CHURCH MATTERS.

Bush Advocate, Issue 355, 19 August 1890, Page 2

CHURCH MATTERS.

(To The Editor.)

: Sir,— The Anglican Church and its honorecj pastor, the, llev. Mr Robertshawe, are indeed fortunate in having secured the abilitieW of the Rev. W. Colenso to defend them against the strange, anonymous, cowardly, and ; flippant attack of that .murderously disposed person 'who a. week' 'ago so far forgot himself as' ! to writb ;i tlW letter signed "Pro ßono 'Publico."' " : ,'ln answering the letter . written by, MriColeuso, and .published in -you.r, issue or Saturday last, 1 I am constrained for^ ' many reasons to. „be. lenient ''and charitable.' The" Rev." Colenso is a gentleman for "wtfomT have, and always shall have, the hhfte*ti > reverence arid (ftfepfetftiji yef when he ( foplishly allQw^jijmself to become the medium whereby those who have not the courage or the aJt>ilisy iijoviwrjte. decent , JSnglishfiT^ Sinuate motives an 4 make unfounded charges in a most glaringly unchristian like manner, surely, air, I cannot be charged- with; jwant of p^arto if I designate " his action unworthy \ Minister of the Gospel, How far the 1 bitterness breathed into every sentence qf. his, letter, rwas justified by the cirumstan'ces of the case I shall not assume the province of determining., Whether the tone and phraseology of his letter were characterised oy that dignity and charity which the most cafeleßS would expect to emanate from a gentleman of his position and attainments, I shall leave the rev. gentleman to decide in the prayerful solitude of his study. If I had presumed to ask Mr Robertshawe to postpone his service altogether, my request may then have been commented on. But being merely a suggestion that his sermon upon popular amusements should be postponed till a future Sabbath evening in order that it might be delivered to a congregation of young men, and not empty seats, surely such an exhi-r bition of temper was entirely uncalled for. I was in a position to know that many. of our young men desired, to hear Mr Robertshawe upon this subject, and liad it been delivered upon any other evening it would hava attracted many young people who would doubtless have been edified by it. Mr Colenso knows full well that while there is one young man attending the Anglican Church we have ten attending the Scotch ; and I, recognising the necessity of proper teaching re popular amusements, was anxious that as many as possible should listen to Mr Roberfcshavve. Whether Mr Colenso was justified in speaking of Mr Knott in such a s|igr\ting and contem p'touy biariner l l need not Bay! Mr Knott 'is devoting his time, talents, and energy in furtKoririg the interest" o$ }]'m Raster's Kingdom, an£ for this reason, if for no P-tl^r, sjiould receive the Ijelp find sympathy of all Christlans, and more especially of the Ministers of religion. • ■ . ; Of COUI'BB if a. Mini"*- . .. .......Holer considers such conduct compatable with tho teachings of the New '^e^ta^eqt T not fjuain-e} M'itl\ hiiii, ,b,ufc \vi\\ cjertainly. ola.ii^ the r^ght \o, tl|inl^ diffevently,.' . , . . , , , That portion of Mr Oolenso's letter in which he : so graphically describees stabbing m^>l shooting men from

behind flax bushes and hedges needs no comment from me, for any person with a full complement of common sen^e Will see that such matter is entirely foreign, to the subject. ■< ,}As MryColßiisoj^ judging from his fetter) fciWclelW^chd^vered my identity, I shall again sign myself, Pro Bono Publico. Danevirke, August 18.