THE RITES OF THE CHURCH.
TO THE EDITOR.
Sir, — In reference to the second letter signed “ Dunedin,” which appeared in your columns last evening, kindly allow me to make the following statements In a letter signed “ Dunedin,” published by you on April 26, there was referenae to “priestly threats” to withhold the rites of the church “ from those who, belonging to the church, refused money for the erection of schools.”
Next day I wrote a short note giving this utterly groundless assertion an unqualified contradiction. I said, and I now repeat:
“ No priest, to my knowledge, in New Zealand nr elsewhere, has ever threatened to withhold the rites of the church from those who, belonging to the church, refused money for the erection of schools.”
Believing that, in dealing with an opponent, and especially an anonymous writer, one point at a time is sufficient, I confined myself to only one point in his letter. There could be no mistake about that point, for I said : “Mark you, sir, refusal to contribute to the erection of schools is given as a reason for withholding the rites of the church.” I requested you to “ insist on your correspondent citing a clear case in support of his extraordinary assertion.” In your issue of last evening you publish a letter from the same correspondent, in which there is not one sentence or one word about “ priestly threats ” to withhold the rites of the church “ from those who, belonging to the church, refused money for the erection of schools.”
There is certainly u question of easily ascertained fact. The writer entirely ignores the untruthful statement which he made, and to which I object. I have a decided disinclination to go away from a point until a straightforward answer is given to a straightforward denial. I once more deny the existence of “ priestly threats ” to withhold the rites of the church “ from those who, belonging to the church, refused money for the erection of schools.” There is #o law to this effect in this diocese. I ask, you, sir, to keep your correspondent to the point.—l am, etc., P. Lynch. Dunedin, May 4-
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18930504.2.36.1
Bibliographic details
Evening Star, Issue 9125, 4 May 1893, Page 3
Word Count
357THE RITES OF THE CHURCH. Evening Star, Issue 9125, 4 May 1893, Page 3
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