“Foolish Beliefs”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 351, 11 May 1928, Page 9

“Foolish Beliefs”

REVISED PRAYER BOOK

Bishop Urges Rejection

(United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) (United Service) Received 11.45 a.m. LONDON, Thursday. “IF the new Prayer Book is passed, all hope of Chnrch 1 unity will be at an end,” said Bishop E. W. Barnes, in a speech at a Birmingham meeting at which the House of Commons was urged to reject the Prayer Book.

The new proposals were substantially the same as the old and deserved the same fate. There was reason to fear that the grave evils which were eliminated at the Reformation mjght be re-estab-lished. The Book evaded crucial issues and sought to compromise where a compromise was impossible. It faced both ways. If reservation of the Sacrament be-

came Church ldw, it would revive the belief that there was a peculiar virtue in Holy water given to a dying man. Such a belief was foolish.

Anglo-Catholic abuses would be permitted and a bishop would be power less to enforce his decisions. The threat of a disestablishment campaign, if the Book were rejected, could be ignored. He suggested a moderate, non-contentious revision, simplyfying the old book, and adapting it to modern needs without a revival of superstitious practices. Concurrently, a measure should be introduced for the restoration of order within the Church.