HAMILTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11619, 5 April 1901, Page 3

HAMILTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—When the commission visited Hamilton in connection with the local Presbyterian Church, I expected some such report as that presented to Tuesday's meeting of the Presbytery, especially as one of the members of the commission had expressed the opinion that the letter forwarded to the Rev. J. M. Mitchell-was " diabolical," and that the elders had broken their ordination vows in approaching the minister in the, way they did. This before he had heard ' any of the evidence. I can certainly bear Mr. Mitchell out in his statement that the efforts of the commission' were directed to induce the elders to withdraw their letter on the ground that it was irregular. It was pointed out to us that it would be detrimental to Mr. Mitchell's interests if he left the district with such a letter against him. It was for this reason solely that we agreed to withdraw it. No good purpose can ', bo served by keeping the unfortunate business before the public. Suffice it to say that I repeatedly endeavoured to make a statement before the commission, but was promptly stopped by the Moderator of the Presbytery, who, in the report at the last meeting, stated that the complaints were frivolous. .This can hardly be borne out when eight families have withdrawn • themselves from the church. I am quite content to leave the question as to whether the late members of the session are; to blame for the present unhappy state of the congregation to the judgment of those best qualified to form an opinion, the regular attendants of the church. The matter is now ended, so far as I am concerned. —I am, etc., James Primkose. ; Hamilton, April 4, 1901.