MARTYRS FOR RELIGION

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 February 1930, Page 7

MARTYRS FOR RELIGION

RUSSIAN SAVAGERY BRITISH ACTION URGED (Official Wireless.) r RUGBY, February 13. ] In the Hous© of Lords, Lord Hay- [ | ter (Conservative) asked whether the ; British Government had called the at- . tention of the Soviet Government to > the fact that its action against the . Christian Churches and peoples of . Russia is not in accord with British , principles of justice, and that it cannot assist in maintaining friendship, between Great Britain and Russia. Tli© Archbishop of Canterbury, said that this matter concerned him directly, both officially and personally. His Grace referred to the solemn protest against the religious persecution in Russia which he had made at the Convocation of Canterbury' yesterday in the name of the Church of England, and to the resolution that had been passed by the Bishops endorsing that protest. He added, however, that the Bishops desired to dissociate their protest from more political issues which had been made. They felt that th© force of their protest, made in the name of religion and of humanity, would be greater if it could not be regarded as being part of any' political movement. Lord Parmoor, replying for the Government, said that he would not seek to deny the great importance of this question. It raised, however, points of great difficulty’ and responsibility. He agreed with the Archbishop of Canterbury- that it was our duty to inquire into the accuracy of the statements which had been made. The primary difficulty, from the. political standpoint, was that, while we stood for religious liberty and against religious persecution, we had to consider the matter from th© constitutional position, and to allow in other countries the same liberty in matters of internal and domestic policy that we claimed for ourselves. It had been made th© basis of any' agreement which might be made between Russia and ourselves that w© should not interest ourselves in matters of internal or of domestic concern. The British Government, in common with all parties in this country, were fundamen- . tally' opposed to any form of religious persecution, and they desired to promote, by every legitimate means, the sacred cans© of freedom for all forms , of religious thought and action; but ' we must be very careful what w© did, so that, in the result, we did not do : an injury by increasing the persecu- ; tion of the very' persons whom we de- j sired to protect.

MR. HENDERSON’S STATEMENT (Official Wireless.) RUGBY, February 13. Rt. Hon. A. Henderson was asked in the House of Commons by Mr. Geoffrey Locker Lampson, former Conservative Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs, whether he would take immediate steps, under Article 11 of (lie Covenant of the League, of Nations, to bring before the League the question of the conditions affecting religious liberty in Russia. Mr. Henderson in reply, said: — “The reports current regarding the religious situation have caused widespread and deep concern in this, and in other countries, and they are receiving the serious consideration, of His Majesty’s Government. I have grave doubts whether the course suggested by Mr. Locker Lampson would promote the object which he has in view, but this House may rest assured that His Majesty's Government will, when possible, or when it is compatiable with the interests of those affected, uso all its influence in support of the cause of religious liberty and freedom of religious practice.” Replying to a. further question on the subject, Mr. Henderson said that be was now awaiting a report from the British representative in Russia on the religious situation.

THOUSANDS KILLED LONDON, February 14. It is stated that recently, on the authority of a high ecclesiastic in the Russian Church, that thirty-one bishops, 1560 clergy and 7,000 monks and nuns have been put to death. Kerensky says that two thousand churches were closed last year.