SERIOUS MISTAKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10712, 9 October 1928, Page 5

SERIOUS MISTAKE.

BISHOPS MUST NOT BE- LAWBREAKERS. BISHOP BARNES CONDEMNS PRAYER BOOK DEVELOPMENT. CONTENTIOUS PROPOSALS SHOULD BE DROPPED. REMAINDER SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT. United Proas Asbu. by El. Tel Copyright {Australian Press Aaan.) (Received October 8, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. «. In the course of an interview on the new Prayer Book, Bishop Barnes said:— '‘Bishops must not be law-break-ers. I would prefer not to criticise but the situation created is so grave and the end is likely to be so disastrous, that there is stm hope that private remonstrances ol men of weight will prevail. The Bishops are appointed by the Crown to maintain sound doctrines and lawful order in the National Church, and must not be lawbreakers 1 . The New Prayer Book was rejected by the House of Commons with the general approval of the country, firstly, because it permits continuous reservation, and secondly,' because it sanctions an alternative service at Holy Communion. If the Bishops permit these they will- be breaking the law and flout ■. .r.iwnty of Parliament and moral authority to restrain further lawlessness, in the Church will end- At would be the same as Judges of ihe High Court permitting theft up to £lO and severely censuring the theft ol larger sums.”

Bishop Barnes declared that byuoa could no more empower the bishops to set aside the- old Prayer Book than to confer the right to repudiate the Commandments, tie would moststrongly urge that in the course of private discussions his Lambeth colleagues should drop the two contentious proposals and) re-submit the remainder to Parliament. The reply of the nation to any other course would be disestablishment. The people did not wish to subsidise Catholic innovations, but it would bo preferable to the course suggested, which was indefensible. The majority of his colleagues had made a serious mistake in under-estimating the Protestant feeling of the country but it would be a- worse mistake to challenge regard for law and order.