OBSERVANCE OF ANZAC DAY

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24955, 16 August 1946, Page 5

OBSERVANCE OF ANZAC DAY

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ATTITUDE

A minute was read at the meeting of the Presbytery of Christchurch on Wednesday concerning the controversy over the question of Anzac Day observance. The minute said: “The Presbytery notes that representations have been made by the Roman Catholic Church to the executive of the Returned Services’ Association with regard to the Anzac Day observances arranged by the association. The Roman Catholic Church desires (1) that no minister of any other church should take part either in conducting the observance or in giving an address, even if a returned chaplain, and (2) that there should be no reading from the Bible and no offering of prayer, even by a layman.

“The Presbytery also notes that these representations have not been made because of any other reason than the sectarian attitude of the Roman Catholic Church in refusing to permit its people to join in worship with other Christians. “The Anzac Day observances have proved a widely valued opnortunity for offering our common thanksgiving to God for His deliverances, and for expressing our respect for and remembrance of the fallen, in the Christian hope of the Life Everlasting. The Presbytery considers that no iorm of observance which omits these elements is at all adequate to the occasion and it believes that this conviction is shared by the majority of the community. “The Presbytery, therefore, expresses the hope that the authorities of the Roman Catholic Church may yet accept the invitations to participate that have been extended to them.

“It also expresses the general approval of the arrangements that have been made in the past by the Christchurch branch of the R.S.A. in arranging the civic services. It would strongly urge the branch in its consideration of future observances, that the present form should not be altered as suggested, but that adequate expression should be given to the Christian convictions of the community.” The Rev. J. Stewart, reported for the Presbytery’s public questions committee on the subject of Anzac Day observances, and said: “It is an attempt by one church to prevent the community from giving any common expressiorj> of its religious convictions. If we acquiesced to this point of view there is no knowing where it would lead, and we could not object to a claim that we should give up all forms of common expression to our faith. In arranging the services on Anzac Day the Returned Services’ Association is acting as trustee for the whole community.” The minute was carried unanimously.