THE CORONATION OATH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2471, 24 July 1901, Page 32

THE CORONATION OATH.

" A Freethinking Presbyterian " severely criticises the terms employed by Mr Gibb and the other speakers concerning Catholics and their Church at last week's meeting respecting the Coronation Oath. The pity is, he says, that Protestant ministers do not emulate the increasing energy and devotion to duty and practical Christianity of the Catholic clergy. Everyone must note, and meditate on, the fact that services are held in Gatbolic cimrehes daily, commencing at 6 o'clock in the morning. Such churches are kept open daily, and are largely used by the laity for devotional purposes. Contrast the activity of the Protestant clergy, who conduct services twice on Sundays, and thank God that they are not as other men. If it is a good thing to publicly worship God on ono day of the week, how much better to do so every day of the week? But the Protestant clergy never let their duty to God interfere with their personal ease and comfort. As to Catholics obtaining public appointments, let Protestants look round and &cc who hold all the fat billets in the public service. Probably the only place where Catholics are found in numbers in the public service is where there is plenty of hard v/ork and small pay — the day and unskilled labour employed by the Railway and other departments, — and then they owe their employment to the fact that they are strong, ablebodied Irishmen. Protestant churches have now settled down into mere clerical clubs, possessing a form of godliness, mostly used lor prohibition purpose?. " A Freethinking Presbyterian " excepts the Salvation Army from "these remarka, f or all must admit that it is doing real Christian wen-k. "H. MC. D." thinks the unjustifiable attack by Bishop Julius and the Rev. Mr Qibb on the Roman Catholic Church must be very amusing to educated Protestants, as well as to their Catholic brethren. Such vituperations have done more to cement the unity of the Roman Catlnlc Church than any of her clergymen have done. The more man frowns on her the more does God smile on her, as i? phown by the numbers of her converts in England alone. There may have been bad priests, as Mr Gibb says, but surely all ministers are not all that could be desired. Also, it may be that the Pope is wailing over the misfortunes of Fiance. T° it so very long since, however, that Mr Gibb was himself crying over the decline of his Preobyterian friends? Mr Gibb boasts about "the British nation treating all its subjects alike, but is it the wish of such men a*s thebe reverend divines that their Catholic brethren should have liberty of conscience? Their late speeches give the answer. The Catholics have now proof of what these preachers would have done. No one can be mistaken as to what member of the Government is the subject of their msimiatioiifi. II is not the first time the same gentleman was maligned and persecuted, but one thing that he told the people— that they would see him in public life again — was no empty boast. Take all the Roman Catholics out of the British army, and out of all public services, and could Mr Gibb and his bombastic friends keep the Empire as she i* to-day? Certainly no*'. They could not do it without the assistance of the Irish typists.