MILITARY EXEMPTIONS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2985, 24 January 1917, Page 4

MILITARY EXEMPTIONS

Sir—l wish to make some reply to recent correspondents in your paper who have complained of the light of Catholic priests to claim exemption, from military service. If jour correspondents are agnostics or infidels, I ask them straight'out if they have, stf ; far, made the sacrifice for the wcjfavo of their fellowmen that the Catholic, priests have? A sacrifice that enables, them (the priests) to give themselves ' with greater zeal ana disinterested-!, ness to the greatest of all causes, God; and their fellow'men, and it is that sacrifice that brings all that are under age into the military ballot. Let them j throw stones when they stand on equal ground. If they wish, by sending the clergy, to blot out the lights of Heaven, let them think of the French statesmen who attempted the same thing;, and finally had to turn to the despised ones to create in their army that spirit of enthusiasm -that will nover bo denied, and they had to call upon the faithful disciples of those' clerics to lead their brave armies towards a glorious victory., I take it, sir, i that, for a believer,, ia true Chris- ; turn's spirit is a nation's greatest' asset; it is that which gives strength and virility, true courage, and honesty. and tho clergy are necessary for tins work to keep our nation sound ab heart. Could their place bo taken by laymen? In tho Catholio Church—no. For a Catholic priest is a man speci- ■ ally set apart, and trained for his work, and this training and preparation is a matter of some years; and then he is consecrated to his life's work by tho Sacrament of Holy Orders.^ Tho clergy believe they are doing their best for tho country by attending to their own work, and will riot be disturbed by sneers, or criticisms levelled at them by comfortable and self-complacent critics. —I am. etc., PATRIOT.