BANNED LITERATURE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 12, 9 October 1918, Page 6

BANNED LITERATURE

Sir,—ln a letter, leaded "Banned Literature" in your issue of Saturday last, Mr. S. Bowen refers to "the devil of sectarianism amongst our Baptist neighbours," and the inference is that the . Baptist Church is responsible for certain activities of the Protestant Political Association. I would like to correct such an impression, if any have gathered- it. Tho Baptist Church and the P.P.A. pro entirely distinct and separate bodies. The fact that a clergyman of the Baptist denomination resigned from his ministerial charge to accept the position of • organising secretary of the association does not necessarily imply the approval or support of Baptistsfor the association. Had the usual practice, been followed, the Rev. Howard Elliott would have made the jposi-s tion clear by joying aside his ministerial title while engaged in work other than that for which ministers are ordained, and not directly connected with his denomination. But _to prevent any misunderstanding arising throujjh his" retention of the title, the executive committee of the Baptist Conference, meeting in Wellington -in October, of last year, _ unanimously adopted a resolution which began : "That we desire it to he understood that tho Baptist denomination has no connection as a denomination with tho P.P.A. or any other jiolWwl associaIt also dissociated itself entirely from the olmrgos and insinuations contained in the letters which at that time werp causing so much public disoussion. (The full text of the , resolutions was published in Ttte Domtnton on or. about October 2fl. 1S117.) Baptists in.Nfiw Zealand dislike their denominational name _ being brought into a controversy which does not concern them ns a body, and they respnt the odium for enrtain actions of the P.P.A. bfing laid at the door of the Baptist Church.—l am, efc. \V. DONOVAN.

October 7,