“LOVE, HONOUR, AND OBEY”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26607, 1 November 1947, Page 9

“LOVE, HONOUR, AND OBEY”

Sir, —For a long time many loyal Presbyterians in this district and elsewhere have been alarmed at the growth in our church of the imitation by our ministers-’*' of Anglican ways and - customs. With many others, I understood that when the Presbyterian Church began at the time of the Reformation it made a complete break with the Catholic Church. Is it now the position that such names as Calvin, Knox, etc., mean nothing at all? This letter is prompted by the remarks of Professor Hunter in Saturday’s Daily Times under the heading of “ And Obey? ” Towards the end of the article Professor Hunter' refers to a marriage in a manse. He says, “ Before my bishop could reply ” Perhaps Professor

Hunter would be so kind as to give us an explanation of the term bishop. Are our ministers really bishops and priests of the Catholic Order, or is this just one more instance of the slipping of Presbyterianism towards Anglicanism and Catholicity? I write this letter in no carping spirit, nor do 1 wish to enter into a controversy. I merely plead for an explanation. We have for a long time seen adaptation in our churches of Anglican ways; we have heard in our services the Anglican Prayer Book; we have seen our moderators called the very reverend or the right reverend, . and our ministers called " clergy.” Either we are Protestant or we are Catholic. We cannot be both. Jf the former, then why this slavish imitation of the Church of England?—l am, etc., Bewildered.