"THAT STUDENT OF DIVINITY."

Evening Star, Issue 7252, 1 July 1887, Page 4

"THAT STUDENT OF DIVINITY."

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l have just read in this evening's Evening Star a letter signed " A Student of Divinity," and which, I think, is the lowest and the vilest piece of scurrility I have seen in print during a life extending over fifty years. For a while at first I hoped that the writer was indulging in irony. But now my only hope is that he meant only his own mother and sisters—not ours. I say mother and sisters', because the fellow will never think of a wife, for he has a terrible recollection of the humiliating life his poor old father had while trying to tame his mother. I I wonder if the poor fellow who married this unfortunate student's best sister committed suicide before the honeymoon expired! It is no wonder that he hates women. He getting a wife? Never. And then a mother-in-law ! 0 hcaver.s! Ho would not have even a sister, if he could have prevented the dire calamity. I see now why he tried to drown bis two sisters along with some superfluous kittens just as soon as he had decided to become "s student of divinity," and so keep the churches pure by taking care not to please the women. Our hero is not at all unknown. As Professor Parker, from one bone, could tell us all about the animal, so fiom the one bone in our " Student of Divinity"—namely, his estimate of his mother and sister—l can construct the whole biped, and tell the main points in his domestio history. Let us have more such students of divinity, and our churches are safe.

In my next letter-if provoked towriteanother—lmay I indicate our hero's real name ; that the young ladies of Dunedin may know how to treat his " attentions." But, joking aside, I have seen many ohurchea built rp by women in spite of both the incompetence and tie corruptions of men. And it will be a dark day f 1 both our civilisation and the churches when good, pious women, through the potent influence of our " Student of Divinity," shall coase to mould public opinion. I most sincerely hope that in all New Zealand there is only one " Student of Divinity " capable of writing such atrocious nonsense; and I am really sorry to see such a signature appended to such sentiments. Indeed, I still cling to the hope that the writer is not " a student of divinity," but an impostor who wants to have bis customary fling at the Christian religion by garbling its Magna Charta. There are many ways in whioh women, like men, oan live and labor for the welfare of society without entering the pulpit. "A Student of Divinity," who misquotes, perverts, and misapplies Paul's referencs to women, should study Paul's advioe to his " true yoke-fellow ": "Help those women who labored with me in the Gospel" (Phillpplans iv., 8.) Many a queenly woman has to obey, an asinine husband who is not fit to polish her shoes. " A Student of Divinity " stands in need of a few good lessons in composition, for his letter is very badly worded, and not very creditable to either bis Alma Mater or professors.

It is too bad to humjbug the public and revile real students of divinity by misleading signatures. " Thou Bhalt not bear false " but, oh, 1 beg your pardon; I had quite forgotten that the Ten Commandments were not intended to serve the refined people of to da}'. I advise " A Student of Divinity," in his next attempt to violate the Ninth Commandment to hide the cloven foot a little more carefully, for the covering was too thin this time.—am, eto, A Student of Divinity for Fortt Yrabs. Dunedin, June 27.