MAKING RELIGION PAY.

NZ Truth, Issue 73, 10 November 1906, Page 3

MAKING RELIGION PAY.

tTO THE EDITOB.

Sir,— ln case you have missed seeing the inhuman remark made by the Rey. J. Kennedy Elliott, Chairman of our Workhouse, 'pure and simple'; it is out of place to call it by its usual name. Now, tell me, Sir, can you find one spark of the love of Christ m this man's heart, to speak to the poor old blind man Hansen at a recent meeting of the Benevolent Trustees, m such a manner. Why, the way the poor old fellow spoke was enough, you would think, to soften any hard heart. But, no; Elliott no doubt

went back to his manse, to full and plenty, and never did a hard day's work m his life to earn all his comfort, -while that poor old fellow and his kind have made life easy for ths likes of Elliott. Is it any wonder

that he finds himself preaching to empty benches ? Yes, and if the rev. gentleman is • not careful how he treats the poor, lonely wretches that come before him, he will get paid out for it. No wonder we are all aroing to the dogs, as far as church-going is concerned. In a few years more -there will be plenty of money to sive nil the comforts the poor and needy require when we get rid of all the lazy loafing parsons. I declare there nob a week goes by but somu of tti hoi?* push' are round begging money for some organ fund, or tea-fight, or something else— anything to pst the money out of the people— anil they call it self-denial. Look at all the money the Salvation Army got out of the public of New Zealand. They aire another crowd of fat, loafing fellows, living on their wits and on the public. Let me tell you that they keep a poor slave of a woman to carry home all the washing, and if you care to send anyone to watch, and see for vouself, you will find poor Sophy /that's i what everyone calls her) with a large basket on wheels, slaving from morning till night, m and out, dome: a horse's work. While this sort of thing is going on, they are boasting of having collected so much rffpney. ' If they were to pay mote attention to the poor creatures that unfortunately have to go to their shelter they would not have so much money to boast of, and would be doing truly Christian acts.— Yours, etc., WORKER. Wellington, Nov. 1, 1906.