WHAT ARE OUR CHURCHES COMING TO?

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11127, 20 January 1899, Page 4

WHAT ARE OUR CHURCHES COMING TO?

Sir, — Your telegrams of yesterday informed us that at the conference of the Primitive Methodists in Christchurch a motion was carried making it imperative to use unfermented wine at the " Lord's Supper." It was decided also by 26 votes to 11 that total abstinence from intoxicating liquor should be a condition of Church membership.

It is difficult indeed adequately to comment upon such monstrosities, but if the telegram is true, it shows jthat there is urgent need for missionary effort in New Zealand. We have here an assembly which calls itself " Christian " declaring as distinctly as words can put it that the Bible is not true ! is not to be depended on, and this resolution was arrived at apparently by clergymen whose duty it is to defend the teachings of the Book. Some people think that total abstinence is a great assistance to sanity, but surely moderate drinkers seldom make such fools of themselves as the Primitive Methodist Conference has done.

If they cannot celebrate the "Lord's Supper " in a way He laid down, surely it would be better to dispense with it altogether j and as to excluding persons from church membership because they live in respect to drinks as He lived shows beyond all doubt that there are some people who absolutely require a little stimulant to keep them from making fools of themselves. People are better out of such a church as that. The logical outcome of the deliberations of the conference surely should bo that the Bible should be prohibited in all our churches— the conference evidently considers it a dangerous book.

One can surely be thankful that such cranks as these have little influence, but it is a serious thing when such infamous resolutions issue from the governing body a church whose only warrant for existence is totally opposed to its findings. Surely we can say in all seriousness to the Primitive Mothodißt leaders, " Physician, heal thyself." — I am, &c,

CONSIBTEHT. Napier, January 19th, 1899.