CROWDED GALLERIES

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 140, 15 June 1928, Page 9

CROWDED GALLERIES

SECOND DAY'S DEBATE CONTINUED (Heceived 15th Juno, noon.) LONDON, 14th June. The galleries in the House of Commons were again packed when the Prayer Book debate was resumed. Almost every fourth person in the gallery was a cleric, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops, and many Peers. Following the Home Secretary, Mr. Cyril Atkinson, K.C. (Con.) immediately threw the House into an uproar by stating that the campaign against the Prayer Book would go to history as a classical example of that advocacy which consisted of the abuse of one's opponent and misrepresentation. There wero loud cries of "Withdraw," and Mr. Atkinson was not permitted to proceed owing to rising disorder. Silence was only obtained when the Speaker rose and appealed to the House to give the member an opportunity of explaining. Mr. Atkinson: "I.am speaking of the campaign against the book. I don't know the extent to which tho Home Secretary is responsible, and make no charge of any want.of good faith, but the campaign itself is based on misrepresentation." Cries of "No." "This campaign is responsible for the baseless fears of many people," continued Mr. Atkinson. "Twenty-two years ago a Royal Commission said that tho law of public worship was too narrow, and needlessly condemned such things. Tho genesis of the new Prayer Book was this report. The book is the answer which the Church presents to tho demand of the Royal Commission. There is absolutely no doctrinal change. Tho demand for reservation camo not from the Anglo-Catho-lics, but from thoso who wanted it for tho sick and tho dying." PRICE OF NON-CONFORMITY. Mr. George 1?. Thome (Lib.) said that non-conformists had paid the price of their non-conformity, and let those contrary to tho feelings of the Church pay the same price. (Applause.) Those who could not obey the Church ordinances should have a church of their own. Very littlo of Sir William Joyn-son-Hicks's speech had any bearing on tho measure. If the speech had logically pursued the lead of driving out tho whole High Church Party from tho Church, if anybody was to leave, it would have been the Home Secretary, i because he is the person who does not agreo with the Church. Lord Hugh Cecil emphasised the al-

terations to tho measure to meet the criticisms of December. Thus, the inclusion of tho black rubric averted danger to thoso who had fears regarding the transubstantiation. Lord Hugh emphasised the policy of tho Bishops as the only possible one, and the provision of the appeal by tho laity to tho Bishops as a valuable safeguard. Mr. Arthur I'onsonby (Lab.) urged that, as the Church Aswimbly had passed tho book with a considerable majority, the Houso would bo acting wrongly in discharging ils duties by entering n discussion up/m tho Church's most sacred mysteries. Sir Robert Homo (Con.) said that, as a member of the Church of Scotland, ho was quite unprejudiced. To some extent the Bishops had brought the trouble on their own heads, because they had not taken action upon the very definite offences which tho Royal Commission had pointed out, but it was no longer possible to base a prosecution upon the old Prayer Book, [f thp new book is rejected there will be no authority upon which the Bishops could proceed, and two thousand AngloCatholics would be left with, absolute freedom to do what they wished. Sir. Robert added that for his part he declined t« say what form of worship members of the church of England must use when they wont on their knees before their Maker. ARCHAIC WORDING. Mr.-Winston Churchill (Con.) wish, ed to examine the question on a defin itoly securer angle. Personally he did not like the new Prayer tsook, and would feel bound to vote against it if presented separately, and he could do so without injury to the Church. Moreover, on sentimental grounds he regretted the. departure from the archaic wording to which the people had been accustomed from childhood, especially in the marriage service. (Laughter.) On the last occasion he had abstaind from voting, but the development of the controversy han 'raised issues of a larger and graver character, outweighing., his personal feelings. A great religious community asked by recognised means for corporate expression and for a wider interpretation of their freedom in Sp: ritual matters. The onus of proof lay 'on those who had invited the House to refuse. The primary presumption must obviously bo against a denial oi the liberties which are thus lawfully demanded, and as a member of Parliament he felt bound to accept the corporate expression of the wish of the Church as representing the main mind of the Church, and especially of those responsible for carrying on its future life. Personally, he could not see what overwhelming objections there were against the grant of wider religious liberty. Parliament had to use its consitutional rights with tolerance and moderation, and tho rejection of the measure would inaugurate a period of chaos, which period could only bo corrected by disestablishment. Cries of "No, "induced Mr. Churchill to shrug his shoulders and to remark: "Of course nobody agrees with anybody." (Loud laughter.) "I, personally, do not wish for'the mitred front of tho one great remaining Protestant church of Europe being irretrievably broken into discordant fragments," concluded Mr. Churchill. Tho Eev. J. Ban1 (Lab.) retold the story of Cranmer's martyrdom, and concluded: "I see tho burning hand of Crnnmcr in its lambent flame becoming a compelling and irresistible gesture to this House." Mr. G. Lansbury (Lab.) had not found any justification for the assumption that anything in the book would lead tho Church to Romish practices.