"WAKE UP, PROTESTANTS."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18332, 23 February 1923, Page 3

"WAKE UP, PROTESTANTS."

Sir,— correspondent "Shan© O'Dala'' maintains that _ the adoration of images and symbols signifies the worship of higher things which these symbols represent. From his letters I should judge that this is quite true as regards himself and others who think as he does. But I find that pagan apologists for idolatry, both ancient and modern, maintain the same . attitude. He claims, however, that an ignorant Irish peasant always does the same. This, • I am afraid, would require some proving, something beyond the humorous incident that he quotes. I have a distinct remembrance, as a child, of an old Irish servant whom we had who used to keep the refractory kitchen clock going by placing the. figure of an angel (really a.Cupid) the top of it. Of course she made use of various pads underneath it, but she always stoutly maintained that it was the "angel" that worked the miracle. I also remember many years ago seeing a picture in the London Graphic of .ignorant Italian peasants ' brealung the band of an image of a saint, for not preventing the flow of lava from "Vesuvius when appealed to. Your correspondent also gives a beautiful quotation referring to the universal symbolism of nature. If the churches followed more closely the beautiful language of symbolism that sur- \ rounds us where we go, they would command more respect ana support from intellectual people. In studying the glorious works of the Great Architect of. the Universe we rise from nat Jure to nature's God. The sun is a glorious symbol of our Heavenly Father, and just as its rays of light and heat are the source of all vegetable and animal life, so the I its rays the Divine love and the source of all vegetable and animal life, so the influx of the Divine love and wisdom of God is the only source of all spiritual life in man. What becomes of such symbolism when man puts up a paltry candle of bis own making against the symbol in nature of the Sun of Righteousness with healing in. His wings?" Shakespeare beautifully refers to a candle in the dark as the symbol of " a good deed in this naughty world," but I fail to see any elevating influence in a lighted candle in opposition to the sun. Instead of being a symbol of the " Light of the World " it would be to me rather that of a light that was darkness." The question of candles, however, is an insignificant item compared with other innovations recently introduced into; the Anglican ChurchSome Sundays ago I attended St. Andrew's Church, Cambridge, and was astounded to hear ' a mutilated rendering of the ten commandments. , < All the second commandment was. omitted for obvious reasons, and, also the whole of the fourth except the first six or seven words. To me it is little less than sacrilege for any . man, be he priest or layman, to mutilate . the commandments of God. I can fully support the statement of other correspondents that vast numbers of sincere and earnest churchmen have been driven from the Church by such innovations as - these. : - H.R.H. * r V .. -'• " ; iy''•• >v • '< : '