Religious intolerance.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13332, 22 March 1911, Page 8

Religious intolerance.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—“Wanganui-ite” in his letter in the “Herald” of last Saturday does not mention the question raised by me in my letter’ of the previous Thursday; the attempt of the Churches of Sydney, in their own interests, to prevent the Agricultural Show being held during holy week. Instead, he describes my language as “uncouth,’’ “abominable,” and “low.” This is the usual argument of the “superior person,” and shows that “Wanganui-ite’ lias had a good religious training. Our friends talk of the ''silent expression” and the “silent vote,” but in practice their protests are very much aloud, in order that they may be cabled far and wide. They preach that “the prayer of the righteous availeth much,” but they apparently don’t practice it. They seem to rely” more on the power of political action in order to attain their ends. They prate of “religious liberty,” but would deny to thousands of their fellow-citizens the liberty of attending an agricultural show when it suited themselves. In fact, it seems as though they would choke the song birds, congeal the streams, or blot out° the sun, if by so doing they could drive people to the support of their churches. This is not a question of “theological differences,” but a question of whether we will be driven or led.—l am, etc., FOR FREEDOM OF THOUGHT.