THE KING'S OATH.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 29 June 1910, Page 3

THE KING'S OATH.

IMPORTANT MODIKT CATION PROPOSED. PR,[ME MINISTER ] XTRODUOES A HILL. TO 00X01 LIATK CATHOLICS. [BY ELEOTHTC TKT,KOHAIMI--COPYKIOnT.] I I'Rlt PRKBS ASSOCIATION.] (Received Tliis T>av, 0.10 a.in.) I jOX DUX, Juno 28. Tli,. Premier to-day introduced 11 now Accession Declaration Mill. The Declaration now roads: "1 solemnly and sincerely, in rt<li-o presence 'of God, profess, testily, anil ' declare I am a faithful member of tho Protestant Reformed Church by law witaiblisihed in England and \riil accord enforce enactments securing tho Protestant success/ion an;l uphold >niitl maintain the said enactments to tho best of my power according to law." ' _ [This Bill will stir religious feeling in, Great Britain to its -profoundest depths. The Roman Oaitbolics have for many years carried 'on a vigorous campaign against tho present oath which tliev regard as an insult to their mosit- cherished convictions, and wliiclh has been described ns a " relic of tho barbaric past." The ('acholic cause has been, csponswl by Viscount Halifax and many more of the Ritualistic party in the Clmi'di of England, while lending dignatories on the Evangelical si die ha ve admitted thmfc they are prepared' to consider a modification in the wording of the oath, so long as it preserves inviolate the Profcetstan.t succession. The leaders of the Catholic party have repeatedly given assurances that it is not 'their intention to attempt to waikeii the Protestant succession, but 'that their representations arc entirely due to the wording 'of the oath, which places into the Sovereign's mouth utterances as strong as those of tlitf Anglican prayer bnolc, in the Thirty Nine _ Articles on Roman Ca.tholic doctrine. The Rill will be fiercely criiiitested, but the general feeling throughout the country will be in favour of a modification of Itlie wording ol the existing oath.]