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New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8020, 6 August 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

UNKNOWN

SrURGEON AND BRIGHT ON CON-

SECRATION. At Risca, Monmouthshire, considerable agitation li.is recently taken place on an application being made to the Burial Bo»rd by thb members of tho established EpiscopilCaurah, to have a portion of tho cemetery consecrated for their use, tho vicar of tho pariah agreeing to wftivo all disabilities. Tho Board aro in favour of meeting the wishes of tho Episcopalians, but a larga number of Nonconformist?, outside the Board, protest against tho concession, consecration being in their views a wanton superstition. Under these circumstances the Rev. Air. Watkius, a Kuptist minister, wrote for counsel to the Kev. C. H. Spurgeoa and I>le-sr3. John Bright, Labouchere, Usborne Morgan, and lionry Richard. Mr. Bright, in replying, says: — "If I were in your parisii i think I should not quarrel with the decision of your Board. i would not oeok an occasion of disputo, and woold try to bs as moderate aud friendly to Churchmen as lehould wish them to bo to Nonconformists." Mr. Spurgeon. ia the course of his lotter, rornarks :—" i hop , ? it will never come to pass that Nonconformists will be intolerant. Ido not know the law, but my instincts lend mo to say, if Conformists wished to have a piece of the cemetery lot them have it. 1 may think consecration to be mere superstition, but ray opinion is not to ruio over another man's conscience. I should ripect him to pay for his own ceremony, nnd allow the pariah to uae the ground for ether interments if necessary ; but if bo wished for a ceremony, or fifty corornonies, it would not hurt either mo or the ground, and I should not hinder him. One of our fuudemrntal principals should bo religions liberty all round. Wo may hold our own opinions, and wo mr.y controvert and oppoaatha opinions of others aa wo vvoald they should do unto us. If in formr-r days we have bcea denied equal rights, and if In aomo things we still euller, yet never let it bo said that wo became oppressors in our turn, and denied to our fellow citizens tho toleration which we claimed for oursoives." Mr. I.abouchere replies:—"Tho vicar'a request should be granted. lam no believer myself in consecration, but I would always respect the foeliugs of others in these matters, and in this particular caao it can harm no one to respect them." Mr, O&bornc Morgan regards the vicar's offer as a fair one, and disapproves of the suggested refusal to allow the consideration of a portion of the ground. Mr. Honry Richard remarks that though consecration may appear to many of thotn a superstition, ho docs not think they should impose thoir views on others.