TO THE EDITOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2358, 4 May 1899, Page 26

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, — Whoever your One-tree Point correspondent may be, it "is evident, from his remarks on the 17th inst. respecting the above, that he has little regard for truth. Neither a Baptist nor the Baptist denomination has ever desired to teach their distinctive principles in ifae Oteramika Presbyterian Church. The statement i-s as absurd as it is false. Even in. the building erected by his efforts Mr T. Jefcoate declined to discuss the question of immersion, for which I have heard him blamed. When Mr T. Jefcoate settled in the district, some few years ago, there was no Sabbath evening service for miles round. Peeling. that such was needed, he approached the Presbyterian authorities, requesting them to conduct a service weekly, promising help '•if help was needed; for, as many of our people do where we--have no representation, he was prepared to work heartily with the local church, not to make Baptists, _ but Christians, a distinction your correspondent does not seem to understand! A monthly service was promised, Itut feeling such, to be inadequate, some very successful barn services were instituted, which led to the erection of the- Gospel Hall, where the same success resulted. It seems strange that after a practical refusal to hold a weekly service they should begin a young > people's meeting on a Sunday evening and vigorously canvass the district on its behalf, refusing a. request from Mr Jefcoate to hold it on a week night. Tho fact is that from the commencement of the barn services a " pin-prick "' policy toward Mr Jefcoato has been pursued, and! innuendoes such as " Your Own " has uttered have been very frequent. If the present condition of things had obtained seven years ago the hall had never been erected. Its erection, however, has led to greatly increased activity by the church locally. Mr T. Jefcoato is leaving the district shortly, and, with the consent of tho trustees, has handed the building over to the nearest Baptist Church, by which it will be removed and worked. It is greatly to be regretted that sincere efforts to do good should meet with such petty and spiteful persecution, of which the remaxka in. question are a specimen. It is time that such bigotry and intolerance were relegated*. to the limbo of the past. — I am, ate.

ALLAN POOLE.

Invercargill, April 26.