TEST QUESTIONS AT THE ELECTION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVIII, Issue 286, 9 December 1914, Page 8

TEST QUESTIONS AT THE ELECTION.

' CANON J>EATTY'S VIEWS* - i h -f Ptjeiilsheo by Arrangement.]

**«i?ne followiogfctter appeared 1 in the •tfejr- Zea.landlie<?ald last week :— •

[to the editor.]

j.-'gir,—Monday's Herald contains a :ShgLfcemcv.S> that "in connection with -*Sxj&'Bibl^-i ".-schools question « pastoral from the bishops was read, in all the •JKflglicau. churc&es of the Dominion yesterday." 'fliis is a natural and par-'Mnzbh-error. The Referred to was n((\- road m. bt. Mark s, K©nuiora; ;-ufr possibly, other clergy Besides mysett" -'rave declined to assist ■in im jiUmnpt to bind a yoke on the <txnsciem/.'K cf their people.'We have lately -rsaU, "th?.t. Earl Kitcb&uor, \yho is. not givtm. to rhetoric, state*! that tne. Empire iyiimv engaged La a strug•gje for its vorv voxifi!-/etice.. That being "so, it cvoems in many of us a time in wnich we ought, ib close our ranks and ■to-refrain, ffoia forcing on questions W&ich seriously diwfeI'vis. The welfare of the 'Dominion,- the defence ot 'tfta Empire, Wte maintenance of a Jiraniane r,iviii,sai>ion imperatively ,de*»an& that i]w wisest ancftjiaost <p>.a&lemen s;WuM k elected* to Parha■crieiit. And (\t such a, crisis to.assist i&e principle--vicious at any time— tfijat support, .of certain measures ■dftbuld bo mad© a test question appears fo me*to. be *•■■ lamentable error or judgment, ?u uj>warrantable misuse of ■'authority, llight reason demands tfcat cv.cry .voter should supports the ■gearerat •■■policy of legislation and.ad■tr&iisfcratio.ti \\'h\A\ he considers best foS tHo welfare of t^i-e people as,-a, whole, and drou)?.. .endeavor to secure ih\e return of candidates who in Ins jWdo-ment pro. most likely to promote .H3o&°advanoo that policy. And I de•cl&re without ho.stfca.tion, as a citizen, ft Bhwtoit of the Bible, and a clergy■fcim of the Church, of .England, Mly recognising my responsibility for my words, that any other principle ot political notion, is wrong .and perm--cftfnn, by whosnaoavor it may be cu Ifrtined and commanded. To speak as tl-Q "pastoral" does.of "party prefer•dices" is misleading; . The question of wise, ji'ist, mho legislation of Ihonest, •firm, 'impartial ■ fioveritment and ad-. ■ministration is iwfc a party question— it is a uuwl.ion of equity and morals. AND' NOTHING OOULD BE MORE INEQUITABLE AND- MORE IMMORAL THAN' THE INJUNCTION <£<S VOTE FOR OR AGAINST A PARTIOUJiA.It .CANDIDATE, IR■RESPEOTJVK.OF HIS CHARACTER AND 'HIS G-EJNERAL POLITICAL 'CONVICTIONS, BIMTLiY. ON THE •GROUND ■OF HfS ATTITUDE TO-■WAS-PS O'SRTAfN 'MOVEMENTS. I freely f'.ckua\yiec{go .fcbvt biahopn have p riHh't to ftclmonish-nis to sbudy, expound, .and obey tli-e Bible, and that. I •ought to bo rotuiy with a glad mind t<i follow such '■«'- godly admonition, if Tever received if.- But this- is a vastly different iriattoc from injunctions •grvfm by Iri^iopK i'ji ay nods t-a support ■particular Die-fsiroes ot vote' for a. par.ticular cb^s of Parliamentary candi£g. SUCH ATTEMPTS AT DIC•'TITION DO ■■NOT BIND MY CONAND IN MY. JUDGMENT OUGHT NOT TO BIND THE CO?siSCIENOE.'6tf AWY OTHER. MAN. • Wk. BEATTY.

jßemuora, Deo. 2