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Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 230, 13 January 1855, Page 5

To the Editor of the Lyltelton Times. Sin, —Your correspondent " Hl' and others, are naturally desirous that some steps should be taken, and that immediately, to render the Church of England a Church in reality, and not one by name only, an anxiety which is, I helieve, shared in by most right-thinking men in the Proviuce. "It is time that active practical steps," as H. says, " were taken to meet our present necessities, and to prepare for others which will frapidly increase upon us." But, Sir, before the call which he makes for co-ope-ration from the laity is responded to, we have many subjects to discuss, many difficulties to remove, and much that obstructs the progress of Church principles to clear away. If the voluntary system is to prevail, as it seems it must do, for to look for the endowments which ought to be transferred by the Association seems to be a hopeless labour, care must be taken that our first steps are correct.

It is of all things important to consider the position of our clergy, and here the laity have a right to know how those now ministering to them came to hold the offices they have assumed. Let us not blink the question. It is asked on all sides, By what authority does the Rev. O. Mathias claim to be incumbent of Christcburcb, and to exercise spiritual rule over all the Christchurch district? When was he licensed to this cure of souls ? and by whom was he presented to it ? We all know or believe that he was employed by the Association, a recent painful sceuein the Magistrate's court, and a more recent correspondence have impressed this fact too strongly upon our minds, and that engagement is supposed to terminate with the functions of the Association. If this be so, then our first consideration is the minister. If the Rev, O. Mathias has not been duly instituted, let this error be repaired, let us have a properly appointed authority, to which we can appeal, and with which we can confer. We .need zealous and earnest men in the service of God for a colony,—possessing deep reliance upon His love and His Church—men who will fearlessly set before-the people their duty, fand depending wiih an abiding Faith that He will provide the means for their support, if they will but follow the course prescribed for their rule and guidance. And what is this rule in regard to maintenance? Is it not the Offertory? The Offertory so much abased and yet so little understood. Our Church is an institution above all societies, and we need not the appointment of secular committees to give life to the system. It is secularising committees that have made our churches places foe aristocratic loungers in high-backed pews, and in which the prayers and sacraments of the Church are made matters of bargain and sale to the exclusion of the poor and the needy. It must not be forgotten, however, that many well-intentioned members of a congregation entertain strong objections to the offertory ; they feel it is arestraintjupon them, and rather thau allow the alms bag to pass them unh.eeded ß they drop into it for decency's sake, the smallest coin they possess. Ask such men |the reason why, and they will tell you it is solely because they are ignorant of the object to which their alms are applied. But how changed would all this be if our clergy, labouring diligently iv their vocation, took means to acquaint their people from theirjwlpits "of the mode in which their offerings are applied. If they would tell them when they were intended for the maintenance ofj those who minister,to them in spiritual things—when for the repairs of the house in which they worshipped—and when for the support of the infirm and faged poor. That their offerings were on all occasions given to the service of God, whose blessing was sought for in the prayer for the Church militant, and as in the ancient Liturgy of Jerusalem, " They prayed for the gifts that were offered to the Lord ; that the Lord our God receiving them upon. His heavenly altar for a sweet-smelling savour would send down upon them the divine grace and gift of the Holy Spirit......They prayed for those that had offered those gifts, and for whom every one had offered or had in his thoughts;" and who among a zealous people would be found withholding their substance, or grudging--ly doling out their pence when their silver aud their gold was needed,,? "As Christians we demand a public recognition of this great principle, that the people should offer to the Church their earthly treasures, to be employed as her instruments in the discharge of the blessed task imposed upon her by Him, the task of. bringing ihe means of grace, and the hope of glory to ihe homes of her children." This is the voluntary principle we need—a principle which begets Christian fellowship aud brotherly love—a community of interest between the clergy and the people, and which leads to the fullest^estabiishmeut of the parochial system, not as the result of coercion, but as the fruits of love. It is for such a bond ; of union we ought, as Churchmen, to contend, a bond of union particularly needed now in " contradistinction to that principle of expediency which prevails iv our councils. There, prac- ; ticnlly, they avow that the secular prosperity of ; the Colony' is the only object of the Govern- ; ment, that it has no concern with the question of religious truth or falsehood, that the Law of God is for individuals, and the Law of interest for Governments ; forgetful the meanwhile that true religion makes better subjects and belter > neighbours than infidelity. la couelusidn, let me ask of H. if our clergy

Lave discharged their duty in the manner he describes, and have not " put on religion themselves like a clean shirt for Sunday." Why have they been without remuneration? Did S. Paul fail" to remind his flock that he expected to receive of their earthly things, having ministered to them in spiritual? Then why should they? If they dare not do so, if their tongues are bridled by their hearts, there is something rotten at the core, and the loss of their services which lie so much fears would in these early days of our colonial history be our gain. I am, Mr. Editor, sTour obedient Servant, A Member of the Church op Engiand. The Plains, Christchurch.