ATTEND CHURCH OR BE TREATED AS PAGAN

Chronicle (Levin), 31 December 1946, Page 2

ATTEND CHURCH OR BE TREATED AS PAGAN

BRISBANE, Dec. 30. Rites of marriage and burial should be refused to Anglicans avho do not worship regularly, it is recommended by a group of Anglican clergvmen. It is proposed that baptism should be similarly restncted. The Archbisliop of Brisbaue, Dr. Halse, said that the suggestions were 111 the form of a report by a subcommittee reeently appointed to consider tlie C[uestion of church discipline and were part of a general attempt to overcome laxity among members. The subcommittee of six clergvmen was appointed at the last Archbisliop 's conference of clergy drawn from the Brisbane-Ipswieh area. The matter will be considered further at the next Archbisliop 's conference, probably in February. AMtr recommending .that' the baptisitt «f a child shOulil be "refused wliere li'either jmrent atteuds worsliip, tliatfh church • marriage should bo refused "ivliere noithcr party is fulfilLing tly) dutv of woVsliip, and "that it is fare'e and not eharity to road the burial serviee over /one who lias persistentlv separated hiuiself from the fellowship of the church and to rofer to him as our dear brother here departed", t!ie report suggests that tlie commuiiion, three times voarlv iucluding Easter, should be ado])ted as a iuiniiuum test of the dutv of church members.