SALVATION ARMY REGULATION.

Grey River Argus, 5 December 1921, Page 8

SALVATION ARMY REGULATION.

(To the Editor). Sir. — In the “Argus” of Saturday, your Westport correspondent refers to a Salvation Army regulation which prohibits its officers from accepting money “for personal use and private purposes.” She then asks the following question: “Is there any similar regulation to bo found in tin* history of the multifarious religions that are practised nowadays? If so, your correspondent would lie glad to have someone direct her ot it.” I have pleasure, Sir, in directing her to tho Catholic Church. Thirteen centuries before the Salvation Army made its appearance, i lie Cat holic Church nurtured the congregation of St. Pachomius, numbering .some thousands, which had a “similar regulation.’’ In 52fK, the first Benedictine Monastery was founded at Monte i Cassino, and the rule of St. Benedict observed. By this rule members of the Order were forbidden to hold private property of any kind. As years went on Europe had 37,000 monasteries wherein the Benedictine rule war followed. The Dominicans, who follow the rule of St. Augustine, soniewli: 1 modified, look the vow of poverty in 1220. Their vow prohibits them I;- . ing private possessions. In such Order as the carniclitesscs reference is to “our book,” “our cell,” etc to avoid use of the word “my,” as denoting private private property. A history is a record of by-gone events. 1 trust, therefore, that I have shown that the regulation referred to by your correspondent was part and

parcel of the “history” of the Religious Orders of the Catholic Chinch —one “of the multifarious religions practised nowadays.’’ But the practise of this rule, or regulation is not only part of the “history” of the Orders of the Catholic, it is a vital part ,of their present, day life. To verify this statement I refer your correspondent to the rule of life observed to-day, . as it was centuries ago, by the Franciscans, Benedictines, Cistercians, Carmelites, Dominicians, Society of Jesus etc.—l am etc IGNATIUS LOYOLA. Greymouth, December 4.