RELIGION IN POLITICS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 54, 9 May 1874, Page 8

RELIGION IN POLITICS.

Air article on this most engrossing subject lately appeared in the Melbourne ' Leader,' which was republished in the 4 Auckland Southern Cross,' a journal whose yolitiso-religious sentiments agree in the maia with tlws 'Leader.' The article is a remarkable one for many reason, but especially for this — that it bears unmistakeable testimony to* the rapidly growing powor of the Roman Catholic Church in all parts of t*ie world. In England, 'the • Leader' tells us, " the Catholic-cum-Ritual-party is making manifest head-way, and has already become a considerable faction in politics." This is quite true. He tells us arother important truth, that " the great struggle ibr national educatiou, which was to have been composed by Mr Forster's Bill, rages with undiminished vigour." He might have added that the great body of the English people have declared, as the ' London Times' asserts they have, against a Government system of education exclusively secular. The education question is not yet settled finally in this colony either. A. few months hence and it will be re-opened in the Auckland Provincin 1 Council. You cannot separate religion from politics, gentlemen, any more than you can separate religion from educat'on. The two are inseparable — though our rulers and schoolmasters need not be for ever harping on the subject of religion, in the schoolroom, the council room or the senate. It is religion ultimately that rules the world, and the true Church — that is the Catholic Church — must acquire the aupre. mucy. This does not imply that it is to put down the civil power. No, but to restraiu and regulate it ; to keep it within its proper sphere ; and to support the legitimate authority of Cffisar. The Church has no wish to enter into hostile collision with Caesar— but if he will provoke contest, the Church caunot decline. The following are a few extracts from the article referred to : — " Everywhere we see the disturbing element of clericalism in politics ; organised attempts on the part of religious bodies to work the political machinery of government. There can be very little doubt that this mixing of things that differ so widely as doctrinal teaching and legislation, church iufluence and political power is both confusing and dangerous. The signs of the times are full of danger, and one can but hope that our English statesmen will touch these critical and complex questions with a wise and delicate hand. " Very laudable efforts have been made by past and present Victorian Ministers to keep State and Church amongst us at a respectful distance. The abolition of State aid to religion, which will be finally accomplished twelve months hence, and the passing into law of a really secular Education Bill, which has just had twelve mouths' trial, are the best guarantees that we could have that the Victorian Parliament and people are fully resolved not to burden the future of this colony with the legacies of ecclesiastical difficulty that are perplexing the statesmen of older countries. Our hope is that our clergymen will prove themselves as wise and liberal as our laymen, and that they will not be possessed with an unspiritual passion for political influence, bu' will give Ccesar his place and his due, and will speak and work, both professionally and as citizens, on the conviction that the one perpetual desideratum is a Free Church in a Free State. Perhaps, iv an essentially democratic community like our own, where clergymen use less starch and more freedom, and learn in public matters to sink the cleric iv the citizen, there is not much danger. We cannot forget, howevei that the Anglicans moved heaven and earth to secure the shelving oi the Abolition Bill, and that the cry of ' godless ' was raised in many a church against the present Education Act. Bishop Groold has a knack, as we all know, of rushing into election arenas armed with a spiritual shillelagh in the shape of a pastoral, and practising on the skulls of the disloyal Catholics. And Sydney has got a coadjutorArchbishop, who has thrown down the gauntlet with the air of a dett - mined warrior, and sworn, as it seems, to fight secularism in education from the land, or perish (ecclesiastically, we presume) in the attemp. Ultramontanism in the south may be minute but it is active, and it can condescend to hack-stairs influence. We disclaim all idea of preventing clergymen in their private capacity from voting and speaking and agi» tatiug on every public question, but rather claim for them the right to do so."