PARENTS FAIL
BISHOP’S ACCUSATION DUTY OF RELIGIOUS NURTURE BAPTISM MERELY A HABIT (By Telegraph.—Press Association) HASTINGS, Monday “Most of the work of the clergy in New Zealand is connected with converting baptised pagans. Such missionary work should not be necessary in this country, after the church has been so long established,” said the Bishop of Waikato, the Rt. Rev. C. A. Cherrington, wnen addressing the Anglican Church Congress at Hastings Saturday, when he urged that there should be a return to discipline in regard to the observation of the Holy Sacraments of the church. Many Christian people had failed to realise their responsibilities in the teaching of their children, said Bishop Cherrington. If there were any fault with children it lay at the feet of the parents, who had failed to teach them in their tender years. Capable parents ought to be able to prepare their children for the Sacrament of Confirmation, but to-day it had become the practice to regard such training as part of the duties of the clergy. ‘‘To-day we are producing large numbers of baptised pagans,” His Lordship declared. “We should refuse to baptise a baby whose parents are not prepared to abide by their vows and bring the child up in the knowledge of God. It has become a habit to bring a baby to church to be baptised in the same way as it is taken to a doctor for vaccination. Similar discipline is equally necessary in marriage.”
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Bibliographic details
Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21082, 8 April 1940, Page 2
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244PARENTS FAIL Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21082, 8 April 1940, Page 2
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