LETTERS SENT TO THE PRESS

Sir, The taunt contained in your note appended to my last will doubtless pass off with considerable eclat with that portion of your readers whose love of personality stands in the way of their distinguishing between a man - a building and a principle. But notwithstanding your extreme que about such references others will set down your mode as anything but fair and honourable. By your own acknowledgment you are dropping into the discussion of a most important public question matter that serves as an argumentum ad hominem and charging "a glaring abuse in the working of a system, as you are pleased to call it, upon an individual. What else can you mean when you say 'The force of the article which he styles as being the question no one can tell better than himself; to him the application must have been palpable enough in fact an argumentum ad hominem" If I misinterpret I shall be glad to be set right. That you have an undue advantage over those who oppose you in your own columns no one will question, and that you are making use of it in an invidious direction will be equally to a candid mind.

As a case in point you direct the attention of the public to the building on the Township and inform them that is known better as a Church than a School. But you forget to say also that if they will take the trouble to cast their eye above the door they will soon be undeceived. For there is a stone engraved "Wesleyan School 1854" and nothing else. It is also convenient for you to overlook the fact that by far the larger portion of the cost has been defrayed by the congregation with the distinct understanding that while it was to be a school they might also there worship God, when it could not possibly be required for school purposes until such time as they would be able to erect a distinct chapel.

But what you principally insinuate is that the hope of continuing to raise churches by the aid of educational grants "is the main spring of the opposition of many of the clergy" to the National system. And that your correspondant is intended to be instanced as one of such clery is plain. Allow me therefore most emphatically and indignantly to repudiate motives so grovelling and selfish.

To those who conclude from your remarks that we are more concerned to prop up the Denominational System because of the aid it affords to erect churches, rather than from a sincere desire to promote the best education we submit the following facts: - In one place viz the Township we have erected a School House aided by a Denominational School grant. This building we use pro tem just as we might use a for a Divine service on the Sabbath. During the year an average of 70 children have been receiving a sound secular education. In three places viz Gravel Pits - Mount Pleasant and we have built Chapels at a cost of £1000 without aid from the Denominational Board. Hence the public have no claim upon these as schools. But during the year an average of 200 children have received education. In my last I said the use of schools as churches is by no means a constituent element of the Denominational system. You beg to differ and maintain it is. That it is not I submit the fact that in Geelong and other places we have School Houses devoted as exclusively to the purposes of education as the National Schools - But they are none the less Denominational Schools.

I repeat the arrangement is only a matter of expediency to meet a temporary exigency. In confirmation of this I supply you with the information connected with the case you point out on the Township. That when the Wesleyan erected it they never intended it as their permanent church hence its dimensions ( to meet their want) its style of architecture etc.

If you will only have patience with us a little longer we will remove the eyesore and gratify you by employing you to chronicle the opening of a bona fide Wesleyan Chapel in the Township of Ballarat when the building in question shall become a school and nothing but a school. And that as a Body we are prepared in all time to come to work our way without aid for buildings from the Denominational Funds. But we will not give up our principles on Education. Rather than the children shall be left to the tender mercies of the tardy Nationalists for instruction we will open chapels for schools in every place.

I am etc

Sir:

When application was made for the use of the Mount Pleasant Chapel for the 9th of Oct I understood the object to be the advocacy of the Claims of Temperance.

I have since been informed that was to raise funds for the liquidation of the debt upon the Temperance Hall Bakery Hill.

I must say that I am deeply sorry and greatly surprised that such advantage should have been taken of the occasion; for waiving the fact that the Temperance Hall is private property I have to remind you that it is contrary to our own practice to make collections in one chapel for the liquidation of debts upon others.

I thoroughly disapprove of the proceeding and am the more surprised because that the real object of the meeting was witheld from me when the application was made for the use of the building.

It will save future misunderstanding to inform you that we cannot sanction the use of any of our chapels for such an object.

I am etc.

Mr Balten's reply enclosing the above.

"Mr W.H. Balten Secretary of the Ballarat Total Abstinence Society begs to inform the Rev T.T. that the enclosed note which has been handed to him is a matter of great astonishment to him. W.H.B. can assure Mr T that neither he nor any of the Committee of the B.T.A.S. have every applied for or made use of the Mt P. Chapel, save as visitors to the Mt P Branch of the T.A.S. W.H.B. would therefore refer Rev Mr T. to Mr T.P. Clark Sec of the Mt Pl Society who will doubtless be able to answer the charges contained in Rev Mr Ts letter.

Mr W.H. Balten as a Shareholder of the Temperance Hall Bakery Hill is prepared at any time when properly called upon to do so to answer the insinuation of the Rev T.T. as to the said Hall being private Property.

W.H.B. wishing to give an immediate answer begs to apologise for the bad paper and worse writing."

Oct 11th

Mr Taylors reply to above

Mr T. informs Mr Balten that the enclosed note is sent to him merely as Secty of the B.T.A. Society that he in the discharge of his duties may lay it before the Committee for their information and not to call forth any offensive personal feeling from Mr Balten.

Mr Balten may assure himself that Mr Taylor would not trouble to write to him but in such capacity.