A SACRED BELIEF

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 47, 23 February 1917, Page 7

A SACRED BELIEF

"TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Your correspondent; "A Soldier's Wife," who writes in to-night's Evening Post, in reply to the letter .by Eev. Father Taylor, has .let her feelings run away with her logic. She takes.one rather at a disadvantage, for who can help respecting and honouring- a woman, who can lay claim to that noble title

"A Soldier's Wife".?' All honour to her and to the many others who share that distinction with. her. ■ ■

Nevertheless, your correspondent^, though justly entitled. to her own feelings, seems totally incapable of appreciating, the point of view, of other people.' ;. She! asks Father Taylor " if he imagines . that our brave soldiers are lowered by the..supreme sacrifices they have made?" The question really needs no answer,l for where is the man who fails to see that, by such sacrifices our. brave boys, beyond the seas, have raised themselves to a pinnacle, of fame, from which! nothing j can ever, dethrone them? But the Catholic argument claims that the priest's ,'character arid.'.. functions are , sa,cred, that, they'deal not with the body.thai;, may be filain; but with the soul that is immortol—and that that character andthose functions have been recognised by the rulers ■of our Empire; who . have based their exemption of priests on those; very grounds: ,:■ i

A more emphatic answer must be given to your correspondent's second, question: "Does he think it is any less, abhorrent for a. mother to think of her--;fa"ii\ young; sons .dipping their hands; in. the blood of their fellowmen"? .Thou- . sands of Irish and Catholic mothers have sent their sons to fight ■ for New Zealand, and tliey assuredly do not relish. : the thought 'of . their boys shedding ■ human, blood.. ..But I'leel that .1 speak for every one of those thousands, .wiien ■I-say. that the thought would be a hundred times; more abhorrent' to: them if=~ .their.sons ..were priests. ..You, see,. Sir; "A Soldier's .Wife'!.-cannot, understandtins point of view of Catholics. Let.he? differ from them; .but let her. respaSl what is for them not a mere opinioffi,but.a sacred belief, which not a btsa- '• ;: dred._Conscr?!jtion.Acts nor, a .thousaaS-: I Prussian methods of coercion can "ever upset.-—I am, etc. i ■ ; :':.:, ' - V .. 22na. Isaxi^:'';^::^:^r*J^^,:::