DEAN OF CANTERBURY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 25 June 1937, Page 5

DEAN OF CANTERBURY

POLITICAL CONTROVERSY REFERENCE BY ARCHBISHOP OF WESTMINSTER (United PrettD Association—By Electric Telegraph-Copyriehtl LONDON, 23rd June. . speaking at the Church Assembly, the Archbishop of Canterbury said that, even if he wished, he had no power to remove the Dean of Canterbury from office because of his actions or opinions, but he had expressed to him regret that he had brought the name of the cathedral church of Canterbury into the arena of political controversy. The Dean Of Canterbury, the Very Rev. Hewlett Johnson, who visited Spain some weeks ago, said he was convinced General Franco could not win. The loyalists were fighting with indescribable zeal and were determined to build a truly Christian social order based on vision of a new life. Subsequently the Archbishop of Westminster, obviously referring to visits by Anglican leaders to' Madrid, said in a pastoral letter: “AIL who are not willingly blind can see a battle raging between Christian civilisation and the worst form of paganism that has ever darkened the earth. While we wish success to any effort to recall the nation to religion and to the invitation to join the ‘back to God’ campaign of the British Churches, it chills the heart when some of its prominent promoters feed ancient prejudices against a martyred Church on the falsehoods of Christ’s declared enemies, and even condone unbelief. Why help to drag the Trojan horse of Communism into Britain, which desires not a gospel of hate, but of good will and peace? Such methods defeat the professed purpose of christianising our fellowcountrymen.” The Dean of Canterbury said: “If the Archbishop of Westminster is referring to me, I am not hostile to the Spanish Church. I joined Basque worshippers who filled Catholic churches during my recent visit to Spain. It is significant that the Basques, whose Government officials are all practising Catholics, are fighting in support of the Spanish Government, ahd Our offer to investigate conditions in General Franco’s territory was refused. At peril of our livgs, we saw the bombing of Durango, when the church and the eonvent were destroyed and 120 slain, including a nun, who was a sister of my chauffeur. Although a broadcast by General Franco attributed the destruction and slaughter of priests and nuns to Reds, I saw photographs of four captured German airmen who were among those who carried out the bombing.”