COMPULSORY SERVICE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14759, 1 September 1913, Page 7

COMPULSORY SERVICE.

THE AUSTRALIAN SYSTEM. ATTITUDE OF THE CHURCHES. (By Cablo.—Pros. Association.—Copyright.) (Received August 31st, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, August 30. Bishop Frodsham, in the "Nineteenth Century," replies to the statements recently mado by tho Rev. Mr Richards, of Melbourne, concerning compulsory military service in Australia. Bishop Frodshaan admits that tho Society of Friends, the Congregationalists, and the Baptists havo passed condemnatory resolutions, but their opposition, he says, sometimes passed beyond what is usually associated with religious thought and even became super-political. They made excursions into naval and milita/ry science. Bishop Frodsham goes on to say that tho Baptists and Congrcgational'sts form 3.84 per cent, of the po2iulation against the Presbyterians', Methodists 1 and Anglicans' 65.89 por cent, or with the Roman Catholics, 84.45 per cent. Tlio fate of dissenting resolutions and tho passing of supporting motions in favour of compulsory servico in tlio Anglican, Piresbyterian, and Methodist Assemblies and Synods would lead to tho unavoidable conclusion that the bulk of religious thought in Australia, is in favour of defence. At tho annual meeting of tho National Service League in England, Bishop Frodsliam described the Australian military system, and said that tho prosecutions under tho Act were rather fewer than under the Public Instruction Acts. The majority of tho religious bodies in Australia favoured the. Act. Bishop Frodsham's remarks resulted in the itev. Mr Richards, of the Collins Street Congregational Church, Melbourne, writing to tho "Daily News" in reply, Mr Richards stating that a sinister feature of. Australian militarism was the association of tho Press and military authorities, by which a majority of the papers engaged in a conspiracy of silence regarding tho growing opnosition to the Defence Act. Mr Richards censured "the baleful influence of ecclesiastical Jingoes."