COLONIAL PRESBYTERIAN.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6503, 15 December 1882, Page 2

COLONIAL PRESBYTERIAN.

[By Telegraph.]

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Auckland, December 14th,

The Herald says,-in a leading article on Colonial Presbyterianism:—"All right-think-ing men must be grieved at the spectacles that have lately been offered to the public by ministers of the ' Auld Kirk' of Scotland. If this sort of thing goes on, it will . lead to one conclusion ineVitably—namely, that there is something in Presbyterian polity, in the Presbyterian system of church government, unsuited to the times and the existing state of society in these Colonies. There have been several lively instances all over the, Colonies of unseemly conduct amongst Presbyterian-ministers which we shall not deal with—Australian instances, or well-known cases in Melbourne where a supposed hater of orthodoxy was brought up for trial. Such cases are not in themselves a sign of weakness, but rather the reverse, as they show that Presbyterian clergymen are endeavouring to keep themselves abreast of the learning and scholarship of the day. But taking New Zealand only, the causes for which we have to arraign Presbyterian clergymen are deeply, to be regretted. Altlfough only the acts of particular inou, they are calculated to have a very injurious effect on tht- wellbeing of the Church. A few days ago we published a letter from the minister of a church in Dunedin tv aa Otago Daily Times reporter which, we think, the Presbytery should take cognisance of as an offence. On reading such shocking sentiments as those expressed in tnat letter, one is apt to feel some doubts respecting the mental condition of the writer, but these are absolutely forbidden by the fact that he lectures to intelligent audiences on the ' Inspiration of the Bible,' and is the religious guide and teacher of a large congregation in tlie city of Dunedin. Hence, if nothing is done, then we shall conclude there is something rotten in the state of Presbyteriauismin the Church. In New Plymouth and in the Auckland Presbytery itself we have had scandals. It is not our intention, and indeed it is scarcely our function, to discuss what are the causes of these explosion's. Surely the 'douce' ministers of the Kirk have some features'in common in their revolt against authority, and in each case it would seem there is much difficulty in bringing ' discipline' to bear. But it is quite competent for us to say that any man who could have written as did that reverend person in Dunedin should not bo tolerated in a pulpit. It is also competent for us to point out to tho hege and important body which sends forth Mr Eraser, Mr Breach, and Mr Gillies as shepherds for the flock, as leaders of thought, as teachers of morality, that such public scandals as they have given rise to must have a most deterrent effect, not merely upon the peace and prosperity of the Presbyterian Church, but upon tho cause of religion itself."