CHURCH AND POLITICS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1054, 17 February 1911, Page 2

CHURCH AND POLITICS.

■ . Sir,—Believing that we need ijcod. rnon I in PiHiament, . whether they are.Gatholio > or < Protestant, it is with- regTet that I . read of Uie formation 6f a Roman ; Catholio Political League, which is likely to rouse religious hatred and to effectively block any Catholid from entering Parliament. Those who love their country desire to see the Best men in Parliament; &nd those who love religious freedom desire to see no man-barred because of his faith.- Many years' residence in New Zealand has convinced me that there is ho such thiiig as a solid Protestant or Catholic vote. This vote can only, be called into being by attacking the other iide. Attack the Kothiri- Catholics and you create, not a solid Protestant vot£, but a solid Catholic vote, and vice versa.. Although a loyal Ptbtestant, I have voted both for and, against Catholic candidates. The only.', thins, the Catholio League will succeed in doing is to hamper the chances of any Roman Catholic candidate. The Catholic population is slightly over H ■per cent, of the • community. The most hysterical of cn£s is not likely to rally more than 12 per cent.: You nave over 85 per rent. non-Catholics, a very large percentage of whom will bo antagonised oy. beating . the "drum. eCclcs." for . political purposes and will vote against any Catholic.' This movement is only likely to cause alarm among Protestants, who at once, in all the smaller places,' will tabulate the number of Mom an Catholics employed in-'Government Departments and haj;e fears lest a sinister work is going on in staffing the police, post office, etc., with Catholics. 'Do the leaders '.of this movement supnosfl that a Cathdiic Prohibitionist willreceive-the support of the 'Catholio publicans? - I will put the case thus: If" the Catholics who don't agree with his politics will not support their co-religionist, and Protestants who do ngTee, because of this movement, are frightened to Support him, what chande dees a Koman: Catholic "stand? It wire wisA for the Bishobs to take warning from the history of ,France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and not to bring -his small percentage of people into antago&ism with, such & , preponderating i proportion of the voters by. erecting a religious barrier in polities. Let us labour together for ■ tho welfare of the Dominion, whether Protestant or Catholic, believer or nod-believer, iach respecting the honest conviction of the other, neither side attempting inquisition or persecu; tion.—l ail, etc., ' • FEED, H. BOYS. Methodist Minister. , Eawera. .