THE ST. THOMAS' DIFFICULTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6330, 2 March 1882, Page 5

THE ST. THOMAS' DIFFICULTY.

Yesterday afternoon the deputation from St. Thomas' congregation, which had -waited on the Rev. Mr. Tebbs the previous evening, set out in the drenching rain, in order to see if they could not make arrangements for the continuance of Divine service at that place of worship which would be satisfactory to Mr. Tebbs. We give a narrative of their adventures as told to us : —

From information received they went to Parnell, where they saw a clergyman who cheerfully offered to take either the morning or evening service at St. Thomas' next Sunday, and whogave them a written guarantee to that effect, which they could take to Mr. r l\:l)b3. Armed with this document, they returned to town and went to St. Matthew's parsonage to see Mr. Tebbs, but were informed by the servant, at the door, that "Mr. Tebbs was engaged, and could not be seen." They sent in by the damsel the written notice with a message that they desiied urgently to see him. Mr. Tebbs declined to come, sending out word that he was otherwise engaged. The members of the deputation then weDtto their respective homes to get change of clothing, as they were wet to the skin through their journeyings to and fro in the rain, and a cup of tea, re-assembling at St. Matthew's Church at the close of the evening service. One of the deputation went up to Mr. Tebbs when the scrvice was over, and before choir practice commenced, and asked him if he would kindly step down the aisle a few paces, so as not to disturb the choir during their interview ; also, that he might see the other members of the deputation. This Mr. Tebbs declined to do, saying that a guarantee for next Sunday's services was hot what he wanted, but a written pledge that the gentleman concerned would continue to conduct Divine service regularly for the future in St. Thomas'. The gentleman who desired Mr. Tebbs to see the deputation, then said to him, "Have you not received a letter or a personal visit from a gentleman—a licensed lay reader—offering to conduct the services regularly in future ?" Mr. Tebbs replied, "Oh, yes; I have seen a gentleman in the street who invited me to come to his office, which I did, and he made an offer to conduct the services ; but there is this objection to his doing so, that he is only licensed to officiate in a particular place. I advised the gantleman to see the deputation, and they could then communicate with me.' There is no use in my calling the vestry of St. Matthew's together; there is not sufficient time to deal with the matter for next Sunday, as 4S hours' notice will be required before convening the meeting." The gentleman then offered, if the notices to the vestrymen were written out, to deliver them personally that night or early on the following morning, but Mr. Tebbs replied "The vestry could not meet before Saturday, and on that day business men could not or would not attend such a meeting. The power of opening St. Thomas' next Sunday for Divine service is out of my hands. If I call the vestry together they will ask not about next Sunday, but what of the future ?" At this jnncture the choir commenced practice, and Mr. Tebbs, wishing the gentleman " Good-night," turned on his heel, without taking the trouble to see or speak with the other members of the deputation, who were about half-a-dozen yards distant from him. The deputation consider that Mr. Tebbs was too exacting in asking for a written guarantee for the future in the face of the emergency that has arisen, seeing that, with the exception of the Rev. Mr. Hitchcock's term of office, the services have been from, hand to mouth ever since St. Thomas' has been erected. The licensed lay-reader referred to they assert has officiated in other places than that for which he is specifically licensed, aud therefore Mr. Tebbs' objection on that score falls to the grouud, as well as those in respect to convening the vestry, as they could easily have been overcome. As a matter of fact, four gentlemen have conducted Divine service in St. Thomas' though unlicensed—one of them a member of the deputation. They think that common courtesy should have dictated his seeing the deputation, either at his own residence or in the church, after they had spent the better part of the day in the pouring rain, in endeavouring to fulfil a duty which properly belonged to himself — namely, that of arranging for the continuance of Divine service at St. Thomas'. The deputation having no doubt that Mr. Tebbs would be only too glad to accept the assistance they had obtained for him, had arranged for the organist, bell ringer, choir, and others connected with the management of St. Thomas'", to be in attendance next Sunday, but from what lias already transpired, they have come to the conviction that no gentlemen whose scrviees they could obtain to conduct Diviue worship would be acceptable to the incumbent, and that the determination to shut up St. Thomas' Ims been a foregone conclusion from the outset. Failing an amicable settlement with Mr. Tebbs, the deputation have determined, as a last resort, to wait upon His Lordship Bishop Cowie, in the belief that they will obtain from him that which the people of St. Thomas' so earnestly desire, namely, the continuance of Divine service at that place of worship.