"CHRISTIAN" AND EVANGELISTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8268, 29 May 1890, Page 3

"CHRISTIAN" AND EVANGELISTS.

TO THE KDITOR. Sir,ln the dream of the immortal dreamer, Evangelist was of great help and comfort to Christian. In this day of grace he evidently is a disturber of "Christian's" peace of mind, judging by his letter of the 20th inst. The difference between the Christians gives the clue to the tone of the latter. The former was needing direct help in soul difficulty, the latter equally needing help* but more of an intellectual character, which he has asked five or six ministers to give, to which no public response has been made. Why ? " Christian " writes at length against "irregular preachers" and "teetotal lecturers." Who are regular preachers ? This is the crucial question. A vast host say, uninterrupted Apostolic Succession is the only test of regularity ; others, a Divine call, through ecclesiastical channels ; another, a Divine call to the man, whose burning conviction is, " Woe is me if I preach not the unsearchable riches of Christ," and whether called by the Church or not out he goes an evangelist. Have Moody and Sankey, P. P. Bli?" W. Noble, and a host of others been leas useful, because they are irregulars 1 Is not the Church much to blame in refusing to recognise and utilise the varied gifts of its members ? The noble work done by the temperance advocates, how was it treated by the Church in the early days of the movement ? By opposition and hostility, even the Wesleyan Church so far had degenerated from the teaching of Wesley as to join in the opposition. When H. P. Hughes preached his trial sermon, he was told that his teetotalism would damage his success. How cautiously those noble men, C. Garrett, T. B. Stephenson, Yeames, and others had to ,vork to get the Conference recognition the movement has to-day. In the bishops' report to the Lambeth Conference, they say: "It is the perseverance ana insistence of the temperance societies that has awakened the Church, and without these societies we have no evidence to show that much or even anything would have been done to deal with the evil." "Christian" asks of oui local clergy " Are you uot able to teach the principles of temperance to your flock." Do they? Where is the Catholic priest like Father Nugent, or dignitary like Cardinal Manning. Where in the Anglican Bishop like Bishop Temple, or workers like Canons Ellison, Wilberforee, and Farrar, and hundreds of clergy. In what parish does the Church of England Temperance Society flourish here Ihe temperance work that is done is mainly by the Salvation Army and the non-Episcopal Churches, aud they cannot parallel the enthusiasm of their English brethren. The New Zealand Alliance does not reresent the platform occupied by the late J. B. _ ough, by b. Murphy, W. Noble, etc., theirs is an organization seeking to secure for the people, the legal, direct power to veto the liquor traffic, a distinctly political object. How could the churches take up this position unless they set aside an agent ? Who would not do the work better, or more cheaply than Mr Glover? Unhappily, the scandals referred to by " Christian " are not confined to evangelists. They can, sad to say, be paralleled by the regulars. What is the special fatness of the Ministers' Association, thati "Christian" should specially call upon them to suppress the scandals he alludes to? In the first place it is a partial organization, _ nominally including evan-i gelical ministers outside the Anglican communion ; its regular attendants are few; it appears to be on the horns of a dilemma if it adopts a constitution it must further weaken itself, necessarily its motto must be "In essentials unity, in things doubtful liberty, in all things charity." It that motto was heartily adopted pastors of congregations now outside could with advantage to all be included, and the usefulness of the association materially increased. The present, President, I have noticed, lias through the' press invited those deeply interested m social _ questions to meet them. This is a step in the right direction. Possibly an effort has been made ; if not, would it not be well to do so, to secure the united meeting of the Protestant clergy. Such a union would soon be felt in a benefioial manner through all the Churches. But even on this enlarged basis should no one speak in this city on temperance or religion without their "authority?" Has the stronghold of clerical domination from the times of Christ to the present been in the diroction of full liberty? How often the teacher has been cast out of the temple. In the two local cases noticed by " Christian" was it not members of this Association who, with the best of motives, employed them, and who was to know until they proved unworthy that they were so ? The direction for reform is rather in the hands of the laity. Let them have the courage of their convictions, and only rally round capable workers, and let their visits be more frequent than hitherto, and good will be done. The absolute prohibition of itinerant teachers is neither practical nor desirable. The visits of Dr. Somerville, W. Noble, Dr. McGregor, Dr. Hannay, Mrs. Leavitt, Miss Ackermau, and others have done much good, while we look forward to a visit from Professor Druinmond, the Rev. M. G. Pearse, and Canon Wilberforce with delight.—l am, &c., Uxole John.