THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND THE SALVATION ARMY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6786, 17 August 1883, Page 3

THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND AND THE SALVATION ARMY.

TO THE KDITOK. Sir,—Mr. G. 0.. Davis, iu a letter in I your issue of the 14th, pn the Salvation Army, after approving of the teaching of ■ the Church of Erigand on iustification and sanctificatipn, says that •' argument, however, ma,y be provoked in consequence of the many utterances of. Captain Johnny Bowermau in rolation to the two prominent national sins Of. Eagland and her colonies, namely, the use of tobacco and alcio'h/.1, although' it must be. evident to all enlightened minds that no ttue Cfiristian h at liberty to pollute himself by theuse of either:of these deadly prisons," What Mr,. Davis means to infer, it seems to me, is that the Church of England :is righf enough .up. to a ceritain ppiht, but; does not compare favourably /vyith the Sal--vatiqn Army in tbat ahi) stops shori.'.6f what ajt "least ..one pf: the officers "of.. the latter organisation. in. charge here teaches, 'namely, abstinehbe .from alcohol and .tobacco;... : : 1£.... ;Mr. ;, ..'Dayi's ' knew ; ..a : little more .concerning the' Church of England teaching, he. wpuid : :not;haye : '\?ritten such"claptrap. •.. At the ; beginning of the; Book Of Common Prayer therpiea table of days of iastiiig or abstinence. SThe Church could not

inculcate discipline in that direction without having regular rnlea on the subject, forifher medbersj>yere.left to follow tte;r own incli-. nations;in such a'hiatter, it wouldresult in a '..totaldisregard I'iof..what; would, be looked oh :as ah unnecessary , tax on their appetites,. ■The principle of:.. fasting, : how.eyerj.:..i3: the. keeping of the .body under control;/subordinate to th?. spirit:; ; arid , it;is'evident;.that, indulgence in alcohol.aind tobacco ia'opposed to Euch , a principle. St.: Paul'in 1;C0r.,9 c. 27 Y;, says, ''I k&ep under my body, and bringitintpEubjectiop; lest by any means v?hen 1 have preached toothers, I myself be> Ms'fraway." If members, of the Church of England do hot act according to her Scriptural teaching, they at least run the' risk .of being, according; tp.St. Jajil, cast away. The Caurch. Cannot do more than lay down the riiles; , and exhort continually by Her ministers the manner of life a Christian mast lead* She cannot coerce anyone again'a.fc their will; Again, ti\ Paul says, after speakini, of a very serious matter, " All. things are lawful for m6 i but all things are not esxpe.iie.nc " (Ist Corinthians, cbap. .10, v. 23).; eo that it ssems the highest, motives binding oh a Christian p favour of abstinence are those of keeping the body in subjection* that he might the. better fight the good fight, aud also that of expediency, such as example to others. On the matter of the teachmg of the Salvation Army, I sec by a receat copy of the War Cry that Mrs. Booth, in an article entitled "Hot Saints,*' say.s'in one place that "the Holy Spirit is not given by measure unto them." Now, sia.ee. it was said of only one and that one our Lord, that "God giveth:not the Spirit.by measure unto Him" (St. John, chap, 3, v. 24); it seems to me to be blasphemy or little short of it; but if that is the teaching of such a. burning light as Mrs.. Booth, the General's wife, what may be expected fiprri most of the officers, who do not profess, to be other than unlearned Or illiterate ? I should think that Captain Johnny Bowerman would scarcely thaak Mir, Davis for referring all discussionists to him, because it .is very questionable whether Johpny could at all. justify hie position, or many of t'hq practices of the Salvation Army, from Scripture, in argument;•<—Yours, &c, J.N.. Auckland, August 15, ISSo,