NEW PRAYER BOOK.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 96, 24 April 1928, Page 8

NEW PRAYER BOOK.

OPPOSITION BY THE P.P.A.

ANGLO-CATHOLICS ASSAILED.

ADDRESS BY REV. MR ELLIOTT.

With the exception of the upper gallery and the chairs in the vicinity of the organ, every scat was occupied in the Town Hall last evening, the occasion being an address entitled, "The Revision »f ti:o I'layer Book and Protestantism; What Does it Mean?" by the Rev. How aid Elliott, national organiser for the I'rotestant Political Association.

In introducing the speaker, Mr. A. J. Siallworthy, president of the local branch, .said that he was indeed glad to ace that "this great audience reveals to us that the heart of the city of Auckland is sound on Protestantism."

At the outset of his remarks, Mr. Elliott referred to the fact that members were not paying their subscriptions. Iho P.P.A. cotild not go 011 fighting for its principles without funds.

Mr. Elliott proceeded to castigate the newspapers for their attitude in regard to sectarianism, and alleged they were biased.

Mr. Elliott then went on with his address on the subject advertised. He said he did not wish it to be understood that any remarks he might pass would be a reflection on the Church of England. Ho wished to make that very plain, because it had been said that he had attacked that Church. There was, however, a section of the clergy who were traitors to their vows and the Church which they served. (Applause.) It was against that section and that movement he would speak without any abatement of condemnation.

Air. Elliott referred to the revision of the Prayer Book, and asserted that prayers for the dead meant "masses for money," and this led to immense sums of money going into the hands of the priests. While referring to the suggested changes in the Sacraments, Mr. Elliott castigated Dean Barnett and Bishop Cherrington, of Waikato, for their views, and alleged that the latter, because of those views, had no right to hold office in the Church. (Applause.) The "alternative services" meant that the prayers for the King would be dropped, for the Anglo-Catholics did not believe that King George was head of the Church of England on earth. When those responsible realised the storm of protest they had caused, then they had decided to replace the prayers, "provided you let us dress up and do what we want to with the Sacrament." After tracing the history of the English Prayer Book, Mr. Elliott said to-day the Anglo-Catholics proposed that all should be changed, and they hoped to bring back all those doctrines of the Church of Rome. He gave his listeners an elaborate history of the AngloCatholic movement, and said those responsible for it during the last 94 years were 1 trying their , best to re-introduce the "Romish methods of religion." In conclusion, he advocated that the revised Prayer Book should be discarded.