THE PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION

New Zealand Tablet, 4 July 1918, Page 39

THE PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION

£SOO FOR THE RED CROSS FUNDS. The following challenge, to which we refer in our Topics this week, appeared in the N.Z. Herald, Juno 26: OPEN LETTER No. 1. To the REV. KNOWLES KEMFTON, the REV HOWARD ELLIOTT, and the EXECUTIVE OF THE PROTESTANT POLITICAL ASSOCIATION. REV. SIRS, and SIRS,—For a considerable time past, your Association has been circulating throughout New Zealand a propaganda leaflet, entitled "WHY? HAT?? HOW???" On its second page * there appears a series of 15 numbered assertions, which are stated to be "a summary of the chief tenets of ROME'S CANON LAW." The alleged •'summary" consists mainly of foolish or pernicious doctrines and principles, * permission to commit murder, and other tilings dishonoring' to any Christian Church. Your Association, furthermore, asserts that "Rome never changes, SO JUDGE HER BY HER OWN WRITTEN LAW," thereby 'affirming, or plainly implying, that the undesirable, foolish, and wicked things in the "summary'' are, to this hour, part of • the "written law"' of "Rome." 1. I ABSOLUTELY DENY that the alleged "summary of the chief tenets of Rome's Canon Law" HAS EVER APPEARED as such a summary, or as an authoritative statement, in any approved publication of the Church of Rome. When you produce the authority from which you directly copied the alleged "summary," your authority will be found to be hostile to the Church in question. 2. I ABSOLUTELY DENY that the alleged "summary"' is what your official leaflet stat-es it to be—namely, "a summary of the chief tenets of Rome's Canon Law." 3. I ABSOLUTELY DENY that the alleged "summary" is "a summary of the chief tenets of Rome's Canon Law" in our own times. t 4. I ABSOLUTELY DENY that the alleged "summary" is a correct statement of the points' of DOCTRINAL AND MORAL TEACHING of the Church of Rome upon which it touches. 5. I ABSOLUTELY DENY your statement, or plain implication, that "Rome never changes" her Canon Law. On the contrary, a mass of official and other testimony (known to every beginner in that study) is ready to be PUBLICLY 'SUBMITTED, showing that "Rome's Canon Law" changes—and properly changes—according to times, places, legitimate customs, and other circumstances : and that a great, NEW, REVISED CODE OF "ROME'S CANON LAW" came into force as recently as May 19 of the present year, 1918. Here are five clear issues of easilv-decided matters of fact. I HEREBY CHALLENGE YOU. REV KNOWLES KEMPTON, REV. HOWARD ELLIOTT, and THE EXECUTIVE OF THE P.P.A. or any of you to put the above-mentioned "summary of the chief tenets of Rome's Canon Law" to a FRIENDLY PUBLIC TRIAL, in the AUCKLAND TOWN HALL or elsewhere, before a proper TRIBUNAL TO BE JOINTLY ARRANGED between us in AMICABLE CONFERENCE. , Produce your expert

canonists; my witnesses will include prominent .men who know "Rome's Canon Law," and whose testimony regarding your "summary" will carry weight in this Dominion. The burden of proof rests upon you as hereunder I CHALLENGE YOU—or any of you—as follows: (1) Prove that your alleged "summary" of the chief tenets of Rome's Canon Law ever appeared as such—or as an authoritative statement—in any approved publication of the Church of Rome. (2) Prove that your alleged "summary" is what your official leaflet states it to be—namely, "a summary of the chief tenets of Rome's Canon Law." (3) Prove your statement or implication that said "summary" is "a summary of Rome's Canon Law" in our own times either before or after the issue of the new Code mentioned above, in paragraph 5. If you, or any of you, prove the three things mentioned "above, the sum of FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS will be paid to THE RED CROSS FUND as a voluntary FINE OR PENALTY for our having, in this matter, questioned or impugned the methods of your Association. The money is provided by friends YOU NEED BAY NOTHING to the RED CROSS FUND. 4. A FURTHER ONE HUNDRED POUNDS will be given (as above) to THE RED CROSS FUNDS if you—or any of you—prove that the compiling, publication, and circulation of the abovementioned "summary" manifests, on your part, accurate scholarship and research, faithful adherence to Christ's sacred Gospel of Truth and Brotherly Love, and a desire to promote harmony among the people of New Zealand in this great crisis" of the war. Permit me to say in passing: In your alleged '.'summary of the chief tenets of Rome's Canon Law" your Association has permitted itself to be misled by ERRORS, TRAVESTIES, OR FABRICATIONS, which no honorable and instructed Catholic could have perpetrated. And, in turn, your Association is (1 do not say wilfully) MISLEADING HONORABLE MEN AND WOMEN throughout the Dominion. There is now NO HONORABLE COURSE open to you but these: Either promptly PROVE YOUR ALLEGED "SUMMARY" TRUE OR PROMPTLY WITHDRAW IT AND APOLOGISE. This Challenge is open till Friday, July 5, 11 a.m. COPIES OF THIS CHALLENGE— with a courteous covering letter—were mailed (registered) to the REV. HOWARD ELLIOTT and the DOMINION SECRETARY OF THE P.P.A. on Monday forenoon, June 24, and to the REV KNOWLES KEMPTON on Tuesday, June 25. JOHN BRENNAN, Late Chaplain N.Z. Expeditionary Forces, Administrator, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland.