THE STATE AND RELIGION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14209, 25 May 1910, Page 6

THE STATE AND RELIGION.

to the Editor of the "Timaru Herald." Sir, —In Tour leader of Saturday's issue you say the outstanding feature ®f the memorial service was it religious

character, and from this memorial service in particular, and similar memorial services in general, argue that the State had taken upon itself the responsibility of the particular means to be employed in suitably responding to the virtual head of the State's "orderings or directings," in. this matter. If this onus does not so apply, I fail to see how it could have Ix-en a State function. The virtual head of the State becomes primarily responsible for the hymns sung, the words spoken, the Scripture tL'ad, if sud.i reasoning is logically carried out. I do not think anyone would maintain that position. Still if the virtual head of the State's desire in respect of the particular marks of mourning people should wear is taken as an indication — well I do not see why he should not be just as responsible, in detail, ioi the one as for the other.

After all is it not very much. a. matter of precedent ? Since the days, •when the Jews made lamentation on | the plains of Moab, it appears to have! been the custom for nations to fitt.ng- j ly honour the memory of their ruls-rs. Suppose for a moment that Edward VII. bcre a character like the late Belgian King, I venture to affirm that all the State orderings or directings could not have drawn so great a crowd | together as assembled last Friday at j the Post Office. Neither do I believe j that any clergyman in the Dominion • would have pronounced one word of j praise, and possibly not of blame. j The whole ceremony impressed me I with the idea that it was a splendid j thing that so many people of so many j sect-, could sink for the moment all j sectarianism and pay homage to tho ! memory of a King who played his part • right well. That t!he hymns sung were ; the faourite hymns of the dead King ! is surely no ground for arguing tho ! service of sorrow a State function. i From a simple service of sorrow to • the political question or Bible in State [ Schools is too far a cry : while to main--1 tain that the State has .an interest in : the religious welfare of the people, : and to adduce that in proof of it, apj pears to me to be straining the point ■at issue beyond all reason. The re- ■ ligious confession of a King—the use J of certain confessions on State documents —in Courts of Justice—wherever they may be used—have about as much real weight in furthering the religious welfare of the people as Mother Shipt-on's prophecy concerning the end of the world.—T am, etc., UNGLATJBIGE.