THE OATH OF ACCESSION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15332, 15 June 1910, Page 6

THE OATH OF ACCESSION.

Mb Asquith's announcement that ho intends to submit to Parliament'legislation to modify tho declaration that is required from tho British Sovereign on ascending tho Throno will attract a good deal more attention in this distant part of tho Empire than will any of tho proposals that aro to bo discussed at the " round table conference" between the leaders of tho two great political parties. The " Accession Oath " has been the subject v£. bitter controversy since the days of tho Revolution. Three hundred years

ago it seemed to the rulers of tho nation absolutely necessary to the welfaro and security of the State that tho Sovereign should express in unmistakable language his adherence to tho Protestant faith, and no doubt they lia'd sufficient reason for insisting on a declaration that would allow of no reservation or equivocation. The allusions to tho Roman Catholic religion wero introduced with the avowed purpose of saving the country from a state of affairs that had grown intolerable, and perhaps in the circumstances they wero excusable. But the position has changed with the course of years, and in the twentieth century the nation can afford to make some concession to Roman Catholic sensibilities. Even tho timid folk who still maintain that it is desirable to preserve the declaration in its present form admit that its language is objectionable and that it offers a cruel affront to millions of. their fellowcountrymen. " All moderate and unprejudiced men," one of them wrote at the time of the accossion of King Edward, "must agree in condemning as objectionable and unnecessary language which casts discredit upon the spiritual belief hold by a portion of his Majesty's subjects." But in spite of this frank admission the writer proceeded to argue that the wisdom ol retaining the objectionable language was open to discussion 1 Surely the nation has made sufficient progress during tho past three centuries to dispense with such protection as it may have obtained in the past from compelling its Sovereign to pronounce certain rites of a Christian Church to be " superstitious and idolatrous." Of course, tho Protestant supremacy must bo maintained at all costs, but this can be done without perpetuating an insult to one of tho most loyal sections of the British people.