ST. MARY'S CHURCH PALMERSTON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11399, 17 April 1899, Page 2

ST. MARY'S CHURCH PALMERSTON.

TO THE EDITOB.

Sin, —Anonymity in the open columns of the press has, no doubt, its uses and advantages; but it can also, and frequently is, made the cowardly medium of covert abuse and the infliction of a stab in the dark. The latter was evidently the- object of the writer of the letter over the signature of " A Church Member," which appeared in your issue of the 12th inst. As a rule I treat anonymous correspondents with the contempt they deserve, but I cannot allow the studied and intentional distortion of facts which "A Church Member" is guilty of in his laborious effusion referred to to pass without a protest; and with your permission and indulgence I desire to correct the misrcpresentatiolis in reference to the theft of the contents of the mission box at St. Mary's Church here, a short extract of the particulars of which you transferred from the local paper to the columns of the Daily Times. In the first place, allow me to explain that the sacrilege referred to occurred either at tbe end of June or beginning of July (not earlier) of last year, and had I written " months " instead of " weeks," which occurred through a slip of the pen, the paragraph would have heen absolutely correct. Again, let mo explain, for the sake of refutation, that the mission box in question contained silver coin (five shillings), as well as some pence, and that it was kept undor lock and key in a cupboard, which was also locked; that the cupboard was prized open, the lid of the box wrenched off, and the money abstracted; that- the Rev. Canon Lucas and the members of the vestry wero informed of the theft, as well as the constablo (I think) by myself; that the mission box was in charge and tho key in the possession of my daughter, as superintendent of the St. Mary's Sunday school; that I am a member of St. Mary's vestr}', and can vouch that the above facts are absolutely true and correct and irrefutable. So much for the veracity of " A Church Member." and his assertion of " a big mountain being made out of a very small molehill," and " the supposition that a ' few coppers' were taken from the money box while the choir practice was going on !" How and at what hour tho tlieft occurred I cannot say, but the fact remains that it did take place, and that the curate and the members of the vestry and church were informed of it. "How these facts. can be reconciled with the statement Hint " members of the church should be uneasy and indignant that those in the know should have kept to themselves the knowledge " appears to bo on a par with tho other untruths and distortion of facts with which his letter bristles, I leave "A Church Member" and his conscience to unravel. Further, Sir, I consider the statement made by this mendacious scribbler " that it was only supposition that money was in the box at all " a grave and serious reflection and imputation on the honesty of my daughters, and a gratuitous and unwarrantable insult, and, if not libellous, I have never read anything that is more damaging in its inferences, or which more deserves the reprobation of all right-thinking persons. —I am, etc.. Palmerston, April 1.. A. 11. Gill.