A NEW ST. MATTHEW'S
(To the Editor.) Sir, As a parishioner of St. Matthews, I have received a circular appeal for a contribution to the earthquake rebuilding fund. In this circular. the loss of the church is described as a terrible blow. I consider that statement to be an exaggeration, and I am not in the least way affected by the recent splurge of sentiment about St. Matthew's, old or new, which has appeared in your correspondence columns.
As for the old church, I was never comfortable in it and more than once expressed the opinion that it would never stand up to a shock of anything from 8 to 10 on the Rossi-Forel scale, while as for the proposed new one, this is hardly the time to embark on such a venture, and I blush to think that the raising of £12,000 will be accomplished only too easily. What would have happened if some public spirited citizen of Masterton had sent out a call for £12,000 for the relief of distress in 1930?
Mrs Fletcher suggests the erection of an edifice, apparently in the centre of the business area of Masterton, as a monument to the spirit. I am afraid this good lady is living in another age. If a new church is to be built, then let it be indeed a monument to the spirit, a simple structure. innocent of gaudy vestments and with an atmosphere free of mincing words, where men and women of all religious denominations could retire for quiet prayer and meditation at any time. Such a structure would be more in keeping with the trends and thoughts of the majority of people today. Alternatively, the £12,000 which is now being raised might be put to the purchase of medical and other immediate necessities. Yours, etc.,
Masterton, July 28.
LUX.