THE MOTHERS' UNION.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18682, 4 May 1926, Page 11

THE MOTHERS' UNION.

to the zditos. or 'THE press." Sir. —Mrs Roberts has done well to publish L3dy Fergusson's letter. It is to be hoped that tho Church of England Mothers' Union will welcome the formation of an undenominational union. Such a union by its very existence will show that tho Chun h of England when she is true to herself can never bo one of the denominatious. They are non-episcopal, they have no Confirmation, they date as societies from the sixteenth century, while the Church is, well, just the Church. We do not think that their leaders object to these statements or think them unkind, because they are their accepted principles. And, as Ladv Fergusson says, tho undenominational union ma> uphold the sanctity of marriage in some way but not the way of tho Church. A little time ago, 1 counted two Presbyterian ministers among my personal friends, one has since left Cliristchurch. They will not think me any the less ' friendly if I say that they marrieo I jxrople whom I refused to marry because; they were divorced. The Mothers' I I'nion, in England at all events, has been steadily against divorce and remarriage. It is tho Church's way of upholding the sanctity of marriage. The new union may havo other methods. Rut if the Church of England Mothers' Union will welcome the distinction which is to bo drawn !x?t\vccn tho Church and the denominations in this matter, it should also recognise a distinction in the matter of education. With charity and tolerance but with unwavering firmness it should object to the proposal to introduce undenominationalism into tho State schools. Religious liberty in this new country is in peril. It is proposed to have a State religion which shall bo undenominational. To say tho i.ord's Prayer without explaining it, to read a passage of Scripture without comment—what could be more undenominational? If this iiiirlpnominationalisra h established it will bo unjust to thousands of Anglicans.,all Romans, and to many others for various reasons. The Mothers' Union ought to stand for the instruction of each child in the religion its parents desire by a teacher accredited by the Church or the denomination, he represents, lay or clerical, if possible in school hours. If the Government is enlightened and not reactionary it will have nothing to do with the adoption of any one sort of religion on its own.

It seems unfair to say these things in the" pulpit when there can be no reply and not say. them above one's name in your hospitable columns, especially wheu thev concern the whole community: but if the past has left us an unhappy legacy of religious controversy, we ousht, in these days at least, to conduct it in a Christian spirit and without bitterness.—Yours, etc. CHARLES PIORRY. St. Michael's, May 3rd.