A DIVIDED CHURCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2856, 9 December 1908, Page 14

A DIVIDED CHURCH.

■CHARGES OR RITUALISM.

MIXISTjSR IN DEFENCE.

(Fjroic Our Own Coßfi»SPOia)Einr.) AUCKLAND,- November 30. M>. Paul's Anglican Ohureb was pack*d to the doors laa-t ni^ht jto hear the Vicar the Rev. C. A. B. Watson, defend himself agaiast the charges of ritualism, winch" mi connection w.th one OT two other matters, brought about the resignation of three vestrymen. ' • At the recent Pan- Anglican Congress the reunion of, Christendom had been. largely discussed, said the Vicar, but from many qjwurteis ihe CSrurch might be met wath the reply, ♦' Physician, >heaJ thveetf," for in .that Church itaelf there were general , *choohs of thought— the High Church for its will, *he Broad Church for its intellect, and the Irow Church for its -affections,— all representing tbe ideas *nd aspirations <rf various types j but whether High, Broad, «n Low Church they were ' all banded together for on* common aim c , and will, ,owr yhdcih theme owfld -be aso argument. He himself Tree a man of jffiirh „ Church tendencies, and he claimed that 0 • every .geanine - Sigh Churchman -who c understood his posifcioin at all was the 1 widest and broadest and most -tolerant s Churchman of them all. He might go I j mto a Low Church and feel terribly sad- * dened by what to him might ©OOTetrmee ' seem gross irreverence, but it was for , him to remember the saying " lave and let Xv«," ai »d say to himseli, "I jnust be . widely tolerant of .things which do hat f generally appeal to me as conducing to . the dignity^ of woanßhip." So far as he 1 (the speaker) was concerned, hds ideals and " hopes w«ne simply to dischauge iis responsibilities of oaring for the souls of , the men and women in that parish. He 3 <tid not wish to oust from that house of I God any womshipper anor allow any one t party— H^gh, Broad, or Low Cfcasrch in their ideas— to -dictate, to the aest, bdt im -wished them ±0 understand Ms iw^ ©f ( looking at things. As one bioHght vp in very Lw .Church ideas he oonid sym- . pathise with every school of ihoß^bt in . the Church of England. Be wanted tftsm to be at peace .among themselves, and . he wanted them to real** that they oosdd not expect ittdividßal members of tbhe oongregetion to see eye to ey«e and agree ■to the keeping «£ e^Bry outward foam. "Let -us «wwr up 4he tmrrom epimtasiity and regard it only as an expression of tibe moving of *he soul," urged th© «peafcer. "J m&aeM am in a difficult fw«tion," continued the rev. gentleman, *'iSar "3 ever a man "fought ' against .coming to the charge of yoiiu: church I «bd. I Taieed every objection, serious and trisial, n««t to come, for I recognised that my ideas would probably not appeal to everyone. I asked,, 'Is it lair that I sbonld fo to that parish, holding all the views do on what *re called ritnal and on the great temperance question? Is it iair to ask me to go tihere? I can't go"?' -And it was answered to me that if I -did no* oome I should be failing in my duty ami the call of God. What could I do? Jfcnd it dfi because I think I came here at *be call of God in its mysterious, .prominence that I am speakdrbg to you here to-nigfat; and I oan leave thij« parish to-morrow as- - when I oame here, so that 1 feel sore iiaifc as vicar of God I have done my duty to the best of my power and abdirtv. xb matters not to me whether I am in St. "Paul's parish or in ihe poorest parish in New Zealand 6© that I am doing my duty. I was told when I came that I should meet with 4 tremendous prejudice on. the questions of ritual and temparanoe, but I knew what I was coming to.. I foresaw the talk of >a falling off in offertories and the cutting <k>w-n ef my stipend; but I did not come here to make myself popular. Let me gain your respect, and » time your confidence, and I will be content. Popularity Ido not desire. I had rwther , speak the truth as I believe & and «» I hold it to ten or twenty poopl# than speak pretty things and eloquent nothings to 1 packed congregations. In my former parish I had all the altar candies tit at every communion service, I had the processional cross at all marriages and funerals, and my people loved 1 me, and we were happy. When I came here I asked anybody who had 'the slightest difficulty to approve my methods to come and ccc me at the vicarage, and so far as I can recollect never a v«sfcyH*an. or one worshipper has raised a syliftble •! «bjection. The first I knew of it was when it was stated by- someone in the psperv Was that cert of thiog fair? " As to *h« processional cross, continued the Vkwr, he did not force that upon the congregation. It was presented to the parish by a son of one of the oldest parishioners 1 with a, request that it be used. In respect to the opinion of his warden, he (the Vicar) had not used it at ordinary services, but it was tacitly agreed that it should be used at baptismal and children's services. "I am told that I am teaching the young people ritual," continued the Vicar. "I am teaching them to he reverent and wish them to knowhow to express reverence. It is a thing which you would all do if you passes before the throne of King Edward. How much more meek is it to bow your head) before the throne of the King of Kings. I am responsible for my teaching, not to any congregation or to any vestry, but to my 'btehop, end to God, to whom. on the judgment day I must give account as one called to watch over your soulp, and for the love of God and for the love of this spiritual Church do not alloif those pitiful, poor matters of difference to develop into acrimonious dispute." Regarding finance, the Rev. Mr Watson said that ±!60 -was required to meet current liabilities, and they required 30s to £2 weekly additional to keep thongs going.

A local clergyman who solemnised * wedding at Masterton a few days ago found (aaye the Wjtirarapa Daily Times), directly after the ceremony, no less than seven infants in the same house waiting to be christened*