BISHOPS AS LAW-BREAKERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 9 October 1928, Page 7

BISHOPS AS LAW-BREAKERS

DANGER OF DISESTABLISHMENT BISHOP I!ARNES INTERVIEWED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright Australiin Press Association LONDON, Bth October. “The Bishops must not be lawbreakers, ’’ declared Bishop .Barnes, interviewed on the Prayer Book. “I would prefer not to criticise, but the situation created is so grave and the end likely lo be so disastrous, that I still hope the private remonstrances nt men of weight will prevail. The Bishops are appointed by the Crown to maintain sound doctrines and lawful order in the national church, and they must not be law-breakers. The Prayer Book was rejected by the House of Commons with the general approval of the country, firstly because it. permits continuous reservation, and secondly sanctions an alternative service at Holy Communion. If the Bishops permit these they will be breaking. the law and flouting the authority of Parliament. Moral authority to restrain further lawlessness in the Church will end. It would be the same as Judges of the High Court permitting theft up to £lO and severely censuring the theft, of larger sums.” Bishop Barnes declared Unit Synod could no more empower Bishops to set aside the old Prayer Book than to confer the right to repudiate the Commandments. lie would most strongly urge that in the course of private discussions his Lambeth colleagues should drop the two contentious proposals and resubmit, the remainder to Parliament. The reply of the nation to any other course would be disestablishment. People did not wish to subsidise Catholic innovations, but it would be preferable to the course suggested, which was indefensible. The majority of his colleagues had made a serious mistake in underestimating the Protestant feeling of the country. It will be a worse mistake to challenge regard for law aiid order, which is one of the soundest instincts of the British race.