DEFENCE OF THE CLERGY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14221, 12 February 1917, Page 5

DEFENCE OF THE CLERGY.

— 1 (Special to. Herald.) C^RKTKMURCH, this day. 'In. a. sermon last night, Bishop Julius strongly justified his action in appealing for exemption of tlie Anglican clergy drawn in the ballots. ;He said the clergy had nothing, to do with it ; he was solely responsible for the appeals. The clergy were not cowards. They were not afraid to go to the 'front, and it was a ! disfefacefuF shame thaty'a. charge of shirtfing should be preferred against them when they had merely obeyed their j bishop. The clergy had their ordination voavs to consider, and .what hypo- J crisy Avould. there be for r a priest at one hour to administer the sacrament and in the, next, with wipked -hands, to .slaughter the bodies of the pagans to whom he 1 should be preaching the gospel. It was true priests had 1 fought - in battles, but that was in defiance of the law. bf the church. If necessity .arose, when every man must go to the ... front, the clergy mupt go, but until that time came lie wouild say, "Don't send them, for they ' have more - important work to do than to. put bullets through 'heads." j <———■■■«■—— m