OPINIONS DIFFER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 30 July 1910, Page 5

OPINIONS DIFFER.

VESTMENTS IN ANGLICAN •CHUItCH. By Telegraph-Tress Association—Copyright. Brisbane, July 29. The Anglican Bishop of North Queensland (Dr. Frodsham) states that although he has never worn vestments he has refused to condemn their use in his diooeso.

■ According to a cablegram published in yesterday's Dominion, tho Anglican Archbishop of Sydney (Dr. Wright) expressed tho opinion that the use .of Eucharistic vestments was illegal. The Archbishop takes his stand upon a decision of the Privy Council. Referring to the relation of tho Australian Church to the Privy Council, tho Bishop of North Queensland (Dr. Frodsliam). in his recent address to his Synod, asked; "Why should any Australian bishop be bound down to . administer without option antiquated .decisious of the Priw Council? But tho most humiliating part of tho whole thing is that when flip British judicature decided that tho 'law. of the Church does not follow the flag,' so freeing us from the English Establishment, we at once voluntarily placed ourselves again beneath its dead hand. Fortunately, we.'can free ourselves. Tho Provincial Synod, at their last session, unanimously passed' a resolution that relieving legislation should he sought. A Church of England Bill for the whole of Queensland is to bo drafted, and sent to the various dioceses to bo approved by them, and finally ratified hy tho Provincial Synod, Then Hie Bill will bo presented to the Legislative Assembly as the deliberate wish of tho Church in Queensland. It is not that we desire anything but loyal' co-opera-tion and communion with the Church in England, but'wo desire above all things Freedom from compulsory. obedience to English quasi-civil courts."

Tho position taken up by the Archbishop on the Vestment question has caused a serious crisis in the Australian Church, to which reference is made on page 0 of this issii'-, under tho heading of "Religious Activity." Tho Church of the Province of New Zealand is not bound, by the ecclesiastical decisions of tho Privy Council, tho judgments of its own Courts being final.