Daily Circulation, 1500. The Oamaru Mail WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1890.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XV, Issue 4727, 23 July 1890, Page 2

Daily Circulation, 1500. The Oamaru Mail WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 1890.

Some ultra-Christians have professed to be terribly scandalised because two ministers, the Bev. P. R. Monro, of the Presbyterian Chu:ch, and the Rev. L. M. Isltt, of the Wesleyan Church, took part in the reception of the Bishop of Chrlstchurch at Sydenham, The helnousnesß of the offence oommitted by these backsliders will be at once apparent to those devotees of the old-fashioned theory, " Salvation lies in my creed, dimnation in youra." The offence, by the way, was considerably aggravated by the faot that both gentlemen officiated in Burplices. Sacks would not have mattered, but the unholy surplice ! Shade of John Wesley ! When will this bigoted absurdity cease to display the cloven hoof on every possible occasion. Surely the world, or at any rate the portion reputed civilised, is wise enough now, in the glow of nineteenth centnry reason, to put aside Buoh oarplng Pharisaism and welcome the intar-communion of different oreedß as a proof of the soundness of the principles they advocate. What can it possibly matter whether a man preaches in a ohaauble, or a tweed suit, bo long as his doctrines and principles are sound and In acaordanoe with the Word. >very creed-every Christian creed—is simply a means to an end, and many byeways lead by varying routes to the same goal. It is a symptom of our greater toleranoe that the clergy—the very symbol of conservatism.—should find it not only possible, but desirable, to co-operate on occasions.