The Clergy and Conscription.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume VII, Issue 7, 1 April 1917, Page 79

The Clergy and Conscription.

The controversy on this question is still raging, especially m Ohristchurch, and judging from the copies of Christchnrch papers, kindly sent to us by an unknown friend, almost everything that can be said on the subject has been said over and over again. There are still a few perverse and vindictive people who wilfully ignore the facts— (1) That the Clergy for whom the Bishops appeal are m most cases with difficulty restrained by their Bishops from enlisting, and would do so at once were it not for the claims of loyalty to the Bishop and to Church Law. (2) That the only service against which appeal is made is definite combatant service involving the bearing of arms. (3) That the Clergy of military age whether m the first or second division of the reserve, and many who are beyond the age limii are "tumbling over one another " m their efforts to obtain appointments as Chaplains. (4) That it has been proved over and over again that the Chaplain's job is by no means the soft one which these self constituted judges of other people's consciences pretend that it is. Several Anglican Chaplains have gained the V.0., about twenty have received the D.0.M., and many other of the decorations for acts of bravery at great personal risk to their own lives, whilst a great many have been wounded or, killed m the trenches or m front of them. We are astonished at the amount of sectarian bitterness, and deliberate misrepresentation, that is being directed against the Clergy and Bishops m the public press, and m the pulpit by Ministers of whom we expected better things,