REV. P. B. FRASER AND THE SYNOD.

Evening Star, Issue 21823, 12 September 1934, Page 11

REV. P. B. FRASER AND THE SYNOD.

TO TUfi EDITOR. Sir,—l do not think that your readers are likely to be very interested in the technicalities of order and procedure raised in Mr Fraser's complaints against the Synod, hut he himself has-chosen to lake the matter to the Press, and is laboriously trying to foster the belief that he is being unfairly treated. Mr Fraser has evaded the issues 1 raised in my previous letter, and I have to assure your readers again that there is no ground lor this belief, and that if Mr Fraser raises the issue in due order in the Presbytery, where it ought to be raised in the first instance, he will receive all the consideration his case deserves. No one in the Synod, i am sure, wants to prevent him from being heard, if proceedings are taken in regular order and with justice to all parties. If Mr Fraser is in desperate earnest about carrying his protest against teachers to the utmost limit, why did be not fulfil the necessary requirement of notifying the persons ho attacked of his intention to do so? Why did he not make a respectful request to the Synod to be heard ? Why does, he contemptuously reject the honours the Supreme Court might confer, and then piteously lament that some other honourable status, for which there is no provision, is not thrust on hfln ? Why does he claim ns right what are, afte'r all, only possible privileges? (The “ right ” to be associated with Synod and Presbytery does not, in fact, exist, and in the case of the Presbytery there was no power even to confer an association on Mr Fraser). The fact of the matter, is that Mr Fraser is a law unto himself. AH these considerations point to this—that Mr Fraser has no serious anticipation that lie can persuade his brethren in the church, that his cause is a worthy one. Yet he i s not prepared to accept their decision, as he has promised in his ordination vows to do. But. this is the man who, lor nearly twenty years, has been in revolt against the authority of the church courts, who now, when it suits his turn, wishes to hale before them, those, who-by their-courage and devotion to duty, have earned the respect of their brethren. Is it surprising that Mr Fraser cannot find even one in the church courts to support him in his campaign?—l am, etc., J. Douglas Smith. September 11.