FATE OF CHURCH IN PARLIAMENT’S HANDS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6633, 12 June 1928, Page 7

FATE OF CHURCH IN PARLIAMENT’S HANDS

PRAYER BOOK DIVISION TAKES PLACE THURSDAY United Preen Association—By Sleetfte Telegraph—Copyright. Received Monday, 9.45 p.m. • LONDON, June 11. Interest in the Prayer Book measure overshadows everything else in Parliament during the coming week. The House of Commons at 11 o’clock on Thursday night, following on two days’ debate, will take the decision deciding the Church of England issue, which the Bishop of Winchester describes as the gravest in three centuries.

Lobbying on a largo scale with shoals of correspondence to 'members has been experienced during the last few days. Sir W. Joyhson-Hicks, the Homo Secretary, and Sir Thomas Inskip, the Soli-citor-General, aro marshalling their forces and speakers against the measure, which include Mr. Lloyd George and 40 members, are ready to speak. Those in favour include Mr. Baldwin, the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Horne, and the Duchess of Atholl.

Canon Donaldson, of Westminster, struck a new note during the week-end, appealing to tho Labour Party to support the Bill on the ground that it cannot consistently demand freedom for trades unions if it denies freedom to tho church.

Canon Donaldson expresses the opinion that the rejection of the measure will result in ecclesiastical controversy occupying so much attention that social reform will be retarded for a generation.

Prayers for the rejection of the mea sure were offered in many non-conform-ist churches on Sunday. Primitive Methodist conference lobbyists agree that the decision either way will be narrow.