King Edward Warned

New Zealand Tablet, 23 August 1906, Page 19

King Edward Warned

Over one hundred lodges of the Orange Institution (says the Dublin ' Weekly Freeman ') attended the Ulster Hall, Belfast, on Sunday, July 1, and vigorously applauded a * sermon ' by the Rev. R. D. Patterson in winch, under the chairmanship of Bio. Rev. Samuel Cochrane, D.G.L'. of Ireland, the preacher delivered a violent attack on Edward VII. Humorously enough the proceedings ended with the singing of ' God Save the King.' The representative character of the meeting may be gauged from fhe following list of collectors and subscribers :— Messrs. E. W. rim, J.P. ; Robert Gibson, J.P.,; F. C. Johnston, J.P. ; W. Field, Edward Leathern, John Hume, Robert Armstrong, James Haveron, Robert Tougher, John Moore, John M. Johnston VVm. M'Larnon, the Lord Mayor (Right Hon. Sir Daniel Dixon, Bart., M.P., D.L.), the proprietors of the 'Belfast Weekly News,' Messrs. (x. VV. Wolff, HP • R H Reade, D.L. ; Henry Ilutton, J.P. ; R. H. I-l' Baud J.P. ; J. Di Coates, F. C. Clotty, M. Keown, James Blessington, F. Riddel], Archibald Brown, \\ . J Irvine James A. Pollock, R. A. Brown, and Martin M'Murtry.' In the course of his oration Mr. Patterson proceeded to say :— ' But Protestantism was being betrayed —betrayed by those who had sworn to defend it, betrayed alike by the occupant of Ihe pulpit and the occupant of the Throne (applause). Protestantism could not die, but it remained for them to see that Protestantism in this country was not oveiwhclmed by a wave of Romanism, and to do so they must take up a position of watchfulness, and guard that one dearest thing that was committed to their tuist. Let them live for it, work for if, fight fur it, and, if need be die for it. History, they were told, repeated itself. Their age rnig>ht be compared to the opening years, peihaps, of James I.'s reign. Then, as now, every effort was made to unite the crowns of England and Spain by a Spanish marriage ; but where James and Charles and Buckingham dared not go our statesmen— or should he say certain members of The Royal Family of England, had gone. James feared our forefathers. Do the pre-sent-day schemers hold us in unutterable contempt or take it for granted that the spirit of Protestantism -was dead and dead for ever. Surely the time had come when fiorn the Protestants of this country there should go forth a voice like the voice of many waters, like the voice of thunder amid the hills, like the voice of doom declaring ni a manner that could not be mistaken that they at all events could not, would not, ■dare not, join in Ihe congratulations upon the lady who now occupied the Throne of Spain, for they regarded her conduct as an act of apostacy and disgrace. Their King and statesmen might think that they could sport with the religion of the people of country witli impunity, and thinking so they might know the opinions of their own courtiers ; but it was just as well that it should be brought home to them that the religion of the vast majority of the people of this country was Pioiestant, that the vast majority was still as bitterly and as sternly antiPapal as ever it was, that they were determined, with God's help, to remain anti-Papal, and that they would not, under any pretence, allow their religion to be stolen from them by degrees. The Throne of England was grounded not on brute force, because Edward VII. could command no millions of obedient bayonets to do his behests. It was throned on far nobler, broader, and more certain foundations— it was broad based upon the nation's will. But The Warning Should Go Forth to Him, who sat -thereon that by his conduct to the Romish party ever since he had ascended the Throne* he had succeeded in exciting suspicion, in alienating the affection and in straining the loyalty of thousands of his most valuable subjects. Without that loyalty and affection his Throne must rock, and to regain it he must cease, and cease at once, coquetting with the Church of Rome (loud applause;. The lesson ol recent events was this. They must trust God and themselves. They must no longer put their* trust i n princes. They must trust, every man his God, and every man his own arm. There devolved in ilie future upon every Protestant a responsibility to do his duty to his religion.. Each of them had got a part to play, and each of them must be prepared to do his duty and to bear his share of the sacrifices they would' be called upon to make.