PROHIBITION AND THE CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1308, 11 December 1911, Page 4

PROHIBITION AND THE CHURCHES.

STATEMENT BY BISHOP JULIUS

The Anglican Bishop of Christchurch (Dr. Julius), who is Acting-Primate of New Zealand, has sent the following letter to the Press Association:— "My attention has been called to a statement attributed to tho Rev. U-. B. R. Hamanond to the effect that when National Prohibition is carried the churches will cease to use fermented wine in the sacrament of the Holy Communion 'as his own has already done.' Aβ this very ambiguous statement has been widely circulated, I think it right to ray that the. use- of unfermonted wine in tho Holy Communion is absolutely unlawful in the Church of Poland, and that no action of the State will be allowed to invalidate tho Blessed Sacrament. His fair to Mr. Hammond to fay that he distinctly repudiates the statement attributed to him, and that he is fully aware that tho upe of fermented wine in the Holy Lomniunion under National Prohibition is exnrcssl'v provided for in the A<;l. " "(Signed) C. CHRISTCHURCH. "Acting Primate."

Tlio following notice was read at St. Peter's Anglican Church (Willis Street) yesterday:— "The Rev. R. B. Hammond, who is a priest of the Church of Enzlaml, is reported to have said that before lons the churches will not use alcohol for sacrajiiental purposes (as indeed my own Church does not now).' In view of tho disquiet which has been paused by tlicso words I am clad to be able to state that the Bishop of Cliristelmroh, Acling-Pri-mate of the Church of New Zealand, has forwarded to tho Press Association an explicit denial of tho truth p these word?, so far as they can be said to reier to the Church of England.' I might heru sav that the Church follows our Lord s command, and uses, and. orders the use of ordinary fermented wmo nt tue Holy Communion. Without the use- of such wino the Holy Communion could not lie celebrated, as" our 1-ord Rave, it to us, and according to the rites ot the Anglican Church, to use unfennented wmo in opoosition to our LonTs command would be'prcsumption and a mockery.