UNITED THANKSGIVING. Not Practicable in Wellington.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 99, 24 May 1902, Page 8

UNITED THANKSGIVING. Not Practicable in Wellington.

THE committee ot cleigy v\hich was set up for the purpo-e ot ananging lor a united sen ice of thanksgiving in the open air on Coronation Day has arrived at results that were scarcely contemplated when that particular feature of the programme was included. And yet nothing, perhaps, has more sorely baffled and perplexed the wits of the wisest men than to find a common religious platform for the clerics to stmd on. In the case under notice the seeds of trouble began to sprout at the very outset. * - ■«■ The Re\ . H. Van Staveren (Jewish rabbi) was appointed convener ot the Thanksgiving Committee. Three attempts to obtain a meeting tailed for want of a quorum. At the fourth time of asking half-a-dozen reverend gentlemen attended and the convener was enabled to repor./ progress, or rather want of progress. He had written to Bishop Walhs to mute his co-opera r ion and that of the Anglican Church. The Bishop replied m courteous terms that he gathered from Mr. Van Staveren's appointment as con\ener the proposed thanksgiving serMcc was to be of "a religious but not of a distinctly Christian character." Therefore, he did not think it right to taKe part in such a service, and this decision was to be regarded as final. * # » In other words, Jew and Gentile can't worship on- the same platform. The Rev. Mr. Van Sta\eren acted with dignity and good sense in the matter. He resigned his position, and, remarking that silence was the essence of wisdom, retired from the meeting. The other clergymen present also wasted little time in words, but decided to report at once that they could not carry out their instructions to hold a united service. There is no use stirring up strife by beating the air on these questions of religious etiquette. Bitter feeling would be the only product. * • • One lesson remains from this local experience. When laymen are dea'ing with public affairs, and arranging for national demonstrations of thanksgiving, or anything else, they had better not count on concerted action by ihe churches. Let them deal with secular questions alone, and lea^e the various denominations to shape their own programme. It is the only way to avoid religious dissensions. * » • At any rate, the significance of this incident is worth noting in view ot the agitation that is now simmering for the introduction of Bible-reading into our public schools. If the churches cannot agree to stand on a common platform for a thanksgiving service on the rare occasion of a king's coronation, what chance is there of co-operation among them to secure religious instruction in the public schools ? Is the attempt not likely to shatter, if not to shipwreck, the entire fabric of that national school system which has been built up with so much pains '? Let the people be careful. They have just had an object lesson which ought to open their eyes.