THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN LYTTELTON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1469, 26 August 1865, Page 2

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN LYTTELTON.

ro THE IDITOB OF THIIYTTELTOK TIMES. Sib, —I observe in your paper of to-day an account of the proceedings at a meeting held in St. John's church, Lyttelton, on Tuesday evening. Not having noticed your reporter at the meeting, I am led to conclude, from the internal evidence of the report itself, that it was furnished somewhat in the way of an ex parte statement. Not that the report is incorrect, but that it might have said a good deal more, and have been more correct. The state of the congregation of St. John's has now been brought before the public in so tetany ways, by the Rev. Mr. Fergusson himself and others, that I feel no apology to be necessary for adverting to the matter at some length. A letter in your columns a few weeks ago, addressed by Mr. Ferguson to the Presbytery, admitted tnat gentleman's consciousness that he was the cause of disunion in tho church, and intimated a sort of withdrawalon his part for tho sako of peace. But now we find that he cannot refuse to again come forward, having been requested to do so in a memorial bearing 76 signatures, a number, be it observed, largely in excess of tho whole membership of tho church. Could the writer of the report explain how a membership of about 60 came to furnish so high a number as 76, besidos the other 23 schismatics who voted for tho amendment p uould he explain how, out of tho 70, the advocates of Mr. Fergusson could not mauago better than bring forward an unqualified person to attempt to second their proposition ; said person, after being put down on that occasion, having tho " cheek," lator in thee voning, to attempt to sign his narno as a member of the Chui'ch, when he had no right ? Or could he explain how a party that took exception in your col ..tons to the prosenco of a member of this Church at a late meeting, beeuuso that member 1 , who ranked with their opponents, enmo over from the Heathcote Valley, how could they consistently bring a member of the Christuhureh congregation hore on Tuesday to tako an active part and vote on their side P Would it bo an answer to theso questions to say that Mr. Fergusson's supporters were aware of their own weakness ? Your informant also says, and truly, that tho show of hands was 87 to 20' in favour of Mr. Forgusson; but lot me ask, whoso hands P Even in religious matter/), if the subject of dineus»ion is such as to involve an ultimate reference to £ s. d., which Mr. Forgusson was not slow to make, I most willingly admit tho right of non-members who subscribe to tho Church funds or otherwise aotively support tho cause; but when I Und a mob of voters, consisting of adherents, scat-holders, some who pay, some who only promise, some who do not •v<n do that, actuid bankrupts, who never will pay, and strangers of other persuasions or of nono—individuals with all those qualifications, singly or in various statos of combination, I would ask if a distinction ought not to be drawn somewhere; and whether the party who called such a motley crowd to their assistance did not allow their zeal to outrun their discretion P I may also stato, what your informant forgot,

that the poll taken in writing by scrutineers at the SSSfrwr in Iho cxercie* of his distinguishing virtues of modesty and humility, iu hia published lottor to the Presbytery, as the influential minority," who had wickedly or stupidly interfered with his arrangement*. Yours, &0., A VOTER FOR THE AMENDMENT. [We insert the above lottor wilh roludartco, and oa U on account of the writer's statement that our renort was not quite correct. Should any further correspondence arise, wo must be understood as not pledging ourselves to find spacei for carrying the controversy to an end.—Kd. Jj.i.J