Original Correspondence. SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND PROTESTANTISM.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 515, 22 March 1851, Page 3

Original Correspondence. SOUTH AUSTRALIA AND PROTESTANTISM.

To the Editor of the New Zcalander, Sir,— lt is extremely piatifying to all ti ue lovers of the Protestant Church to witness the determined opposition laised in South Australia against the lale 11 Sydney Episcopal Minutes" of Tractarian notoriety. Not only has an immense public meeting of the Faityof the Chuich of England unqualifiedly condemned them, but eleven Clergymen of that Church hate, in direct, opposition to their own Bishop, unanimously passed « rebolulion, tn which they deliberately cliai-dctenne the introduction of the question of Holy Baptism into the minutes us "un- ailed for and injudicious," and the construction of its doctrine as " tantamount, if imposed, to a new article of faith," and " the dogmatical determination of the open question" as " virtually narrowing the terms ot communion with the Chuich." Nobly has that colony done her part in resisting ecclesiastical corruption. On the eve of her political enfranchisement she would not tolerate spiritual sldvtiy. Her cieed is not a mongrel offspring of Pi aye r Books and Holy Fdtheis, thr embryo germ ot Papal giow th. The Bible, the Bible atone, is her lel'^ion, a\u\ ihe Saviour alone is the rock of its foundation. She loiths with honor the Jesuitical intro<iu< ti m "t " thut BUV»iI end of the wedge" which may hereafter nnd her aMiuder, and substitute a Chuich, whose tenets, — fn,m IJoly Baptism upwards to Extreme Unction, and even bryoud, into the Purgato.y <if un unknown world, — form ,m elaborate, but worthless tissue ot superstitious utes and priest y despotism. The state of our Piotest.int Chuich of England in these colonies has of late been extiemely nitical Louie where you w»Uid you Baw Tiactmian Bi-hops. I'tiey, in their turn, repioduced Tiuctarian clergymen, — taking cue to render them, as for a-* they could, absolutely dependent upon their Bishops for then pio»pects and their freedom. Not only, as stated in the Minutes., is it considered desuable that clugymen should he licensed tn clmijesof a " temporary nature," — that lht,y '• should place themselves entirely ut tindisposal of the Bl&hups for borne definite term of ytars, and leive to him the lesponnbihty of appointing and chdiiginjj their station during sui-h period," but many clergymen in New Zealand have, in obedience to an illegal pledge leqaired by tli> B'hhop previous to ordination, literally bound them silvt-s to a seven yeata seridom, even so far as not ,o acquire United [>iopeily, nor to engage in agiiculture, wuhout his written conient.

The ecrlpsinsh'cal hoiizo-i is no^, thank God, more cle-j". Tl>» Jii-,nop of Melbourne and the English Ci u uu. oath Australia have protested against the late .nioviUion. Lont; may their names be gratefully reaK-mbeiec) m the minals of colonhl Protestantism. In this a»;e of public intelligence and freedom of iH«rubSion, ihcir cou-luct is of mcal<-uln')le va!up. Th- |)lajt, c will probubly be stopped. Pius IX. and »_ur TracUrian Synod have Ijeen alike pit mature. As England 1 ejects the usuipaUon of a Romish Flierarchy, ao shall neither its shadow be allo.veJ to darken oik doors. — I am, Sir, &c, &c., A MCMBCK OF T'lß CIIUKCH OF ENGLAND.