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Otago Daily Times, Issue 19465, 28 April 1925, Page 4

, I THE FAILURE OF THE CHURCH. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—A correspondent in your issue of Friday last draws attention to the intensely interesting article written by the Rev. D. Gardner Miller, of Napier. Ho evidently thinks that little notice has been taken of the article, but that is not so. The Rev. J. Simpson, in a sermon at Port Chalmers, voiced strong disapproval of the views expressed by an advanced thinker, but a weak defence still leaves me convinced that the Rev. Mr Miller has grasped those thoughts which disturb the men of lesser education, who are often questioned as to their indifference. It is pleasing to learn that we in New Zealand have a fearless man possessing that knowledge which enables him to state dearly the chief causes underlying the ever-increasing sparsity of modern congregations. After all. Port Chalmers is left as a “little hell” doomed, 1 presume, till the advent of prohibition, but tho salvation of this seaport is at present of minor consequence when compared to the interest which Mr Simpson can arouse by fighting for the Church as the Rev. Mr Jordan fought against Sunday trains—viz., through the columns of tho press. Mr Miller reasons so logically that 1 expect the Church governors will again manifest their lack of vision by attempting to stifle a constructive ‘critic whose writings fall as manna to rho thinking world outside an institution held but feebly together by its remaining adherents—adherents who, by their continued preference for basking in (he shade of orthodox antiquity, demonstrate that apathy and self-satisfac-tion which, if not checked, will ultimately lead to utter and complete stagnation.—l am, etc., Youth.