CURRENT TOPICS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 495, 9 January 1879, Page 3

CURRENT TOPICS.

TTbis eotama is open to say one who. in tho course of te reading or otherwise, has picked up information' which may be regarded as of genonU or local Interest, and who can express any comments thereon within tha compass of a reasonable paragraph. The name of the writer is required, although not for publication.]

I was much amused at the paragraph supplied you last week, deprecating the remarks made by myself and others of your correspondents on church ministers and their actions generally. Your correspondent commences with expressing regret that the subject of religioa should be slightingly treated of, an i at the conclusion lets out that he is a member of the Church of England, and does not approve of the remarks made upon Mr. Fitchett, the Synod, &c.,—all Church of England subjects—which leads one to the conclusion that it is not so much the treatment of the main subject that is deprecated, but that annoyance is felt that this particular church should be spoken of in such a way. This, I believe, is the truth of it. But, even supposing it were not so, I must say that I have not seen anything in your columns that has spoken slightingly of religion. I certainly would never do such a thing. The criticisms have been confined, as far as I have seen, entirely to the actions of ministers; and this I consider to be quite justifiable and right. Ministers are but men, and fallible as the most of us—even after consecration or ordination; and I quite agree with the spirit of your footnote, that good is more likely to come of fair and temperate criticism than evil. If as much importance had been attached to the utterances -of ministers as to the statements of the Bible, we of this generation would never have experienced the benefits of Protestantism. It would have died out years ago. Teachers of the gospel are to be revered in proportion as their addresses and explanations square with, and illustrate the scriptures —the judges being the intelligent hearers. Ido not think that when a minister aseends the pulpit he becomes inspired; but, from devoting himself entirely to the study of the Bible, he is able to teach his equals in intelligence, and for their benefit. But because a man becomes ordained as a minister I should think it utterly absurd of him to expect to teach a man of double of his ability and intelligence. We need not rack our brains at all to call to mind any amount of cases of erring ministers. Look at Henry Ward Beecher. And than recollect how strongly any number of the clergy supported slavery at the time it wa3 in vogue. There is one instance of this in ' Uncle Tom's Cabin.' Shakespeare says: — In religion What damned error but some sober brow Will bless it and approve it with a text. The other day, in England, a parson was broken because'.he would keep race-horses. Any amount of instances might be multiplied, if it were necessary. I repeat, if we attach infallibility to the utterances of ministers, and place their statements on a par with the words of the Scriptures, we shall soon lose our religion. I don't mean to say that the ministers are to be ' distrusted, or that actions similiar to those mentioned above are to be expected from all of them, but they are but human, and are liable to err. Hold fas* by the Bible, I say, for I believe there is a great deal of truth in the remark made by our Queen, that the secret of England's greatness is the Bible; but don't run «way with the idea that a minister is as infallible as that glorious book. One word as to the prominence given to this subject by your contributors. I think this can fairly be attributed to the public ■actions of some of the clergy, which have %een more than usually peculiar and illadvised during the last montb or two ; and. is not due to a desire on the part of any of your writers to make more of this subject than any other. At any rate, that is the case with me. —Q.

1 noticed last week, an editorial footnote to one of your Topics, which footnote I very greatly admired, because it was at once bold, liberal, and temperate, and expressed a very creditable determination —namely to throw your columns open to full, fair, and free discussion on every proper subject. But I hope I may be pardoned for expressing a regret that this determination had not existed from the first. It is not long since I had occasion to remark that some one resident in this district was driven to the ' Otago Witness' to get publicity for some of his ■opinions, after having been refused it locally. JS"ow I have no doubt whatever that editors are the best judges of their •own, business, and I do not take it upon me to lay down the law to any one of 4hem. But in this case the rejected letter was published in the 'Witness,' and, for the life of me, I could not see anything wrong with it. I take it for granted that the liberal views expressed in reference to your " Topic" column will be extended to that of your " Correspondence," and I think the paper will be improved thereby.—[lb is sufficient for us to say that we

accept or reject communications precisely "*-"*" as, in the interest of the public, we may ,__ deem it expedient.—Ei>.]

It seems to me that the Kellys in Victoria, and thieves and vagabonds in any of the other colonies are wasting their time there, and that 'New Zealand, since the Dunedin-Chris-t hurch railway was opened (as well as other main lines, no doubt), affords them a sphere in which they could drive a trade, which, for profit, would exceed their wildest expectations. The principle upon which our railway system is conducted, is carefully framed with a view to encourage theft and increase confusion, and it must be admitted that it fulfils its functions admirably. It seems clear that it would be a simple act of folly for any one to run the risk of robbing a bank, or commifting a burglary of any kind, when he discovers that he can back his dray into the Palmerston Eailway Goods Shed, and in the light of day, take away a couple of tons or so of his neighbor's goods. This is a sort of refinement upon every other kind of thieving, and its advantages are (1) simplicity; (2) safety ; (3) expedition ; £4,) profit. As for confusion I believe that it "wrought its master-piece," as somebody has said, when it got Palmersston turned into a railway station; Happy is the man whose goods have not ft Ttnd their way into the shed there, but who may find them by some lucky accident, a mile or two -along the line somewhere. Under the blue vault of Heaven, they are comparatively safe. It is stranga that any one should sigh after the old .carrying days, but I believe that everyone does. It is a nvstake to suppose that we /ire overrun with officials in New Zealand

—it is only in departments where they are not required that they abound. In all others they are very scarce.—A.B.C.

Thb great interest which people generally manifestintragediesofalijkinds, works upon proprietors of illustrated papers to such an extent, that they, in their en- , deavors to gratify the ruling passion, very often bring ridicule upon themselves. Thus if, say, a remarkable murder occurs, the illustrateds come out with engravings such as —" Boom where the murder was committed," " View of the window from which the murderer escaped," "View of the grave of the murderer's great grandmother," " Portrait of the murderer's eldest child, aged 3 years, an engaging and innocent girl," "View of the bar at which the murderer, when asked to pay for the liquor he had drank, requested the landlord to take a fit," and so on, ad infinitum —the room and the window referred to being not a whit more interesting to look at than others. The ' Australasian Sketcher' is not different from its fellows, for on the first page of its last number is an illustration of the Kelly gang "in camp". Two villainous-looking fellows are playing cards, another horrible looking chap—a good deal like the picture of the giant in " Jack the Giant-Killer" —is redming in the shade, and another is standing some distance off, keeping watch, fortunately with his back turned. I wonder where the artist was when he made this interesting sketch. No doubt the Victorian Police have made enquires ere this as to the spot which is depicted as the camping ground of the Kellys. What possible interest can be felt in such a picture, drawn from imagination ? It is very absurd to me. The representation of Lord Harris' team of cricketers, in the same number is a very good, and is perhaps the most interesting one of the issue.—D G-.