Current Topics

New Zealand Tablet, 18 April 1912, Page 21

Current Topics

The Liberal Leadership Jr. ~.. - : - -. . - - ■Sir Joseph^ Ward had hardly handed in his resignation as Prime Minister when the political v prophets began to 'predict that sooner or , later ; he /would be again called to lead the Liberal forces in New Zealand. This view Has now been quite franklyand, so to say, authoritatively by - : the Premier himself,j in an interesting speech delivered a day or two ago at Eltham." Says the Press Association- report: 'Referring to the cheers given for Sir Joseph Ward, he said their opponents had succeeded in driving Sir, Joseph Ward from the councils of the country for a time, and now he was gone they said there was no one fit to take his place. If so, why concentrate on him, sectarian intolerance and abuse?; Why say he pocketed £IOO,OOO of loan money? Sir Joseph Ward's name stood high and honored, and though pigmies wished to discredit his idea of an Imperial Council, that ideal, though perhaps advocated• before its h day, would become law. The time would yet come when the country would once more 1 ;call in his assistance in its affairs. - The speaker had accepted the responsibility of stepping into the breach, and they would hold. the breach. The greater the breach the greater the honor.'

The Sole Solution -/l^f./^ Over and oyer again in this country during recent years-have the "press and politicians who stand for secularism in education been challenged to state, on what educational principle distinguished from grounds of mere expediency professing Christians, justify the exclusion of ; religion from the fateful and formative processes of the school life of our future citizens. Attempts have been made to coax, persuade, press, and even to goad them into an answer to this fundamental and vital . questionbut to no purpose. They reply with some such irrelevance as that 'they are not educational experts,' or that they defend the' existing system because the various denominations cannot agree as to the quality or quantity of religion that ought to be imparted. In other words, in so far as setting forth any educational ])riticiple is concerned, their ' reply \is no reply at all. , ■\ '' '■■ ■ - * "-.""' ' .'"'" : - On the other hand the supporters of religious education are ever ready to give a full arid clear-cut statement of the'groundwork principles on which their position is based; and the difference, in this respect, between the two parties is significant. Of the many notable _ declarations that have been made of the principles /governing the attitude of.. the friends of religious education, the following recent utterance of Mr. A. J. Balfour, late leader of the Conservative. party in Eng land, is not the least admirable; and is .well ; worthy of him as a Christian and as a statesman. 'I have always,' he said, ' cherished the hope- that our elementary State schools eventually would be "so conducted as to secure to every child the kind of religious instruction his parents -desire him :to receive. This is the sole solution -that appeals to me as strictly compatible with our ideas of religious liberty, of parental responsibility, and of the primordial necessity of religious training in children's education. I hold it to be an evil, aye, the greatest of all evils, to permit children to be brought up, in schools in which no provision is made for religious formation. And I solemnly express to-day my hope that England will never accept the responsibility of public instruction without religion,'" .

A Busy-body Committee r ;-/« At the meeting of the Presbyterian General Assembly held in Dunedin in November last, through the. too easy acquiescence of members in a proposal which emanated only from, a handful of zealots, a committee on fßomanism and Ritualism' was set up. The Christchurch Presbytery was appointed the Assembly's committee for the purpose; and that body has now adopted its' first report. Here it is: 'Firstly,

that in view of furnishing a report to the Assembly, ; the following questions in circular form should be sent to all r ministers and missionaries of our Church-: { ; (1) -Does Ritualism .• or Anglo-Romanism prevail "any 'extent "liiVyour district? Does it stand as barrier to ministerial fellowship and Church Vunion, and as - a hindrance to . ,co-operation / in. common work- against -prevailing social and other evils • (2) ( Does the evil of -mixed marriages prevail in your district Have there been any cases of perversion to Rome through such marriages ? Has the Ne Temere Decree been so applied as to disturb the peace of homes?/- (3) * Do convent and other Roman Catholic schools draw into them the children of Protestants, and do Protestants support ■ by their money the appeals made to the public on behalf of such schools ? (4) Is the meaning of the Reformation generally understood by your people, and do they know: what Sacerdotalism is in the light of the Gospel ? :J. What steps might be taken to remove the ignorance that obtains in many places on these subjects t Secondly, the Assembly in its deliverance directed the committee to encourage the study of the Reformation? and of Reformation principles in our Bible-classes, by .offering prizes for essays and examinations on text books. To give practical effect to this direction* the sub-committee recommends: —(1) That an appeal be made through the Outlook and by circulars addressed to congregations, for subscriptions to form. such a fund, and that as soon as funds permit two subjects for essays be announced this year. (2) That the sub-committee be requested to communicate with the Youth of the Church Committee, with the view of . making/ the-study of /Protestant texts part of the Bible-class course of study.'

The setting up of such a committee 'and the j presentation of such reports are in themselves a confession of weakness. The Protestantism,' says a Scotsman article of April 8, 1911, 'which is continually demonstrating its godly attitude towards the Papacy," and continually raising the cry We are betrayed," is a Protestantism no longer, assured of its own strength'/ The foregoing document does ; not - call for" any serious notice or for lengthy comment. It will suffice to point out (1) That it is conceived in a spirit of narrowness and small-mindedness. The grudge shown by the Presbytery that Protestants should support by their money the appeals made to the public on behalf of such (Catholic) schools,' tells its own tale/ (2) In so far as it involves direct inquisition, with hostile/ motives, : into -forms of worship practised by other -religious bodies, it is an interference on the part of the Presbytery with matters/ that do not concern them. The writer of an entertaining letter in the LyUelton Times who signs himself '. Much Amused roundly declares that the Assembly are making " Meddlesome Matties " of themselves in this matter.' (3) By drawing attention to the success of the Catholic schools, by emphasising the -prevalence of ' Romanism,' and by its procedure generally, the new committee will give an excellent advertisement to the Catholic Church and to the Ritualistic movement in the ,'. Dominion. (4) The setting up of this committee, and the spirit displayed in its operations, will lower the prestige of Presbyterianism in the eyes of all cultured /and broadminded men. New Zealanders, as a, whole, have little time for the bigot and the strife-monger. , A further paragraph in the committee's report recommends that a petition to Parliament against the Ne Temere decree be drawn up, and that the Presbytery of Wellington be asked to arrange for a deputation to ; the Premier, on the subject of the petition.' This, also, will be quite harmless; and may -lie regarded with perfect equanimity. As we have said, whatever Church stands to gain by this latest no-Popery departure, the Presbyterian Church certainly does not. . ; .-' ? . .-.;/ Xiys'i'

Ritualism—ln New Zealand and Elsewhere •: 5. Christchurch; papers for days past have been filled with letters /protest written by indignant Anglicans, against the appointment -by Bishop Julius of a Ritualist clergyman to one of ; the Christchurch parish churches. The letters have been vehement and vigorous; and the

objurgations levelled against Bishop ' Julius- have been frequent and painful and free/and of a kind which, if directed by a Catholic parishioner against a Catholic bishop, vould ; be regarded by the Catholic, body as in the highest degree scandalous.. The specific grievances alleged, by the malcontents against the new vicar, or at least against the school . which he represents, ;• are the use of eucharistic vestments, wafer bread and genuflections, ,incense, censers—or as one excited protester calls them, ■' censors '—and sanctus bells. .From the point of view of : these aggrieved /Protestant parishioners that is a. sufficiently": formidable list; ; but it may console;.them to know that the -usages complained of 1 are a mere circumstance to what is donel/in some Anglican churches elsewhere. For example: : The Rev. Guy L. Wallis, Rector of; St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Staten Island, New York, has just been chargedin a formal statement filed by one hundred members of his 5 flock with Bishop , Greer of -New York—with, amongst others, the following -Protestant practices: 'The Sacrament of the Lord's. Supper reserved, lifted up and worshipped. It's removal* to parish house for adoration. Preaching; and teaching the doctrine of transubstantiation,, which is expressly ; forbidden by the Thirty-nine Articles. Auricular- confession compulsory as condition for receiving the Holy Communion. Doctrine that only through; a priest can there be mediation between j God and man. The protests include the further charges: 'Water is kept in the vestibule, which, being blessed by the rector, is asserted by him to be holy.. Stations of the cross, insertion of a service for them not provided in the Book of Common Prayer, and therefore illegal.'. Also; the Messing of candles and encouragement of their use at home. Opportunity not given the people at regular. Sunday morning servicelto receive the. Holy Communion."-.-:,. Rector receives for them.' . 'All these , statements concerning my teachings,' says, the Rev., Mr.. Wallis, 'are true. I -am rector of this parish, and« I know my ground.'

?-;/^ moral of the divisions by which Anglicanism is everywhere rent-and torn asunder has been pointed out so often that it is superfluous to again refer to it j. and we have no" disposition to make controversial capital out of the dissensions which are being so freely advertised—in no edifying fashion— the columns of the Chnstchurch press-It is a moot point amongst Catholic thinkers whether, on the whole, the High Church movement has been a bane or a blessing—whether, in other words, it has kept more out than it has brought into the Catholic fold. For ourselves we incline strongly to the latter view; and view the movement with satisfaction, as affording welcome evidence of a revival of the Catholic instinct and a spread or the Catholic idea amongst a people who, through no fault of their own, were robbed of the Catholic

Aggressive Socialism

- In view of the countless and entirely unambiguous utterances of. their i leaders on the subject of religion the only answer which Socialists, can. give to the charge that out-and-out Socialism is essentially anti-Christian is that we are not to denounce » political party because some of its members chance to be agnostics.' ; To this trite Socialistic sophism America replies: 'Most cersSw" , BUt / f tha \,P a %> International Socialism is; based, upon- historic 1 materialism, if its eaders themselves identify it with such a theory; if : its literature is permeated with anti-Catholic bigotry of the most radical kind, and if in consequence no opW tZ 7 lost to pSe the Church in practice andTn theory, weVdo. and -must denounce such a party then no Catholic can strengthen or support with hi to ot his u h O e ,v f a \r ul i b ? to ; his holy faith. Such is the nature of the Social J movement as it actually exists among -us: >^M^

f rt q That thestatement of America— so far as it relates to Socialism in the United States-is no exaggemthm S but the sober truth, may be proved beyond the W. bihty of doubt or question. , We 5 give* a few typTcal

specimens of the evidence available, culled from various issues of the reliable journalwe have named. After the recent German elections, in which Socialists scored a notable success, a picture appeared in the American Socialist Gall which has attracted considerable attention in the; German Catholic press in the United) States, and; which America regards as. a candid confession of what £ the American/Socialists would do with the Catholic churches : of our country.' -m The sketch represents the ; cathedral of Cologne. A -Socialist with the liberty cap of the French? revolutionists; is hoisting the red flag in triumph ■ over the -■ cross , upon the steeple. Bishops and priests, drawn in- detestable ; caricatures, are seen fleeing . away with mitre, and crosier and money-bag. 'Down with the • black, andXuD.) with the red/ is the slogan that is raised as the party cry. i' Coming from the ,- official 0 organ sof i the i Socialist I v party,' comments America, 'this ■ makes V sufficiently .clear what the designs of Socialism are, no less upon Saint Patrick's Cathedral than upon the minster of Cologne. The clause in the Socialist platform, ''That religion be treated as a private : matter;" means nothing more nor less, as here interpreted for us, than the hoisting of the Socialist flag over the steeples of our churches and the crosses of our schools.'o --.-• '

..The.same spirit of bitter hostility to all things Catholic is shown in the attitude which is being adopted and; the treatment which is" being meted out by the American Socialists to Mr. David Goldstein, a former Socialist leader, who has become a convert to * the Catholic Church and'; is now lecturing against /Socialism. Speaking of, the Socialist audience who/ crowded the hall at one of his recent : meetings,- he says: 'They howled, they hissed, they insulted the speaker, they blasphemed God, they interjected insulting references to those- things that Christians hold dear to their hearts during the two hours" and a half that I was speaking, and yet they ask why .certain?- questions were hot answered. "It was marvellous," said one : of the good citizens of Tarentum, "how you held your own against the howling dervishes." fi The conduct the gang I am assured, met with' the disapproval of every decent man and woman who attended the meeting. It was an object lesson to every man who had a spark of Catholicity in him that he cannot associate himself with the Socialist movement and consistently face the Blessed Sacrament at the altar of c God.' Here are a few of the questions put to him during his lecture at Columbus:' is God and where is He? Why are Socialists not allowed to go through the convents ? Why is it that where the Catholic Church dominates prostitution .increases What is ; hell and where is it*?' etc. ;>- ...-'•' a :•/'--.; ■>;■ ■■■ _ ;■ ,-v:-- -;>-•■; L.;; .-.,,.

p As further conclusive proof : . of the truth of America s statement we may quote a recent utterance ot Mr. A. Berger, the most representative Socialist authority m America. ..Referring to the Militia of Christ— new. Catholic organisation, established to promote sound ; views on the question -and to advocate .genuine rformhe .wrote under date of Ug ;!/ 7 Si 1 ' J ? hIS o'Wthe Social-Democratic Herald of . Milwaukee-' The Militia'of - y Christ was founded by the Roman Catholic Church 4 ► ? gainst lost hold upon the Catholic workmen of AmericX Its mission ls to fight everything that looks like lightenment progress,; or education. Its mission is to help .everything that looks like darkness, TetroTre sion and superstitious belief in Roman ChurchiauSnS? characteristic of the Roman Church that it keeps the Church and the Militia of Beelzebub vSSfietS m fighH- f former • n °. matter t™ bitterly we

sid P A * S c 6 - h^ e Said 6lse where, on the purely economic : ft^^-t^tjs^sojong;as, LiMS?

does not impinge ons or conflict with moral principle, and moral truth—the Church has not pronounced, arid will not pronounce, the economic aspect, being, strictly speaking, outside her domain. Whatever is true in Socialism we are willing to embrace ; and Catholics are every whit as free as their neighbors to work out 1 economic adjustments; on truly progressive and genuinely democratic lines. ?- But where religious ' issues are involved—a false doctrine and false morality are being propounded to the -multitude—the Church has always spoken, and will always J speak, with no uncertain voice and >so long and so far as Socialism lays itself out to oppose the Christian revelation and the Christian Churchin the manner exemplified in the passages quoted aboveso long will Socialists leave the Church no option but to oppose the movement. '■ : :■--"> '■■"' "'-•'■'. :% X'