Pastoral.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume VII, Issue 1, 1 July 1916, Page 4

Pastoral.

Bishopscourt, Napier, June 21st, 1916. My dear People, In accordance with my promise, I am now making a statement regarding my action m connection with the li Combined Services " on Anzac Day. It was a combination of circumstances which led me to take the course I did. 1 was informed — 1. That the whole body of our men at the front were divided, for religious purposes, into two sections — Roman Catholics and Protestants ; the Anglican soldiers of all ranks, including the chaplains themselves, were regarded as belonging to the latter class. 2. That on one occasion at least our men were forced by their Commanding Officer into a United Communion Service. These are some of the main facts that reached me, and it is difficult to qver-estimate the exceeding gravity of the position. Our distinctive position as a part of the Holy Catholic Church, standing for certain definite beliefs which other bodies do not share, was ignored. The men belonging to the Church of England were frequently deprived of the services of their own chaplains sent by their own Church, who were on the spot and anxious to minister to tliem, and were compelled by military order to attend the services of other denominations. This is contrary to the King's regulations. The position of the Roman Church is acknowledged. No compelling power is forced upon her. We were denied our rightful position : we, and the other religious bodies, were classed together as 'Protestaht sects, and our historic position as a branch of the Holy Catliolic Church, which lies at the very foundation of our existence, Was denied. I maintain that the position of the Church of England m New Zealand is imperilled by the action of those m military authority. I would further add that m one of bur Territorial Camps, held recently m New Zealand, one of our

Chaplains was refused permission to administer Holy Communion m the Camp on the Sunday and to hold a Parade Service for his own men. He was told that a minister of one of the denominations was responsible for the Parade Service, and that if he would take part he must share it with him. This again was a breach of the King's regulations and an open denial of the historic position of our Church. ■■<■•■ This occurred early m March, and, on being reported to me, I laid the whole matter before the Minister of Defence. Then came the question of the Commemoration of Anzac Day. I was asked to give my ruling on the matter of Combined Services. In doing so, this combination of circumstances weighed witH me. I was not able then to give mjy reasons, as the letter containing the information at my disposal was marked " confidential." With regard to my ruling. It may be said that . enforced Combined Services at the front a nd m our Territorial Camps clearly contravene the King's regulations and endanger the position of our Church, but that they stand quite apart from such services as were contemplated on Anzac Day. I grant that there is a difference, but m giving my ruling I had to remember this : that when our Chaplains at the front protested against Combined Services, the Officer Commanding used OUR Combined Services as a lever. He said that they (the Chaplains) were merely asked to do what the Bishops themselves did m New Zealand. It seemed to me, too, to be inconsistent if, while protesting against the enforced Combined Service m our Territorial Camp, I myself took part, or encouraged any form of Combined Service at such a juncture. The case seemed too grave. The question of the position of our Church was at stake. These were mv reasons. We have to remember this : that while we long fof union with those bodies that have broken away from the Church, these, with us, do not make up the largest part of Christendom. 'There is the Great Eastern Church, with its millions, and that other branch of the Great Western Church ; these have to be considered. We must

not do anything to postpone, or imperil, our union with them. And now as to 1 our action m the future. In answer to a question asked of the Primate m General Syn>9s as to Combined Services generally, the Primate, speaking m the name of the Bishops, said : 1; We are prepared to take our " part m great national and civic " t'eligious commemorations if it "be understood that the services " are conducted by ministers, or " laymen acting as individual "Christians and citizens, but not "as members of any denamina- " tion." With this pronouncement, as. one of the Bishops, I. agreed, ' The pronouncement means this : That on these occasions of national or civic commemorations, we as individual citizens can take . our part. The meeting will be m a public place, and our clergy will not wear their robes nor use our own Book of Prayer. Such a •gathering will not be m any way a substitute for the proper services of our Church, and the\y should, be held at such a time as not to interfere with our own services. X; I am, Yours very sincerely m Christ, WM. WAIvMSI.EY WAIAPU.