SHOULD THE CLERGY ENLIST?

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2772, 16 May 1916, Page 6

SHOULD THE CLERGY ENLIST?

At a recent meeting of the Provisional Council of the Church of England in Adelaide, the Bishop •of Willochra (Dr. White) moved: "That the council believes that the clergy can be of more real service to their country by continuing to perform their spiritual duties than by offering themselves to go to the front either as> combatants or as non-comba-tants, except in ' the- capacity of chaplains."

Ho snid that the clergy had done all they could to promote recruiting, and had shown their loyalty in every possible way. With regard to some of the younger clergy a very difficult position had arisen, and some, cruel attacks had been made upon them. About a year ago the matter was considered in England, and Lord Derby, in reply-to the Archbishop of Canterbury, stated that in obeying the order of their bishops to remain at their posts the clergy were doing their duty. A good many people in Australia thought they knew move than Lord Derby. Some of these had been telling young clergymen that they should give up their parochial and spiritual work and enlist as combatants or non-combatants. Personally; le considered it against the spirit of Ms vow for a clergyman to take up arms as a combatant, and so far as non-com-batant service was concerned the clergymen were doing far more for their country by remaining at their posts. Ono member of a recruiting committee had said to a clergyman, who gave as his reasons for not enlisting his bishop's directions and Lord Derby's circular, that such reasons were absolutely unsatisfactory. The man had no riglft to say such a thing. The Bishop of Adelaide (Dr. Thomas) endorsed Bishop White's remarks. The matter would no doubt come before a meeting of bishops to bo held in Sydney shortly. ■ ' ' The motion was carried.