THE CHURCH IN THE TAVERN.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3141, 7 March 1871, Page 2

THE CHURCH IN THE TAVERN.

♦ TO THE BDITOE OF THE IKDEPBNDENT. Sir, — Your Kangifcikei "Own Correspondent," who I have no doubt is a very honest gentleman, tells your readers in his letter in Saturday's Independent that " Marton is the chief centre of a large and populous district ; that it is growing in importance daily, and will soon be the principal town between Wanganui and Wellington." It is very satisfactory, however, to learn that tbe people of Marton are not entirely absorbed by the " growing importance" of thftir town. Your correspondent tells us further that they have such faith in their district that they are going to build two churches at their own coat and expenses, " out of their own pockets," as he expresses it. So the people of Marton are not only prosperous but pious, which it is extremely satisfactory to learn, because here in Wellington we have many prosperous people who are not pious at all. Your correspondent, however, has a dark side to his picture. Marton may be' entirely prosperous, but it is not entirely pious. He says a resident magistrate and a policeman are very much wanted, as well as the isro ohurcheß ; for " the scenes which sometimes occur in Marton when men are flush of money; received for harvesting- or other work, are a disgrace to a civilised community." Surely there must be eomething wrong in Marton. Let us read further and see if we can discover what it is. Ah ! I think I have found it out ! They have public houses at Marton — 'hat is just where it is. After blowing bis trumpet about the two churches that are to be, he tells us moat innocently, that " A meeting of the building committee of the Church of England was held at Ooleman's Hotel last night, and it was decided to proceed with the work vigorously." That is it. The reason why. this pious people of Marton cannot prevent their town from becoming at times a scene disgraceful to a civilised community is that their church committee meets at a public house. I suppose since the founders of Christianity began their arduous task of reforming fallen human nature, this is the first instance recorded of a church committee meeting at a public-house. I hope I shall not be thought profane if I ask whether the proceedings were opened with prayer, or terminated with "glasses round" — whether the olergyman or tha landlord presided — what toasts were proposed on the occasion — and whether hymns or the usual jocund strains about " not going home till morning," and all present " being jolly good fellows,' were the music of the evening. Marton, we* are told, is " a most prosperous place, the centre of a large and flourishing population, and going to be the biggest city between Wanganui and Wellington." Has it no town hall, or school room, or empty barn, or decent outhouse, that it Biust hold ita meetings at a public house ? Oh, Marton prosperous, but hardly piouß ! Seriously speaking (though, indeed, what I have written is serious too) do the good people who propose to build a Ohuroh of England at Marton not perceive their inconsistency in holding meetings in a public house ? The objeot of having a churoh is to fight the world, the flesh, and the devil. The best friend of tbe world, the flesh, and the devil, is the public house. Out of the same fountain there oannot flow sweet water and bitter. Christ and Belial ought not to be found under one sign, and that a public house sign. Poor hard-working fellows, "with pockets full of money, earned by harvesting and other work," turn Marton into a scene disgraceful to a civilized community ! Where does the Church Committee think they get the poison that maddens them, and makes their little town for the time a hell upon earth P Is it at the public houses, or is it not ? And if it is, what, ob, sagacious and pious committee, will be the good of your " vigorous" wort in tbe church-building line, inaugurated at a public house ? Do you wish to illustrate the old couplet, or rather take it as the guide of your condnot: "God's people never build a house of prayer, but straight the Devil has a tavern there." True, you don't build the tavern 5 you only hold your meetings there; but you use it, and you encourage it, well knowing that out of that and similar establishments comes she cause whioh oruins the bodies and souls of your fellow settlers, leads to scenes disgraceful to a civilised community, and utterly, destroys all the influence or' good of your churches, ohapels, and schools. You want a policeman at Marton also, do you, oh my friends? Yes and you will want one so long as you have public houses. But how often do you think that functionary would be wanted in your little town in a year if you had no public bouse? If you are wise, try the "effect of having none. But whatever you do, if you do not wish to make angels weep, and tl*e Devil go rejoicing home, don't jumble up your churoh work with public houses, nor believe that the great head of the Christian Churoh will ever preside over meetings held amid the fumea of the tap from which flows the fruitful source" of so much crime, vice, and human misery and destruction. —I am, &0., .» ConsistbKOY.

Artificial Butteb. — Apparently astonish- : ' ing as the idea is, tbe manufacture of artificial butter (faeurre artificie) is seriously ' oontom» plated in France. A Parisian contemporary states that M. Meye, pf Paris, has taken out a patent for the manufacture of artificial buiter, which, according to the journal in question, is to be used as a substitute for that ordinarily exported to England and Russia. The description of the process is that animal fat is subjected to great pressure, by which the stearine is extracted for making, candles, or bougies; an oily material being at the same time obtained, tbe composition of which is identical with that of butter. The question then arises, how is the taste of this " composition" to be rendered similar to . that of butter P M. Meye is quite equal to the ocoa^^ sion ; he says that he subjects the animaL^Hi to a succession of scientific processes and mvmp^ '■ pu)ations, the nature of which he explains at great length, and with marvellous ingenuity. He traceo the relations . t .of, unsophisticated grease to unsophisticated fai, and orowna the edifice in rare style, by showing* the precise identity of each with what he calls " butter," and indulges in the most sanguine antioipa » tions about the success of his " invention, -"• , 11 Food Journal." „,... \