PROMISE AND PERFORMANCE.

Evening Star, Issue 16335, 30 January 1917, Page 7

PROMISE AND PERFORMANCE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I have before mo two newspaper Sittings, oho from your paper, the other horn another journal. In the cutting from your paper is a statement from Mr Jlassey, who said that not one marlied man would be sent away as a couBcript until every eligible man in the First! division had gone. In the second cutting i ■jhe Defence Minister stated the same thing /in different words. I cannot give the dates, >3s I omitted to date them. We cannot expect anything from Mr 'Massey, for no sooner had he made the (Statement than he packed bags and off ho Trent. t Regarding the other gentleman, I think sre can see that he intends to break his ■ftord, for ho is recommending exemptions for single men, and the Exemption Boards sre upholding appeals so recommended. And Tfho are these men whose appeals ara f ranted? None other than the least proactive of all in the country—parsons, priests, and the like. Now, sir. in almost every church (and I may say that I have Been to dozens lately) these parsons and priests are preaching the. righteousness of the war (I agree with them), and when shey are called up they immediately apply -tor exemption. I don’t call that consistency, 3eave alone Christianity. Another aspect of jthe case: Is Christianity a good religion? -- We’ll agree that it is. Well, 'that being so. Surely .it can look after itself during the period of the war. If it cannot, surely here arc hundreds of churchgoers over the 3ge who could take tho parsons’ and priests’ places. Tho Sunday school teachers are jnore important than either parson or priest, for they teach tho children, whilst, the parson and priest mostly argue with themselves Tjver some passages in the Bible. Has anybody else got a few words on this subject?l- - am, etc.. Still in the Second Division. January 29.