PILGRIMS' PROGRESS. To the Editor of the Daily Southern Cross.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXII, Issue 2712, 27 March 1866, Page 6

PILGRIMS' PROGRESS. To the Editor of the Daily Southern Cross.

g IBj Will you lriudly allow me space to offer some remarks on the ill-tempered, untrue, and uncharitable epistle, signed " H.W.," which appeared in your paper to-day ? "H.W." complains of having met about thirty people on Sunday lasfc, on the footpath at Karangahape-road, singing hymns, in consequence of which two courses only were open to him— to break through the company, or go off the path. This statement is far from being true ; I happened to be standing on the footpath when " H.W." passed, and there was sufficient room for him to go by without breaking through the company, and he needed not to go off the footpath as he did. The remarks of "H.W." would lead your readers to iufer that the whole of the company were on the footpath during the whole of their peripatetic devotions, whereas only a portion of the singers were on the footpath, and they did not occupy it two minutes. Your correspondent very charitably refrained from malting any comments upon the imprudence of this street parade, because of the ridicule it casts upon religion. I give him no credit for this apparent generosity; "H.W." was unable to comment upon, it ; had he the ability he would have done so. Docs he, does any sane man, really believe that singing hymns in the streets necessarily causes ridicule to be cast upon religion ? The idea is palpably absurd ! " I will observe," says H.W., •• that in the locality through which, these people were inarching there are many places of worship." A statement more false than this cannot possibly be made! I know of but one place of ■worship in JNTewton, and these people did not approach near it. This false witness continues, " The congregation of two places of worship by ■which they marched were assembled, or assembling, and mu3t have been considerably distracted," &c. These people did not pass by any place of worship where the congregations were assembled or assembling ; and, consequently, could not possibly distract them. The assertion is a creation of your correspondent's distempered brain, and is utterly devoid of tiuitb. " These intrusive proceedings of religious professors are being carried too far just now in Auckland," quotli " H.W." I demur entirely to this dictum ; these proceedings, sir, are not carried far enough. The wickedness of this city is fearful to contemplate. The sin of Auckland is enough to make angels weepi There are thousands amongst us who never frequent a house of prayer ; and what "H.W." impertinently calls " intrusive proceedings," are admirably adapted to reach the thoughtless and godless multitude, and bring to their ears the words of eternal life. Before these intrusive proceedings on Sunday last closed, three young men, turned from their evil ways, yielded allegiance to Jesus.andhave since,lliear, offered themselves as candidates for Church membership. Nor is this all ; others have ex- j pressed a desire to flee from the wrath to come, and have sought advice and instruction in this all-important matter. I could produce other evidences of the good resulting from these "intrusive proceedings," but these for the present must suffice. Sir, Auckland wants more, much more of this kind of Christian work, and I sincerely hope we shall get it. " H.W." tones down very considerably ere he closes his epistle, and, good soul, would be very sorry to suggest the placing of any obstacle in. the paths of professors of religion of any denomination ; "yet," says he, "I would have them observe, a little more than they do, the rights of others." This last sentence, sir, is sheer nonsense, and it was very stupid of " H.W." lo have made it. What rights of others did our singing friends infringe ? Verily none ! What privilege of others did they ruthlessly trample upon ? Will our friond kindly inform us ? "I am sure," continues "H.W.," with all the authority of one gifted beyond ordinary mortals, "I am sure all those favoured with a view of the exhibition this morning (last Sunday) will agree with me that it was anything but an improvement on the beautiful and solemn stillness of a Sabbath morning." Well, sir, I was " favoured with a view of the exhibition," and do not at all agree with "H.W." in his estimate of it; indeed, so far from agreeing, our opinions are as the poles asunder ; to my mind it was a fitting scene, and chimed in hai*moniously and joyously with the happiness of a Sabbath morniug. I appreciated the favour more keenly, and enjoyed it with greater intensity, when the thirty people were joined by twice thirty more ; and as they poured forth their songs in praise to G-od, in Howe-street, and kneeling lowly on the green sward breathed forth their prayers to Him who heareth prayers, the sun meanwhile pouring his wonted glory upon the scene, I thought it was one of the loveliest pictures mortal eyes can see this side Heaven, and was exceedingly appropriate to the hallowed sweetness of a Sabbath morning. As the ill-timed remarks respecting the visit of the " lay missionary" are not relevant to the matter before us, I pass them by, only remarking that the animus of the writer crops out very distinctly, and indicates very plainly the kind of spirit that is in him. Should " H.W." again incautiously and impulsively rush into print, I hope he will manifest some regard for truth, and not be as reckless as he has been in the letter which called forth these animadversions. — I have, &c, Vebitas. Auckland, March 25, 1866.