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Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1415, 24 December 1887, Page 2

We consider that the remarks recently made by the Hon. Mr Scotland iv the Legislative Council respecting the clergy of the Colony were moat uncalled for. As a class, the New Zealand clergy compare more than favourably with the clergy of any other country ; for no one will refuse to acknowledge their sincerity and industry. In the course of the Bble-m-Schoola debate, Mr Scotland said that the hand of the clergy was to be found at the bottom of all the movements on this subject. They knew the young people of the Colony were slipping away from them, because religion had become such a worldlyminded thing in tho colonies that the riding generation had lost all confidence in its leaders. Ministers all over the Colony conformed too much to the world, thq flush, and the devil, and ttfere was no vital Chris ianity in any church throughout New Zealand, and the churches had to appeal to the senses, as was evident from the frequency of b»z iars, fancy fairs, and' organ recitals. But tbe fact was that the clergy had to enter into competition with the press of the colony— which he df scribed as an infidel press— in order to keep the young folk within the fold.— We agree with the hon. gentleman that religion has become in a very great measure " a worldly* minded thing" among manyardentchurchgoers; but to level such a sweeping charge at the clergy as a class ia like accusing New Zealand politicians as a body of honesty and unselfishness. It is true that (he churches have occasionally to appeal to the senses as a meau3 of raising money, which, perhaps, is bad ; but if the churches lud to rely on the spontaneous liberality of such hit»h-minded Christians as the Hon. Mr Scotland appears to be, matters would be very much worse. Sir Frederick Whitaker hit the mark in respect of Mr Scotland's capacity as a legislator in the course of a debate on Friday evening. Mr Scotland had said that no constituency would elect Sir Frederick because he knew too much ; and the hvter, speaking later on, assured the House that no constituency would elect Mr Scotland for the opposite reason— because he knew too little.