charge of that- district. Despite the inclemency of the weather there was a large attendance, and the members of the Presbytery present were the Revs. D. Rodgeis (Moderator), 0. S, Hogg, and J. Patterson; tho Rev. J. K. Elliott .was also present,

The Moderator ruled that the meeting was open to the public. Mr fl./Davidson road a written statement drawhup by himself as embodying the facts in connection, with Mr Elliott's resignation. It stated that the chief cause of Mr Elliott's action was the refusal of a large section of the congregation to accede to his wish for the removal of the church from its present site into a more central position near the Basin Reserve, with the object, as alleged, of extending the church connection and increasing the congregation, It went on to describe how, when the idea was first mooted, a sub-committee had been formed to make inquiries as to the financial and other aspects of the project involved in the purchase of a new Bite, erection of a church and manse, &c, the result being.

tjie oi BatJßfiictnry, so .much bo I •that the Rev* J. Elliott agreed to 'let the mattW;tep/f The project was then.' mooted again; iaat February, boing mooted by Mr ; J. King, who had only been a ; member'of tho.Committee for seven months; and another sub-committee' was appointed to make enquiries. Their report was indue course submitted to the and was quietly and temperately discussed, but thu congregation held that it contained no arguments to justify'the removal of the church, and the report.was;not approved. Against the project, it was urged that it was not desirable to move the church from its present position 'without, the consent of the orininaf purchasers of the present site and promoters of the church at Newtown; that the site suggested near the Caledonian Hotel was not large enough for church and manse'accommodation; that there was no necessity for the change in the face of the success already achieved; and that the removal of the church nearer town would deprive manyiri the present locality of. a place" of worship, The result was that Mr • Robertson there' and then-moved .that the project be with.drawn, and promised to giychis undivided , support to the church aB it now stood.

Mr Robertson: That is not true. ." ( Mr.. J, McLean, Hanson-street: No, that is nottrue. Your must uotsay what is false.

Mr Davidson proceeded to explain away certain misrepresentations which he said had been made by, the adherents of the project for the church's removal as to the amount of subscriptions and donations obtained north of Basin Reserve as against south of that locality, and showed that the latter was far in excess. The statement.ended by affirming that since the idea of moving the church had been mooted, the efforts of the officers of tho church and its influence for good had been paralysed, and serious injury had resulted.

: Mr J. McLean (Hanson-street) said he must contradict the statement made. The amount stated as collected north of the Basin Reserve was incorrect, and he proceeded to shim that the increased financial 'support to the church did not come from Newtown, but from another part of the district. 'He held that if the church was located lower down they would reach many who now did not go to church at all simply on account of the distance they would have to traverse. He stated that on his return from Auckland, and when he took up his duty as a committeeman of seeking donations for the purchase of a new site and erection of a manse, ho, in a wonderfully short time, got the liberal sum of £378. All of a sudden ho then found that the trustees oftho present site had turned round and opposed the project'tooth and nail. Mr McLean then diverged into personal matters, in the course of which ho accused Mr McLean, of Daniel Street, of, on the occasion of a recontpreparatory service for Communion, hanging about the church porch instead of entering the building, thereby annoying the Rov. Mr Elliott. ■ Mr J. McLean, Daniel-street, shaking Jiis list in proximity to the other McLeans face: Tiiat is an untruth, Sir; I was.not there more than three minutes.

The other McLean; Well I withdraw that.

Mr J. McLean : Well don't say things you have to withdraw, The Revs. Messrs Ogg and Patterson here sought to calm the disputants, begging them to leavo bitterness out of the discussion.

«The other McLean (Hanson-street) then alluded to his namesake, after that Church was over, entering the Church in an excited manner and shaking his fist at the Rev. Mr Elliott.

Mr McLean (Daniel-street); That, too, is false, [ won't sit here and be misrepresented.

The other Mr McLean ; Then I withdraw that too. ■■

Mr McLean, Daniel-street, proceeded to make an explanation, in tho course of which ho referred to the Rev. Mr Elliott, who hotly denied the accusation made. Finally the moderator restored order, and Mr McLean Hanson-street, after briefly stating his reasons for favoring the removal of tho Church, resumed his seat.Mr J. King said tho quostion of removing the Church was up new proposition, and Mr Elliott was not the only Minister who had preached in the Church who had favored a ohauge of Bite. The General Committee even allowed when the report of the first sub-committee was presented, that the. matter had only been gone into in a half-hearted way, the inference being that more might have been done. He objeoted to the sneer levelled at him by Mr Davidson as having been only seven months a member, of the congregation; that did not prevent his holding an opinion or doing work for the Church. Tho chief excuse at first againsfcthe removal project was want of funds. But whon ho showed subscriptions to the amount of £358 to a prominent opposer, that gentleman expressed his astonishment, and afterwards went about describing it as "tho art of begging brought to perfection." The result, too, showed that the valuo of their property would be increased from £650 to £llOs, and he asked was not it reasonable to expect that the attendance would be larger if. the Church was in a more accessible place than on the top of a hill, Such a night as was experienced that evening showed the absurdity of calling the present a good site. He and other members of the Church had been styled unchristian, malcontents, selfish, &c,, but there were stormy meetings before he joined the Church, and boforo this project was mooted, (Mr.Mcloan, Dan-iel-street, hotly denied this.) Ho held that it was not right to display bitterness to any pastor such ashad been shown to Mr Elliott, and naturally such treatment would cause him to lean towards resigning his charge. He, Mr King, had represented this, and was met with the reply: "Well, if Ho does; then we'll got another." That was how they spoke of of their Minister. Other accusations had been shown against Mr Elliott of showing partiality at the managers' meetings, and ot preaching.and praying at individuals, If he, the speaker, were a clergyman, he would not like this to be said. (Here the members of the Presbytery smiled significantly, and the Rev! 0. S. Ogg remarked that where the cap fitted clergymen ■ were not responsible,) Mr King proceeded to say that the mooting of the idea for removing the Church was opportune when it was proposed to' expend £IOO in enlarging tho present building.

Mr A. Wilson explained that he desired the present site to be retainod. It was a good site, and, further, the population of Newtown was steadily incroußing. Was it justifiable to now take from the people here the church which, wanted so badly foe along time, they had at last obtained ? It seemed that in favoring the removal the great idea was increased money receipts. But he held that money was not the sole consideration, and argued that if only one soul was benefited the church should remain where it.waß. The Rev. Mr Elliott had displayed'partiality in conducting the moetings referred to by allowing his adherents license while those in opposition were called promptly to order.. Mr Elliott had behaved on the occasion most excitedly and thumped his fist on the table in a moat ungehtlemanly manner. (Cries of "Order.") '"'■. Mr Robertson rose, and in excited terms told the Moderator that if ha did not conduct the meeting 'impartially by restraining language of thus kind, on one side as well as the other, the meeting would have to make him do his duty; The E«v Mr Elliott remarked that he

did not.wijhMr Wilpi'swnmik!) to be . checked. ' 'They could not hurt him'but might do " Councillor" Wilson some good, to let them phes.. .'.">■ - Mr Wilßon.concludedby : Bhowing that* V the population of Newtown had increased in a marked way «f late.: ~ Mr D. Robertson, referring, tolne remark made about strong proceeding* at ' previous church meetings, said that the quarrels were mor'o severe' than he had ever before seen in connectia|jfcit&tho cliutch; He pointed out was now located they could never keep. a go6d minister, for they could'not support him; he would die on this litil, poverty ■ would kill him. That was ■ tho great ' reason for proposing to remove the church ■ to a more populous coiitre. He'held they should.beindependant, and be able to support their minister properly in his ,: ppsitidm; vyhathohadsaidand eaidnow .was that the church should not be moved unless the congregation was unanimous, although the advantage? of removal had be,en shown. There were a great many people to be worked up.without going into the churches, arid it was a'niisrepresenta. tion-to assert that they wanted- to interfore with the Rev Mr Patefson's or the Rev Mr" Ogg'e churches. What they v wanted was to improve the financial position of St James' Church, and. extend its sphere of usefulness, by shifting the site, , Now they had no permanent revenue and had tp beg from friends, whereas the other -.way'they could be aelf-supporting^ajfi 1 Robertßon then referred to these being drageed into publicity who •■ had brought a reporter thereTWrevenii g> and strongly objected to such a Btate of things.' .■;.'' \ ;■';.,.. The" Moderator explained that the reporter was not there by the invitation of the Presbytery. The Rev.-Mr Elliott said umbrage was taken that the reporter had been brought there, as it was thought, to represent one ' party,

. Mr Robertson hoped an impartial report would be given, and one'side represented as well at another. •■ . '

. Mr A. Veitch deprecated the coloring and inaccuracies contained in Mr Davidsons statement, arid 'defended the Rev. Mr Elliott for his support of the project, which he deemed best in the interests of the church. '•'.

The Rev Mr Elliott said he was averse to the present meeting being held at all, but had bowed to the decision of the Presbytery. He'declared that no powor on earth should, compel him to again occupy the pulpit of St. James' Church as the minister in charge and solemnly disclaimed any' future' responsibilities in connectionwith the matter under discussion, All ho had asked for out of, goodwill and affection to himself iMttlffiKhe church should be moved STfew steps lower down. The arguinent advanced that to do this would breakup the present congregation was the strongest, argument that (lie lite.wasnot aproper one. He protea '• 1, almost losing command of himself in his exctoment, his voice making thechurch; ring again, and his vigorous table-thumpmgs causing the■ -small. edifies to shake on its foundations, tu state that Mr Davidson's) statement was a. "mass of misrepresentations," and did' not put a fair issue upon the Presbytery. If there was. time he eaid, he would let the light of day upon it and tear it to pieces. The idea of moving the Church., was mooted before September last. One of the first friendly counsels he received after his induction, when he expressed his fear that the congregation would only, be * frontier one, was, if he found thatwas so " to come closer to the town.

Mr McLean, of Daniell-street, here interrupted, but collapsed'under the worous "Sit down,sir? You must and shall hoar trie" of the reverend speaker. -Mr Elliott-said the first sub-committee had not tried to find out what would be the probable increase to the congregation .if the' Church wbb moved ; yet he was-, said to have • expressed his satisfaction with the report. It was .falstgkHe was not satisfied, and had he uSiias ungentlemany aB stated he couldJtSve forced tho project further at the time, but he would not even lot the q uestioa : ' be pub to tho vote. He corroborated the advantages ascribed to the. removal, and' denied r that\lid wanted t6 ] ■ found an opposition church. Ho was not afraid of injurying his prestige or character, as stated. Then,, whero. did the: opposition to the project como fromf,: not from tho delicate, the aged, or women ' but from the young jnd strong. He dsnied making an- attempt to rob thenj(the purchasers) of the present Bite. Ai to the partiality he had shown, that wa» hu having called Mr Wilson to order for acousing someone present on the occasion of: unchristian and ungeutlemanly motives. He had never,been spoken to before as he had been by 'some in this bin first charge in the colony, and he could no'longer, retain that charge with any self-respect. Hewouldrathertakehiswifo and children and go forth into tho world and beg, and he now handed tho charge over to to the Presbytery. -/jL ' On the motion of the Rev." S. Ogg, seconded by the Rev. J. Patterson, the. Rev. Mr Elliott's resignation was accepted, and the meeting dosed, it being' understood that tho Presbytery should! make arrangements for the temporary' charge of the" congregation. —Evening; Presß. n ,

(To the Editor.) Sir—ManyofourWairnmpa friends-,, when visiting Wellington with the intention of purchasing at Te Aro House here, have beon puszled by the close pvoaimity of another" draper's shop, to know which was which., To provunt mistakes wo have had the words painted in black letters on wliifo mound on each of uur door-stopa, •-. If- they will only look for these, errors and lubs may be prevented. Yours, (k, ....;,, ': , James Smith,", i 'l'e'A'to House.