ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3135, 15 July 1881, Page 2

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.

[To the Editor of the Daily Telegraph.] Sir,—lt must be with very much regret that many of the members of St. John's Church will see that an attempt is being made to cause a rupture between the parishioners and the Incumbent. Since the unfortunate troubles that resulted in the retreat of Mr Robinson to fresh fields and pastures new, and to the resignation of the Rev. Mr Townsend, parish matters have been in a state of peace. We have beea most fortunate in securing the services of an energetic, zealous clergyman ; a gentleman against whom nothing can be said ; one who is more than respected for he is regarded with feelings more &kin to love than anything else by all who have had the privilege of his acquaintance; there is not a sick bedside or a poor cottace where his presence is not greeted as a ray of sunshine; there is not a house where his visits are not welcome. It is to be regretted then that anything should have arisen that in the least degree should tend to a misunderstanding, or to a feeling however temporary in duration, tending to weaken the relations between the Incumbent and his congregation. At the same time I cannot but think that the strong expressions of opinion with regard to so-called Bitualistie practices in the Sunday services come from a very small section of St. John's Church members. I think if those opinions had been shared to any extent that they would have found utterance at the annual meeting of parishioners last Tuesday. lam myself opposed to anything of a " high church" character being employed to heighten the services ; I am opposed to our humble parish church being termed a pro-cathedral, aud cathedral services being weakly imitated, to the destruction of the simple beauty of the common one, and to the burlesque of the other. But I do not think that the course adopted in censure of such practice is quite the right one to have pursued. Instead of writing to tbe papers on the subject it would have been better bad the correspondents attended the annual meeting of the members of the congregation, and then to have entered their piotest. I am sure that the wishes of the majority of the members of the church would have been gladly heard by the Incumbent, and that he would loyally have accepted them for his guidance. At the present time, however, what is he to understand ? Two anonymous 'correspondents impudently assume the role of mouthpieces of the majority, and their letters, written in the worst possible taste, and vulgar irritability marking every sentence, are the first and only expressions of dissent that have been made. Trusting that there will be a meeting of the members to consider this subject. —I am, &c, A Parishioner.