MILITARY SERVICE BOARD

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3146, 26 July 1917, Page 9

MILITARY SERVICE BOARD

* CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS A SECT WITH NO WRITTEN CONSTITUTION The Third Wellington Military Service, Doarcl sat in Wellington yesterday. Mr. H. J. Beswick. presided, and with liiin were Mr. M. J. Muck and Mr. A. O'L. Cousidine. Captain I". Baldwin appeared for the loilitary. authorities. Tho board lfeard appeals nfl'eoting about ciglilecu conscientious objectors (how in camp), who belong to tho sect known ns tho Testimony of Jesus. Sir John liMndlay, K.C., appeared for tho -ippellanls. The regulations had been changed since the appeals had been dismissed, and tho Minister of Defence had agreed to an application being made to theboard for rehearing. All (ho appellants ivc.ro willing to sign an undertaking to perform non-combatant work. Sir'.John Findlay said that lio would first draw attention to Section 18 of tho Act, which provided that any man called up ,for Mnico should have a right of appeal on Iho Grounds that he was, on August 1, 1314, and had been since, a member of a religions body, the tcncU and doctrines of which declared that the bearing of arms and the porformanco of. combatant sorvice was contrary to L'ivino revelation, and also that, according to his owri conscientious religious belief the bearing of arms was unlawful, boiug contrary to Divino revelation. Counsel said he must, therefore, show that tho Testimony of Jesus was a religious body in accordance with tho section, and also that the person claiming lo.lxi a Member of it did conscientiously believe that the bearing of arms was contrary to Divino revolution. In New Zealand there were between 700 and 800 members, with 24 ministers or evangelists. In Australia there were 7i evaugtlists, and 2500 members, whilo in England there were 70 ministers and 5000 members. The sect had been, in csistenco for upwards of twenty years. They had no written constitution, but adopted the New Testament teachings. The qualification for membership was merely the profession of a belief in tho teachings of Christ, and an undertaking to ebserve such teachings in everyday life. Tlio evangelists were preachers selected at tho annual conventions, and received no regular remuneration, but were dependent upon voluntary contributions from coreligionists in their districts. Every person desirous of becoming a preacher must first sell all his wordly goods and distribute them among the poor. They interpreted certain teachings of Jesus Christ as expressly prohibitoas against the bearing of arms. Tho body had no central control or official literature, but the view was ■universally held that the bearing of arms was forbidden by Christ. It was one of the cardinal doctrines oi the-faith. •

Wilson if/Clung, called as a witness, said that he was the ".overseer" or principal representative of tho' body in New Zealand. He had been connected with it for about tw.enty years, having first come into touch with it in Ireland. Tho chairman: Who is tho head. of. the whole thing'—Witness: "It has no head, sir. I uin the overseer in New Zealand." Have you no charter, no 'rules,' no written matter at all?—" Only the NonTestament." The chairman: 'Iliiyi is most extraordinary, because even a football club has something written. Jn reply to further questions witness snid that tho body, as it existed in other countries, was there also without any written constitution. Tho chairman: Then the difficulty is to seo how you arc going to establish the fact that the teachings of this Church are so-and-so. What would hap. pen if anybody kicked over the traces here? You are quite unique. if you can so far agree as to what they' should and should not do. Captain Baldwin: The question is, .Arc there any traces to kick over? . AVitness, proceeding, said that it had always been a belief of tho Testimony of Jesus that it was wrong to bear arms. 'J'he chairman said that in the absence of written evidence it was simply a question of getting further witnesses to corroborate what the present witness was saying. Tho chairman: When did tho question of the bearing of arms first crop.up, so far as you were concerned? Witness: Last year. Was that at. a convention?—"At different convontbns in New Zealand." Can you say (hat the question of hearing arms was. ever discussed or taught upon prior to tho war?—"J can't say it ever became a -question, but at tho sliroo time we held and believed I hat the teaching of Christ was entirely opposed lo it." You held it yourself?—"No, the body." But how can you say the body held it when the question was never discussed ? —•"It was discussed, but not at meetings." After the examination of the witness had proceeded further, tho chairman remarked: Apparently they , discussed tho question only last year, and then came to the conclusion that the bearing of arms was unlawful. Sir John I'indlay: I must say I was led distinctly to understand by this gentleman and by other gentlemen whom J. shall call that while the question of whether the Conscription Act compelled these men lo servo was raised as au immediate and practical question, yet since tho start one of the cardinal tenets of the body was that the bearing of arms was against the Divine revelation. I must, in justice to another evangelist, call him and r*e what ho says. The next witness was John -iiinest Holthani, who said that lor-five voars ho had been an evangelist for the Testimony of Jesus. His first connection with tho body had been through the attending of evangelistic meetings. In attending (hose incoliugs, he had got clear ideas of what the beliefs litre, and amongst other things he got to see very plainly that the preacher did Mot believe in taking tip arms in any v.ay. This was actually stated. At a conference held at Wuikanac, the members r.f tho Testimony of Jesus had decided that tho attitude they had all along taken up was the correct attitude, and that they should persist in it. He admitted that no'definite resolution to that effect was passed, but maintained that all present were in agreement upon the matter. . James Manning and K. .1. .'l'.irr, oilier members of the sect, were called. The board reserved its decision, tho chairman remarking thai- it was a very difficult question to decide, upon. . Other Appeals. _ Mr. At. J. IJcardon, secretary, of .the Slaughtermen's federation, appealed for oxeniption for tho following slaughtermen :-'Benjiiiniu Burgess, (''airfield,- Aaliburton; liobert 1 Kdward M'Crackcn, Wni-. roa, Jlawke's Bav; Charles Afciicn, Bluff; .lames Archibald Cliiljs. Balclutha; Leonard Dunwoodic. Oaniaru. Tho board adjourned tho cases sine die. John J. H. .Murray, freezing works labourer, of Newlands, .lohn.sonville, was allowed leavo till August 22. Tho Commissioner of I'olice secured adjournments sino die in the cases of, tho following members 'of the Bolirc Korco:—Kenneth A. Brcnmin. Wellington'; Patrick. (TSullivan, Auckland; Bartholomew Oilligaii, Wanganui; Sydney Grainger Hall, Duncdin; .tolm Joseph o 'Gorman, Auckland: Michael O'Sullivau, Auckland; Samuel Small, Wellington: George A. Baskin, Wellington; John C. Dromgool, Wellington. Tho board heard a number of appeals made on behalf of seamen, and in all cases in which tho men were proved 'to have had the service required in- the Act it granted adjournments sine die. Leavo till October 7 was grunted John C. Hogan, clerk in tho Public Trust Oflico at Mastorton. Tho board decided that, it had no recommendation to mako in tho caso of Norman Wilfred Neilson, a member of the Thirtieth Koinforceinonts al Trcntham. 11. .1.- Hall, storekeeper. Kaiwarra, was granted leave lill August £!. The. appeal of Daniel Alexander M'Lean, shearer and station hand, was adjourned till Friday week. The appeal was supported bv Mr. Orayndlor, secretary of tho A. and P. Workers' Federation.