THE BURNING OF BIBLES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12212, 6 March 1903, Page 5

THE BURNING OF BIBLES.

PROTESTANT INDIGNATION. NEWS FROM FIJI. CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS. By Telegraph.— Association.—Copyright. Melbottkjce, March 5. The Methodist Conference adopted a resolution condemning the Bible-burning in Fiji as an atrocious act and a deliberate insult offered pot only to the.people of Fiji, but to world-wide Protestantism. Brisbane, March 5. The Methodist Conference Mission meeting adopted a resolution regarding the Bibleburning, which it regarded with indignation and apprehension, as tending to revive the worst spirit of ecclesiastical antagonism, on the part of the Roman Catholic Church, and produce disastrous results amongst the Fijians. (Received March 5, 10.22 p.m 1 Brisbane, March 5. Fijian newspaper files by the Miowera contain lengthy accounts of the Bible-burning. The first reference to the incident appeared in the Western Pacific Herald on February 13, wherein it was stated that some months previously practically the whole of the Fijian inhabitants of the province of Namosi, hitherto professed Wesleyans, turned Roman Catholics. This caused no little excitement amongst the people. Various reasons were given for the occurrence. The Herald added : —"Matters advanced another stage yesterday. We are informed, on reliable authority, that some 238 Bibles belonging to the Namosi people were publicly burned at the Catholic mission station at Nailillili." The next issue of the Herald contained a letter from Father Rongier, declaring that both the fact and statement as regards the burning of Bibles were false, and " from inquiry I feel certain you have been misled by some malicious ill-wishing individual." On February 21, the Suva Times published a letter signed by the Rev. W. A. Burns, Wesleyan missionary, travel-sing Father Rongier's denial. The letter goes on to say: "There are so many reputable witnesses, with so much substantial corroboration, that one might calmly invite all risk of a lawsuit upon the evidence." The writer adds : " I fearlessly assert that except for the number said to have been burned the statement in the Herald is perfectly correct." (Received March 5, 11.29 p.m.) Brisbane, March 5. In his letter to the Suva Times Mr. Burns gives a circumstantial account of the burning of Bibles, supplied by an eye-witness, according to whom two or more case of books, mostly, if not all, Bibles and Methodist hymn books in the Fijian tongue, were burned in a limekiln specially erected for the occasion in the grounds of the Catholic mission station. The work of tearing up the books before inserting them in the kiln was done by native girls at the station, supervised by two European sisters. Mr. Bums declares that he knows of more than 20 adult spectators, besides a large number of school children, old and intelligent enough to be competent witnesses.

In answer to Mr. Burns' letter, Father Rongier wrote to the Fiji Times that the first intimation he had of the burning was the Herald's announcement. Upon making inquiry he found that following the practice of the Catholic Church, and the strict injunction laid down in the rubrics, which ordain that all material of a sacred character appertaining to Church worship, including Bibles and prayer books, when worn out, shall be destroyed by fire, the Catholic sisters at Nailillili, assisted by a few pupils, had, as they had periodically burned in a biscuit tin useless Catholic books and Church material, burned in a kerosene tin soiled, useless Wesleyan Testaments and hymn books. He asserts that the sisters were not actuated by any hostile feelings or a spirit of wanton destruction. In a letter to the Fiji Times, Mr. Burns shows that the chairman of the Wesleyan mission wrote to Father Rangier prior to the publication of Mr. Burns' first letter, asking if the Herald's statement of the burning was jorrect, and that Father Rongier failed to reply. Passengers by the Miowera state that when the steamer left Suva excitement was still high. .