HUNTLEY.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1404, 2 July 1881, Page 3

HUNTLEY.

A New Religious Craze. It may be the opinion of the outside public that we can produce nothing but coal, but there has lately been a new religion started here, of which the railway porter has been appointed High Priest, and the members of which bear the distinguished name of Christadelphians. The leading and attractive tenet is that there is no hell. The form of baptism is immersion in the Waikato river. The captain of the Lillie was the first convert operated upon ; he has since been suffering from a cold, but this is counterbalanced by the spiritual heat generated by the conversion. Last Sunday his wife und another lady were received into the fold, after wading through the river at Taupiri, Several others have joined, but have deferred their baptism until the weather gets warmer. The High Priest paid twopence for a Korald containing some verses of the revised edition of the JSible, which coincided with their views, and at a mooting of the church they accepted the verses contained iv the Herald as inspired, Next day by the Star they found that the verses were pilferred from the "Yankees," or some other equally inspired authority, and it has caused great dissension in tho church, more especially among the new eonvsi'ts, So far as I saw, those who have been baptised are very much improved in appearance. The promotei'B of it may look forward to a fair share of success as a church, with a form of baptism, which is very suitable among coal miners, if performed weekly. The mines were very busy getting coal out to be sent to Auckland before the rise of Is in the ton freight came into force. It scorns a most suicidal policy, on the part of t)j.G Government in placing so many barriers to fcljo advancement of every local production, as the many calls that are being made on the coal pf the Waikato, will soon leave ifc that it, will not be able to compete with other more favoured districts. There was great excitement here on Saturday, Mr Henry, who is almost the premier setter of the district, was reported to be lost ; he had gone on the previous day into the bu§h to look for some cattle, aud did not return on Friday night, which as you may remember was a dreadfully stormy one, and .every one thought some accident must ha.ye happened him^ and if exposed to the wearier ior the lygjht there could be little hope of his surviving. On Saturday i morning several parties went out to

search for him, and, found that tie had spent the, night at one ol the ' settler 'i ' ' i?mc6S 'across the rari§;^ '/Hw.Wifje Vaa) almost frantic all Saturday, feaftng th& worst, but was relieved by his arrival about 5 plm. — [Own Correspondent.] j