THE CHURCH AND STAGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8627, 17 October 1889, Page 4

THE CHURCH AND STAGE.

TO THE EDITOE.

Sib,—lf you will grant me space to reply to the letter written under the norn de plume of " Obadiah" I will not trespass upon your generosity further. "Obadiah" accuses me of a peculiar inaccuracy in my quotation from the letter written by "E. M." It is " Obadiah " who I misquotes. The words expressly are:—" Every attempt at union must end in disastrous failure to the church." These are the exact words aa published in your edition of Friday last, and " Obadiah" cannot alter their meaning. By leaving out the word church, as he has done, it makes all the difference. " Obadiah " says that if my mistake was intentional Mr Warner is an unsafe guide. " Obadiah," I never presumed to set myself up as a guide; I attempted to defend, and will defend, the members of an honourable calling against the uncharitable attacks made upon them by so-called Christian men. For my cause, be assured it will thrive when "Obadiah" and Charles Warner are forgotten. I have never for one moment disputed the true and spiritual position of the church; on the contrary, I have upheld it.

Is not the work of the church to be likened to that of her spiritual head, Christ Jesus ? Is not her work the same ? " Obadiah" seems to think not. He " came to seek and to save that which was lost." Is not this the duty of the church also? A quotation from "Obadiah'a" letter, "He that believeth and is baptised shall ba saved." Another," Whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Is it for man to condemn when God pardons ? I take it that most actors and actresses are baptised men and women and confess Christ. The attitude of the church should be the attitude of her head. He never condemned, He never assumed the self-righteous tone, although holiest of the holy. He could say to the sinful woman," Go and sin no more." In the letter written in your issue of this morning these words occur—"lt is to be feared that the words of men are accepted now in preference to the teachings of the sacred book." Can this ba true ? If so, there must be something radically wrong. Where does the evil lie, and where the remedy?

If there is this defect, it is certain that man has not arrived at that estate—that perfect estate to which the church was called—when she received the gift in Pentecost. It is not for me to dare to write or argue upon matters which are in the hands of Ono who will make all clear and straight in His own good time. I am at one with " Obadiah " entirely in, all his quotations, but don't let us misapply quotations, or cast a doubt on the church's position or our brother'a good name. Let us first cast the beam from our own eye, and then we 6hall see clearly to destroy the mote that is in our brother's eye.— I am, &c,

October 15. Chables Waeneb. P.S.—I beg to thank you, Mr' Editor, for your courtesy, and shall trouble you no further.