NORTHCOTE ANGLICANS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 280, 26 November 1928, Page 17

NORTHCOTE ANGLICANS.

'DIVISION AMONG THE PEOPLE , "MUZZLING THE MOUTH OF THE OX." VICAR'S COMMENTS OX RECENT MEETING. Tho seating accommodation of St. John the Baptist Church, Northcote, was fully occupied last evening, when reference was made by the vicar, the Rev. Thomas Southworth, to the procedure at tho meeting of parishioners last Tuesday evening, which had been convened upon a petition from twenty registered members of the Church, to "protest against the activities of the ventry in certain directions." The text announced for the discourse was St. John, chapter vii, verse 43: "So there was a division among the people because of Him." In the light of the procedure at the meeting of parishioners last Tuesday, commented the vicar, he might aptly have chosen another: "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn." Several parishioners had been debarred from speaking or taking part in those preceedinga. "If the letter of our matchless constitution was adhered to, it might have been all right but it was not!" he said.

Ecclesiastical law laid it down that only those who had been on the church roll for two months could take part or vote at meeting.? of parishioners. There was nothing wrong with the constitution, providing the roll was properly kept. Adherence to such u. procedure iu view of the condition of the roll excluded many of the stalwarts of the Church. The enforcement of the Church law, under the circumstances, virtually was to muzzle the mouth of the solicitor for the defence. This was scarcely human' nature, and he doubted if ever it occurred before.

People not on the roll were allowed to vote, and others enrolled were stopped from voting. The ambiguity o f the voting paper resulted in votes being cast in the opposite direction to that favoured by some parishioners, according to- their subsequent admissions. Others abstained from voting because there was no secrecy of the ballot. These facts made the whole affair irregular and unconstitutional, and reduced the proceedings to a farce. He was not going to hide behind the pulpit. He was leaving his defence in the hands of the Heavenly Father. Those who wanted the truth could learn this from his many friends in the parish, who knew the whole position. "Human nature being what it is " he continued, "Truth is always the signal for strife; but Truth will ultimately triumph." The exercise of patience waa necessary mennwhile. Peace would come t» them out of this struggle for righteousness. When he came among them eleven months ago as their spiritual guide the vicar stated, he was resolved, as far as he could, to lead them to Truth, and to keep them in close touch with the spiritual realm beyond. In the sight of God he could say he had striven to keep his ordination vow to promote quietness, peace, and love, in spite of the storm that had arisen around hie head. The peace of the New Testament was not a peace at any price; but a peace that could only be attained bv privation and suffering, and Truth could onlv be had at the cost of similar sacrifice. In my methods of administration I may have made mistakes. If I have forgive me; forget about my old clumsv methods,' he added. They would require to be fortified with the truth in the days ahead of tfliem. "May the God of Truth make you perfect, and to do everything h, His sight," the vicar concluded.