FREETHINKING LAWYERS AND PRELATICAL JUDGES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10902, 8 September 1897, Page 3

FREETHINKING LAWYERS AND PRELATICAL JUDGES.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sib,—There is no Free Churchman but must feel the deepest Bymoathy with the Rev. Mr Bannerman in his efforts to keep the Blue Banner aloft. We ate coming to a pretty pass when Presbyterians have to seek »d«ee .rom Freethinkers. Ido not know if Mr F. R. Chap- j man is sound. Has he signed the Confession of Faith as his " fundamental " standard r1 1 haveheard it rumoured that he is prelaliwil and 1 dabbles in science, readinff Darwinian books, fflc. I expect, however, this tumour ha» been set aSoat by the euemy. I feel «ure the Rev. Mr Sutherland would never have taken his opinion if he bad not proved him and found him sound in the faith. Mr W. C. MacGregor is/no doubu sound. I feel sum he has signed all the standards and heartily accepts them. This shows fcbat there two opinions raust tar. outweigh what Sir Robert Stout says. ' . Jt now must be plain to everyone that union or no union musfe be settled not iv church courts but in civil courts. It is well-known that all of the Supreme Court judges attend pre'.atical placss of worship. Not pne is even an adherent of any Presbyterian Church. , Jt would be a scandal toPresbjterianism if judges who do noi; accept the polity, principles, and standards of the SYce Church should decide on this momentous question. Presbyterians number nearly a third of the people in JNew ziealsnd. I suggest that the synod petition Parliament to appoint pro re nata judges to. deal with this matter. Those chosen must be strictly orthodos, subscribers'to the'fundamental and subordinate standards of the Free Cburob, and deniers of science falsely so-called, and its modern brood of evolution, Darwinism, &c, &c Asa security that only judges sound iv the faith are selected, the act, appointing them should provide that they be, privately tested and examined by,a committee of. the synod, aud I would name Messrs'Bannermau, Copland, and Sutherland a3 such committee. Nob until such committee bail certified their fitness for their task should the Government appoint them. • . To allow prelatical judges to decide questions touching the property or teaching of Presbyterianism would ho, in the words of a wellknown Scotch reformer,.'giving-the "eagles charge of the doos." 'She very suggestion of such.a thing shows that ths descendants oi tae Covenanters have forgotten what " blackprelacy" really is. I trust to see Mr Bannerman moving in. the direction lhzve indicated.— lam, &c., ■• - ' ' ~'.' :

Sftptember 4. "Fbee OHUBCibrAir. [This correspondence is, now closed.—Ed. O.D.T.] ______■■' ' '■]