A METHODIST MINISTER’S TRIBUTE.

New Zealand Tablet, 17 July 1919, Page 42

A METHODIST MINISTER’S TRIBUTE.

Tho Rev. A. ; E. (president of tlx© Methodist Conference), at a reception tendered to him recently at Shepparton, Victoria, said, in the course of his reply to appreciative remarks addressed to'him. by representatives of u other denominations '• present^' that for many years he had cared nothing for ’ other denominations ; indeed, there was a time when he' thought ■it would be - wicked for*; him to go into another ■ church. He did not know where he got that—it was certainly not from his- father, who had never taught him ’any-" thing of . that sort. Rut he had got over all that,. and not long ago he had gone to hear Dr. Mannix preach. (Applause.) He saw-a priest, with! whom he was acquainted, in the vestments of the Church, and though he of course, could not speak to that priest just then, the sight of him made him feel more *at home. Dr. Mannix had preached a very powerful sermon on the evil that was rampant in the world, and on the reasons why it was apparently gaining- a temporary ‘victory. Though he could not say that he quite agreed with all Dr. Mannix had advanced, he could still assure them that he highly appreciated the sermon, and from that they could see he was no bigot. : (Applause.) The Christian religion owed much to Catholics, for some of the finest things in their hymn-books were written by men such as Cardinal Newman. But at the present time he was sorry to say that he could see no immediate hope of union between the Catholic and Protestant Churches, but he was glad to say that he could look forward to the time when even that might be possible.