The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday Morning. Thursday, July 25, 1889. “FOOLS RUSH IN.”

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume III, Issue 329, 25 July 1889, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday Morning.

Thursday, July 25, 1889. “FOOLS RUSH IN.”

Be just and fear not; Let all the encls thou aim’st at be thy country a, Thy God’s, and truth’s.

It is difficult to know whether to be amused, or to treat seriously, the ludicrous attempts of certain meddling parsons to drag religious controversies into the question of Home Rule for Ireland. In Auckland a few days ago “ one of the largest and most successful gatherings ” which have been held there for years past took place in connection with the Orangemen’s celebration. The speakers were the Rev. Scott West, the Rev. A. J. Smith, the Rev. Mr Laycock, the Rev. J H. Simmonds, Mr Baker (late of Wellington), and Mr Farrell. In other words, out of six speakers four were parsons, and of the other two speakers one could not claim to be an Aucklander. These foolish people seem to have no conception of the danger of dragging religious controversies into the discussion of a question which can only be settled satisfactorily by the exercise of great wisdom and regard for what is right and just. If ministers of religion, in the gospel which they preach, find no higher teaching, or nobler aims, than to strive to set sect against sect, then it is time they chose another calling in which they would find no such temptation, or at any rate would not be constituted an authority as they are now by virtue of their holy office. Nothing has done the cause or religion more harm than the bitter feeling that is sometimes worked up between those who have different views as to which is 'the right road to heaven. It has been said that the colonies do not want the strife on the Home Rule question imported from the Old Country, but as we have previously said, no one is doing so much to exalt the mission of the Irish delegates into one of great importance as those who are making such foolish protests against it. Just to show the utter ridiculousness of the meeting at Auckland, we may give a few illustrations. The first parson that spoke (Rev. Scott West) hoped they would live up to so grand a creed as love to God and love to man. The Rev. J. A. Smith followed He said “ he was suffering from a bad cold, and would, have been absent, butthat he was not to be silenced by newspaper attacks. They had secret enemies working in the community, as well as open ones.” What martyrdom and love to God and man are expounded in those few lines I The Rev. Mr Laycock said there were some in Auckland, Protestant in name, but Popish at heart, but he would say no more in case he got into the grip of the Fox. The Rev. J. H, Simmonds thanked Orangemen for what they had done to guard and defend the public school system, and keep its foes from breaking it down, and bring in sectarian and denominational education. He hoped they would still keep to that mission.

The beautiful Christian spirit that is shown by these worthy exponents of the “ love to God and love to man” gospel, is set out with such unmistakeable distinctness that comment is not necessary. The resolutions passed are slightly mixed up, and give evidence that they were framed during an outburst of enthusiasm, but they may well be added, for no earnest Home Ruler could have made such a good point in his own favor as these meddling parsons have made,for him. The resolutions would make good items for a nursery scrapbook, and are given in their order:— That we, the Orangemen of Auckland, and Protestant friends assembled here this 12th of July evening, being fully convinced that if Home Rule were granted to Ireland the extermination of Protestants would to a great measure be the result, and the allegiance of the remaining people would be to Rome, instead of to our Most Gracious Queen, deprecate any and all attempts made and that are making to have such a law as Homs Rule for Ireland passed by the British Parliament, and we hereby pledge our unswerving loyalty to ths Crown and Constitution of Great Britain and Ireland as sstablishsd by law on January Ist, 1800. That having taken cognisance of the Government of Lord Salisbury, and the manner in which he has conducted the affairs of the United Kingdom since his accession to power, and considering the difficulties himself and his Executive had, and still have, in governing the people of Ireland, caused by party politicians, we convey to him and his Government our hearty appreciation of their services, and trust that their efforts to ameliorate the condition of the inhabitants of that distracted and disaffected Island may be crowned with success.