"CIVIS" AND "PRESBUTEROS."

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14357, 29 October 1908, Page 8

"CIVIS" AND "PRESBUTEROS."

Slit,—The Oamaru Presbytery lias bejn immortalised without its consent. The calm, omniscient. and perennially smiling "Civis" has condescended to eke out his hilarious (or cynical) column with mirth provoking, comments 011 the "calmness" of this Presbyterian Church Court.! Hero is a compliment, indeed! Were it not risky for a Presbyterian minister to take a hint from the practice of such a laughtersi imulating writer, 1 might venture to suggest something about a pro ro nata meeting of presbytery to put on record a due acknowledgment of this gratuitous favour. Was "Civis" disappointed in ro "this complacent calm"; Maybe lie would have preferred a little storm. Or was he really piqued? Who would expect; 10 hear of " Christians every whit as good " from him? In any ease, Kir, storm or calm or sunshine, he wa« hound lo haw ;l I note. He loves, so awfully well, the Pres- | 1 iyic-i-ia.il Church an<l lio-r mini-lei's! Is lie not. constantly proving lo -Mrs "Civis" and the Olago Daily Times readers how dear l'resliyiiM'ianisni is lo his heart? How fortunate we are in havini; stub a brilliant i advocatus diaboli to excite I lie vulvar crowd | 0 .snii/gei- when v.'e are calm, and still more when we are not calm! How sleonlissly kiml and warm-hearted h |||j 5 nameless N'ncfaclor! Of course, "the eharleied libertine of jourivilism" (I <|uo!c JJr W'addell oil I "Civis") must. have a free hand in a!I i thing's, otherwi.-e the fun of life would cease. "Civis" positively avers that "the, doctrines of Mr (lihson Smith's book are taught .in Kngli-li universities from divinity chairs." (■'() hi' knows. tfti lie lias i-*;ul 1 -Mr .Smith's book. So Mr Smith may now lliidcr.-land where he can lind a |ni!i)it in which in preach ad liliilurn "The Christ, of the C'less. 11ns is all very informing ■ as well as comforting. liul lei il pass as mere badinage, however overweighted.

Permit me, however, to suggest that if "English universities from their divinity chain;" teach a certain typo of doctrine, the English people are still wise enough to believe the doctrine of the English Bible.- Yes, and if lam not much mistaken, from things published now and again, there is some reason for entertaining the belief that one or two English Universities, and not a few capable persons who have passed through them, are much more interested in gilded crosses carried in professions of gaudily apparelled men than in Calvary and its Crass and the Lamb, of God thereon. Perhaps Civis" has learned in this school, or apes the manner of it. And yet I beg to apologise for writing these reflections, which arc but passing- inspirations of the sweet, clcati, kindly humour of this invisible and nondescript friend of our presytcrv and church. Indeed, I will not Ik 1 surprised if, one of these days, some " presbuteros" among us shall be so overcome by responsive affection as rudely to tear aside the veil of anonynit.v behind which "Civis" bravely sits, so that, we may see and know atid hail our ever-vigilant and always-sneering sweetheart. .1 ant thankful, however, for this Note for the reason named in my first sentence, and for another to he named. Tho comical estimate of "Civis," writing as a horsecouper in his closing sentence, as to what is going on among us, is worthy of a word. , "We might suppose," he remarks, and I imagine Mrs "Civis" held her sides in unrostrainablo mirth, —" we might, suppose that he (the Hev. J. C!. Smith) had stolen.,a horse." "A horse," Sir, might, be, taught (or £15 or £50, and that, is NOTlirxn. What "Tho Christ of the Cross" attempt.; to do is ikhxitei.y moke, and i.ntixitki.y woltSß. It offers "miserable sinners" only "a shadow of the Cross and of Christ's and Paul's doctrine of the Crotf." So writes one of outmost. experienced and resected I'resbyte.rian ministers, and so say I with all the energy and sincerity of my soul. "A horse " ! The attempt is to 808 us of THE siiiista.vct: of the Cross and of "Christ's and Paul's doctrine of the Cross." This, Sir, is what made the Oamaru Presbytery so calm and so earnest. And this is what,' -will have, to be sounded, with selfrestrained solemnity, through Dunedin and Oiitgo and our Presbyterian Church. And I am profoundly convinced that the Church of Chalmers and Emtine, of Henderson ayd Knox, of Paul and Christ and the Prophots, will xot aoccnt this shadowy doctrine of the Cross, even when it is commended by "Civis" and some English universities and their divinity chairs. May I assure "Civis" j.hat I am still perfectly calm, and beg hint not. to represent me as saying what- I merely quoted from Dr Salmond.—l am, etc., James Cj.arke. Palmereton South, October 26.