HOSPITAL SHIP CHAPLAINS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2487, 14 June 1915, Page 3

HOSPITAL SHIP CHAPLAINS

EMPHATIC PROTEST FROM THE PRESBYTERY On Saturday morning a special meeting of tho Wellington Presbytery was held, to consider tho refusal of a request that a Presbyterian chaplain should be sent with the Hospital Ship, the Moderator of the Presbytery (the ■Rev. James Paterson) occupied the chair. The following report was supplied for publication:— Dr. Gibb said he had a motion to subwit touching a matter 011 which he was sure the Presbytery, in common ni the other Presbyteries of the Church, felt very keenly. That the imperial authorities had gone out of their way to insult—for it amounted to that—the Church of Scotland in this Dominion was not a thing easily credited. Some communication they had evidently sent to the Minister of Defence. but how did they come to send it. What was tho nature of the request Mr. Allen sent to them in the ce instructions, and how did he come to ask instructions in such a matter P Did he ask the Imperial authorities how many medical men or nurses were to go with the ship? Altogether, it was a strange proceeding. As he (the speaker) had saia in a letnu 1 ress ) the Presbyterian Church here represented the Church of a nation which had done more than its share which, at least, had given a far larger proportion of Jts sons to the °| us ® of Empire than any other portion of the King's dominions. Was it likely that the Home authorities would deluiorately and knowingly ignore the uhurch of Scotland, whether in the Home Land or in New Zealand? The Master of Defence ought also to be told that they resented his condescending reference to "non-oonformists." There are no "non-conformists" in this country, and the application of the term to the Presbyterian Church was more than a misnomer: it was mi absurdity. 111 the Episcopalian was tho non-conformist, only in that country they did not employ epithets meant to be slighting to any denomination of Christians. Why, he asked, should they be content to see the spiritual welfare of their sons handed orer to the care of chaplains of other denominations? The_ time was certainly not a time for division and internal strife. The supreme need was that they 6hould stand shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart, but the Minister of Defence was not taking the wise way to «eonre unar rnmity, and he must be told that the Presbyterian Church was not minded to receive with gratitude condescending pats on the back. He would move: . "This Presbytery desires to enter its emphatic protest against tho action of the Minister of Defence in to appoint a Presbyterian chaplain to the Hospital Ship. Tho Presbytery finds it very difficult to understand the assertion that in doing so, Mr. Allen is carrying out the instructions of the Home authorities. who are not likely, at this juncture, to go out of their way to insult the Church of a nation, which in proportion to its numbers has made greater sacrifices for the cause of Empire than any other portion of tho King's dominions. But even if the Imperial authorities did definitely suggest—it surely cannot have been more than a suggestion—that ail Anglican and a, Roman Catholic chaplain would meet _ the needs of the case, the Hospital Ship is Now Zealand's jrift to its own men, and it is'for New Zealand to say what provision shall be> made for the welfare of the men wounded or unwounded whom it may contain. That i>, Church representing nearly 240,000 of the people is refused » ohanbin, while a church representing 140,000 of the people obtains a chaplain is an unheard .of and intolerable thing. TV Presbytery emphatically protests, and mice more prefers the request of the Presbyterian Church that a. chaplain, nominated by that Church, shall be appointed to tho Hospital Ship." _ The Rev. W. Shirer seconded the motion. He called attention to the situation. and emphasised the various steps that had been taken to bring this matter under the attention of the authorities. It had proved a very grave blunder that no chaplain of their Church had gone with the Samoan Contingent, and wo should see to it that that blunder was not repeated. Ho strongly supported the motion. The Rev. J. Gibson Smith also supported the motion. He called attention to the extraordinary fact that a Church liko the Presbyterian, perhaps the least sectarian of all churches, was refunsed a chaplain, and their men were to be placed in the care of chaplains representatiiif churches which strongly the sectarian issue. The motion was carried unanimously, and the following committee was appointed to submit the resolution to the Minister of Defence: —Revs. Dr. Elliott, ,T. Paterson, and W. Shirer, Hon. ,T. 6. W. Aitken. Mr. W. Hannay, and Rev. Dr. Gibb (convener).