THE PRAYER RULE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 5235, 13 December 1883, Page 2

THE PRAYER RULE.

The difficulty that has arisen over the prayer rule in the Benevolent Society is a fair specimen of what might be expected in our educational system if ■we allowed it to be tampered with by the sects. The Benevolent Society is a charitable, not a theological, institution ; and all disposed to assist in the work of benevolence should be permitted to meet without requiring a shibboleth of their religious belief. Experience shows that in the past many mistakes have been made in the administration of the fund, and we cannot suppose that in the future the dispensing with the rule will increase the number of blunders. It is perhaps unfortunate that all do not hold the same opinions on questions of theology, but while men conscientiously think differently und hold to their views firmly and earnestly, it would be worse than useless to insist on retaining a test of conformity. The Catholics have always protested against the prayer rule, and only recently the Freethinkers inaugurated a benevolent fund of their own. Is it, or is it not, desirable to re-establish union and a common platform of benevolence? "Whatever may be the private life of individuals, it is difficult to find one who does not openly profess a regard for morality and virtue. We have known even very bad characters pronounced in their confession of religion and the virtues. Midnight gamblers and debauchees are sometimes known to be particular that their families should be brought up in ,the strictest rules of propriety. Here then is a platform consisting of a recognition of the principles of morality. If there were Mormons in the community, or Free Lovers, a difficulty might exist, but it will be time enough to consider tests when a proposition is made to use the benevolent fund for the encouragement of vice. Men never have agreed on religious questions and never will, whatever the bigots may do or say. It is best then simply to recognise the facts as they exist, and let not practical morality suffer while the religious battle is being fought out. A member of the Society well i*emarked that if anyone wanted to pray he could do so before coming to the meetings. Exactly, this hits the nail on the head. Religion ought to be a

thing of the closot and the conventicle, where a man's opinions will be held sacred. No one will disturb a man while he is praying in his own house or his own heart — as the Quakers do — that the money subscribed by the community generally may be used to relieve in the most practical manner "deserving cases" of distress. Charity, like politics, should bo kept away from the heated atmosphere of religious polemics, and placed on the simple basis of doing good to physical humanity. Then all good men and women, whatever their theological beliefs may be, may meet to devise measures to give a little light and cheerfulness to homes into which distress or sickness may have found its way. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm^ mmm