CORRESPONDENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7513, 17 December 1885, Page 6

CORRESPONDENCE.

RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THE OUTDISTRICTS. TO THE BDITOR. Sir, —Kindly permit me to correct an error into whioh you have inadvertently fallen in your issue of this morning on the above subject. Writing of Coromandol, Mercury Bay, Okaiheu, Kawakawa, &c, you state : "It is eeldom the families resident in these districts have the benefit of regular ministrations." You will be pleased to know that in two of the places named—Coromandel and Kawakawa—a Wesleyan minister resides and holds stated services, and that from these centres the districts outlying are reached. The Rev. G. V. Marshall visits Okaihau fortnightly ; and, as I learned on a recent visit, his services are highly appreciated, being " of such a catholic nature as to merit tho oountenance and support of all parties."—l am, &c, Rainsforo Bavin. December 15, 1885. THE CHURCH MISSIONKRS. TO THE EDITOR. SIR,-—The discussion on the working of the Missioners in your columns is not likely to oonduce to the harmonious working of the sects. But I would like to add my mite to a subject which concerns most of our citizens, ab far as I understand the matter, Mr. Mason's letter was not written for the Press, although he manfully says, " You can make what use of this lettor you please." Therefore we can scarcely charge Mr. Mason with disturbing the religious good-fellowship existing in the city. Your columns only recently were open to a discussion in which Archdeacon Dudley and Mr. Spurgeon figured prominently. 1 think it was clearly sot forth that Archdeacon Dudley entertained views far more advanced than those in Mr. Mason's letter; and hence it is difficult to iniagive your correspondent "St. Sopulchre" can speak with any degree of authority, for we may fairly infer that the congregation will generally hold similar views to the pastor. Having been born and bred in a hotbed of dissent, I can perhaps speak with a knowledge of fact, and I certainly never heard of the Wesleyan "Church," etc., till I came to the colonies. Wβ often heard of the Wesleyan Chapel aad the Wesleyan connexion, but merely a connexion or number of people banded together to promote Christian truths. In Mr. Mason's letter he commends the good works done and doing by these sects, and hopes they may eventually find their way into one church under one banner. Surely this savours very little of the narrowness supposed to exist in Mr. Mason's mind as regards religion. I am truly surprised that a man of Dr. Mauneell's years and

experience should have bo little foresight as to start the cry of Jesuits in the camp. I feel t,hat the work done by those rev. gentlemen, the Misßioners, has been a great and good work, and it ill becomes any clergyman or layman of any standing to take exception to their teaching. I would also point out that Mr. Mason does not speak of seven sacraments but two, and certain sacramental rites. It IB only what one might expect from " Mary Stendman Aldis" that she should bring the "filth of the oonfession" forward, and perhaps next time she is aeked for information with regard to Auckland she will say people confess to the priests, as well as the "CD. Act" is in force. —lam, &c, X.Y.

A correspondent writes :—lf; may bo interesting to some of your years to know that ono of tho Missionere, about whom there is now so much discussion, was once brought into a rather unplonsanfc contact with the late Bishop Solwyn, while Bishop of Lichfield. I send an abstract of thoso proceedings from Bishop Selwyn'a life (pages 341, 813, cl arq.) Mr. Bodiugton, it appears, was vicar of St. Andrews, Wolvurhampton, aud was threatened with a prosecution for ritualistic practices ; such as liglns on the altar, mixed chalice, and the eastward poeition, i.e., turning bis back on the people at the consecration of the elements. Bishop Selwn'e object was to induce him to forego those practices, and at the same time to save him from the prosecution, and in hie correspondence shows a mingled course of firmness and gentleness. Referring to any clergyman who should persist in taking the " oastward position," ho asks : " Am I free in conscience to licouse or inHtitutii him, and thereby pat him into a legal position from which he can defy the law »" (pap.e '.Wl). The prosecution, it appears, failed on legal grounds ; the registrar of tho dioceae having failed to send tho necessary documents in time, without either the Bishop's knowlece or sanction. Tho Bishop writes to Mr. Bodingtun (344) expresning his gratification at this mishap. The question now was, that the Bishop should arrest further proceedings. But the Primate now stepped in, and Mr. Bodington declared himself willing "to follow the admonitions of his Bishop," and the Bishop writes him an admirable letter (34(i), recognieing hie attachment to tho Churoft of England, his abstaining from the use of tho vestments at his (the Bishop's) wish and adding that the only points upon which Mr. Bodinyton was now earnest, were :—l. The eastward position. 2, Lights at the Holy Communion. 3. Tho mixed chalice. Tho Bishop concludes, "May God's spirit bo with you on the 2let, think most of the mind of Christ, and of the peace of his Church." Another prosecution was commenced, October, ISS77 ; but the Archbishop finally stayed the proceedings (page o4 ( J).

THK HARBOUR BOARD AND ITS MEMBERS. TO THE KDITOK. Sir,—The role played by Mr. J. M. Clark of late iu the Harbour Board in all that relates to the Freezing Company and the Calliope Dock appears to me ec»rcoly in keeping with tho reputation for common sense which that gentleman has hitherto enjoyed. From the report of tho Board meeting hold ou Tuesday, it would appear that Mr. Clark, not content with having at previous meeting led the Board and his protege (Mr. Ware) into false positions touching the question of materials used at at tho dock, did then foolishly persist in his line of action, and thereby succeeded in perpetuating the quarrel ho had fomented between the engiue*ra. He had already secured a report from Mr. Ware, and replies thereupon trom Mr. Errington and Mr. Swaiuson, and yet ho advocated Bending said replies to Mr. Ware for that gentleman's further reconsideration. Can auy reasonable man say that good can reeult from continuing this interchange of reports and replies between servants of the Hoard. By slightly altering the words of a well-known writer, wheu speaking of certain perverse persons, Mr. Clark, his actinnn, and intentions appear to me well described :— " A member of a Hoard who is determined to do wroug should not only be a man of ability but of uncommon courage. To iuvade the rights or to insult the understanding of a people qualified to judge well, and to speak freely upon public measures requires a portion of audacity unacquainted with shame, or of power which knows no control. Whether it bo owing to a hardy disposition, or to the possession of unlimited power, or to the mere solid ignorance, 1 know not ; but it is too apparent that certain members in everything they <10, or attempt to do, are determined to net the understanding and. tbe spirit of tho people at defiance." The good sense of the Board iu general meeting, however, frustrated the intentions of Mr. Clark and hid supporters in the matter of the Freezing Company, and so prevented the expressed lieeiro of tho elect jrs being set at defiance. It is always matter for regret when public men, who Tor years have laboured for and have earned tho good opinion of their follows, to allow prejudice to iiitlucnco them when dealing with certain public questions, and in so doing destroy tho affection and shatter the faith of men in their fellow-colonist 3 am, &c, A.B.

CHURCH AND CREEDS. TO THK EDITOR. Sir, —Allow me to give the following information relative to the Apostles, the Niceue and the Athauai'iau Creeds, tho acceptance of which, according to the Rev. Mr. Mason, forme one of tho four marks of the Church, and which are possessed, he n»ys, by three great historical Churches, the English, the Greek, and the Roman. The Apostles' Creel was not in existence till long after the Apos'les had ceased to live. It was so called because it was believed to contain a brief summary of doctrines taught 'by the Apost.'os. Its first use apparently wan for converts to make a profession of faith prior 1o being baptised. It was introduced into the daily service cf the Greek Church about the end of the fifth century, and used by the Romau Church in tho early part of the eleventh century. The Nicene Creed dates from tho Council of Nice, A.D. 325, as fur as its main parts are concerned. Additions were made at Constantinople A.D. 391, and in the fifth century the word " filioque " was added by tho Western Church, making the Holy Ghost to proceed not only from the Father, but from the Father "and the Son." The Eastern Church declined to adopt this addition, ami do decline tu do so at the present day. So that the Nicene Creed of the Eastern Church is not the Niceno Creed of the Western— i c , tho Roman and English Churches. The Athanasian Creed is by an unknown author; its date is variously conjectured to be from the fifth to the seventh or eighth century. It is thoroughly certain it was not written by Athanasius. The title is a fraud and forgery, not discovered till after it had been admitted into the Roman liturgy. This socalled creed has never beeu sanctioned by any General Council of the Church, and its adoption is in direct contravention of tho decisions of General Councils that no new creed should be so added to those already accepted—the Apostles' and the Nicene. The Eastern Churches have never accepted it j on tho contrary, it excludes all the members thereof from salvation. It has been deliberately rejected by the Episcopal Church of the United States, which Church derives its orders from a Scotch Bishop—Seabury; and is in full communion, not ae a sect but as a Church, with the English Church. American Bishops attended the fan-Anglican Synod on equal terms with English Bishops ; they aud their clergy frequently pieach and perform the ordinances of the English Churchin English cathedrals and churches. The above faots are oondensort from the writings of two eminent English divines not long ago alive. They seem to prove, according to Mr. Mason, that there was no Church, but only sects, till long after the Apostiea had left this world; that they addressed therefore sects, not Churches, when they unci! the word; that the Roman and tho English sects wore sects only, and not Churches, until about theteuth or eleventh century ; that the Eastern Churches, which he aUo names, arc now even only sects and not Churches, for they repudiate tho Nicene Creed, with its "rilioque," and tho Athanaaian Creed as a whole ; that tho American Episcopal Church in not a Church, but a sect, since it has deliberately excluded the Athanaeian Creed from its creeds. 1 will only add that I was one of those laymen who refrained from encouraging this mission scheme when first proposed aud money was asked for its expenses, because we thought that, whather a part of tho design of the authors of the scheme or not, the inevitable tendency would be to foster those Romanising practices and teachings which are so prevalent, alae 1 in the English Church, and to which we were opposed. Our prognostications, I am sorry to say, have proved too true.—l am, &c, A Layman.

THANKS. TO TUB BDITOK. g IK) Will yoa allow me space to thank you, His Worship the Mayor, and all those who so generously contributed towards the subscription raised to defray the cost of my passage home to England ; also to Mr. Ewiugton and the Benevolent Society for the kindness and assistance received from them during my stay in Auckland.—l tt m, &c M M. Stkwart. Deoember 16, 18S3.