OPEN RIDICULE

Otago Witness, Issue 2546, 31 December 1902, Page 44

OPEN RIDICULE

by the Presbyterian minister of Stellenbosch. In St. Andrew's Presbyterian) Church, Capetown, the Rev. Mr Davies was reported to the public press to have said that there was " more of the spirit of Christ in a recent speech of Mr Rhodes than in all the sermons preached from the pulpits of the Dutch Reformed Church dur- ■ ing the last 12 jnonths." In Scotland the Dutch Reformed Church was nnjustly condemned in no sparing terms by the Rev. Dr Stewart, of Lovedale, then occupying tho position of Moderator of the Free Church, who might have known, and should have known, that his statements were not in accordance with facts, and that bitterness would be the result of his language. And when, in the interests of peace, a deputation, among whose members were two of.our most; prominent ministers, visited Great Britain, they encountered, in Scotland especially, coldness and opposition such as they, had never anticipated. In vain did we look in our time of trouble for some opinion and manly protest on the part of our Presbyterian brethren against slander, and in vindication of right. In vain did we expect from those who Itnow us in the past some practical expression of fellowship - in our distress. NO WORD OF SYMPATHY ..- or goodwill was spoken ; no attempt at. removing misunderstanding or disproving calumnity was made. Jtfo advice tendered in kindness reached our ears. ,-In .a- word, no genuine endeavour waa ("apparent- to __ understand the difficuliries of our position. The Presbyterian Churches, both here and .■USroad, remained silent. Nay, more *•' instead of fellow feeling there was indifference instead of sympathy; there was apathy instead of that charity which thinketh no evil. ' There was within open condemnation of what at best was but imperfectly understood, and when we speak of sympathy it must be token to mean syn>patUy -with -us in our suffering as a. Church. We did not expect our Scottish brethren to see eye to eye with us regarding political questions. What we did expect, and still consider we had a right to expect, was sortie open protest against the manner in^ which, the war was conducted. Some vigorous ' remonstrance, for example, at the reckless and purposeless destruction of churches and parsonages by fire and dynamite, the "removaJ of Oommtmion plata 'and ether church valuables, and the burning of ministers' libraries and church registers. When we make these charges we do nofl mean to imply, brethren, that the Churches of Scotland as such" are responsible • for the state of affairs that prevailed-, or, that they approved by official acts or decisions the things of which we complain ; but this we feel impelled to say, that we were sorely grieved at the indifference of our Scotch brethren to the suffering which we were enduring and at the failure on their part to investigate patiently GRAyB ACCUSATIONS which are laid to our charge. Moreover, we regret your not having. been sent sooner, brethren., to' convey to us as you new- do the cordial greetings of your Churches,-' and the assurance of their progress for the peace and prosperity of the -Dutch Reformed! Church. You will not take amiss our 'saying when we assure you that our only object ingoing bo is to enable you to gauge the feeling' of manyamongat our people by pointing out the causes of their deeply-felt grievances. As for the future, it is impossible to anticipate or to predict what it will reveaL At Johannesburg you have expressed eentiments of goodwill and your sincere desjre to resume the fraternal relations, which existed aforetime. In" Scotland the brethren of the Established Church cherish the hop** that the result of the visit of their representatives will be to strengthen the ties which unite their Church and ours and .to promote the highest spiritual interest' of South Africa. While the United "Free Church assures us of her brotherly desire to co-operate with us, as far aa in her power, in building up the Kingdom of Christ in> South Africa, whether your desire for cooperation is shared by other sections of Presbyterianism in South Africa 'remains to ba seen. Judging from certain recent developments, it appears to us that -co-opera-tion is neither needed nor desired. Engliehspoaking Presbyterian congregations hayp lately been established and conducted in our midst in a spirit of distinct antagonism to our own WORK AND INFLUENCE. Moreover, opinion has been publicly expressed that similar congregations should be multiplied in South Africa', not primarily for the spiritual good of the members of the congregations, but for the special benefit! of the Dutch-fepeaking members of our Church, whose political creed happens for. the time being to differ from that of their fellow-members. Co-operation in such cases can hardly be needed, much less desired. Much would assuredly be gained were the Churches you represent to "do their "best in order to remove misunderstanding and to foster that epirit of forbearance and mutual regard for which we have been pleading. We therefore welcome your visit to South Africa in the hope that the Presbyterian Churches which you represent may be led to think more kindly and justly in the future of the Church to which you have now extended the right hand of Christian fellowship. We conclude by once more expressing our regret at our inability to meet you in an official capacity, since our synod is only to assemble in the course of next year* Any proposals from yourselves' or from the Churches you represent in the direction indicated in the letters you have presented; will be gladly received and laid before our synod in order to be officially discussed. The Reformed Church has made a demand on the Government for property despoiled during the war, and this claim is likely to be allowed. In the pastoral letter to all congregations drawn up by the synod reference is made to the 6in against God and man that some of their people_ were guilty of in taking up arms against their own kith and kin, and which called for deep contrition on the part of such before they could be permitted to partake of the Sacravment.

A school of whales was observed from the steamer Warrimoo on the 23rd when the vessel was about 150 miles from the New Zealand coast. Regulations have been put into effeoi by the Commonwealth Defence Department providing for the amalgamation of the exist' ing engineer units in «,he different States.^ — The population of London is liiix taller and 81b heavier, on an average, than, the people . of Hertfordshire ; but m Scotland farm hands are found to excel m height and weight by more than that jmuOJUft ih* £OXLUbvtiOA fif J&l&ftKO-ffW