HOSPITAL VISITATION.

Evening Star, Issue 12624, 2 October 1905, Page 5

HOSPITAL VISITATION.

to -nn; EDITOR. Fir, —Permit me in the first place to tender you the sincere thanks of the members of the Church of Clirist for calling public atlention to tho action of the- hospital authorities in refusing permission to Elder Holmes to visit members while inmates of that institution, for the assigned reason that ho was not an ’■ ordained " clergyman. It has been the means of obtaining a statement from one of the trustees of the hospital, which vou publish as a local in your issue of Saturday, September 30, and which I ask permission to review. Summarised, Air Brown’s statements are: First, that Elder Holmes was not refused permission to visit his church members, because he had power to visit on visiting days—i.e., .Sundays; and Wednesdays —with the general public; second, he (Elder Holmes) would have no difficulty in gel ring peimls.-ion to visit upon oilier days if ho had placed his request before the secretary of the Beard in the usual wav; third, tho hospital by-laws only permit of " ordained ” ministers visiting i t all times, provided their names are registered in the books in which provision is mado for outsiders; fourth, the application was made to the House Committee, and was released because they had to abide by tic by-laws. I chalh-ngo contradiction to iho following statements : —The tirst application was made by tho church necrctaiy in writing. addressed to Mr T. >S. Graham, iceretirv Dunedin Hospital Board. The Trustees did not consider it, but sent it to tho House Committee, by which it was refused. A second application was sent by me to Mr P. Miller, chairman Hospital Trustees. This, again, was not considered by tiie Trustees, but sent to tho House Committee, which again refused its permUsion. A third request was mado by mystolf on bdhalf of tho Deacons’ Court, miking that the former application be reconsidered, and pleading that the church should not be j-cnuliscd or placed under any disability. Thin application was also refused, ,-uul I was referred to tho first letter written to Air lliiliurd, stating that “no permission could be given to Air Holmes, or any other sick visitor, other than an ordained clergyman.” Parliament was then approached, with what result wo have yet to fine ; but it is you, sir, to whom we feel most indebted for bringing the matter before the bar ; f public opinion. From the hundreds of persons who have expressed their indignation to me since you gave the matter publicity, I um grid to know that the wrong will soon be righted. It would truly lie a most monstrous thing if persons, were left to die in a public hospital deprived of the consolation of their spiritual adviser merely because the patient belonged to a church which did not employ men to preach at a salary. Wo ate respectful and moderate in our request. An elder is a bishop, and a bishop is an elder, no matter what church ho belongs to, and occupies a superior position to that of a mere preacher, ordained or otherwise, and wc claim tlie same rights and privileges for an elder -or bishop of the Church ’ of Christ as are accorded to a bishop or elder of any other church. Also v.-o claim the same right for every evangelist or every Salvation officer in charge of a station as is accorded to any “ordained” minister. In doing so wu have the public behind us, and will have tho .support of the Press of the colony, and tho by-law which renders the exclusion of such men compulsory is a ,by-law more to be honored in its breach than observance. We have still tho public Brers ami tho public platform, and ,f the public arc with us the provisions of ihut by-law will probably be modified. Elder Holmes could, of course, visit as a friend on visiting days only, but that would be to prevent the patient's relations getting admission, as tire number of visitors allowed is limited. 1 am making a fourth application to the Trustees by tliis mail. Again thanking you, sir—l am, etc., Tilkodokk An hold. North-east Valley, October 2.