The Late Charge of Heresy

Otago Witness, Issue 1899, 26 June 1890, Page 13

The Late Charge of Heresy

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,— l have been much amused by the report in your columns this week of the discussion In Dunedln Presbytery, and the motion carried by 17 to 6. That motion ought to bo fiamcd for the benefit of future generations. As a specimen, of exuberant verbosity, in the line of saying and doing nothing, and So shuffllug out of it, I think it is almost unique. The i e» of speaking of words which are before the eyes in black aud white, and In the ears In the tones of their author's voice, as a " statement " alleged to have been made and " substantially admitted to have madebeen, and of this statement, written, belt noted, in the quiet and deliberation of the study, as putting a construction on the language of the Sbo.ter Catechism " Inadvertently," ana then of expressing regret at this, is rioh Indeed. There raiißt be an undreamed of vein of humour In the mover of themotion > whioh only wants working to prove of incalculable profit alike for 'edification aud aversion. I have not Been the sermon whioh wa under consideration, but if the referenc9s to it in the speeches of the supporters of the motion, re- i portedinyour columns, convey anything] ike'a correct idea of it, it must be a rare piece of pulpit eloquence aud an instructive example in the art of spt aking much and yet saying nothing, by making one end of t c speech contradict the other. The whole report, except- the speeches of the minority, forcibly recalls to mind a traveller who belonged to a town called " Fair Speech," and who thus describe his -connections and lineage 1 li—" Aim st the whole town were his kindr d ; but he noted '.i My£pr&TUaelßervfic,iMy LorJEl/EumiAjbout, Lord Fairspeech, also Mr Smoothmau, Mr Facing Both Ways, MrtA-nythlng.iatrd in particular the parson of our parloh, Mr Two Tongues, was my brother's brother bythe fqther'a side, and^tD;t*U the truth,; I am myself become a gentleman of good quality, although my greafc-giandfather .was- a waterman, rowing one way and looking another, and I got great part of my estate by, following the, same occupation. -Yours faithfully, - - V Thomas Kino. Oamaru, June 21.