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THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1901.

ON Sunday last, in Ohristchutvb Cathedral, His Lorship Bishop Julius preached to a large congre* gation on the occasion of the Orange celebrations, and since that day the newspaper Press of the colony has been inundated with letters from correspondents representing all sorts and conditions of creeds* Bishop Julios has had to bear much adverse criticism of his remarks, criticism unwarranted by a perusal of his sermon* This occurred through the Press Association telegraphing brief mention instead of the whole sermon, a course that does not allow a speaker the advantage of the context of his remarks. ATe will endeavour to*give our readers the subject matter, preserving the ideas while condensing very largely/ Bishop ,Julius preached from St* Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, the fourteenth verse of the sixth chapter, “ Stand, therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having pdt On the breast-plate el right*

eousness.” He said that the organisation represented by the Orangemen present was one which they had reason’ to be proud of. Its objects demanded respect, its principles, if loyally pursued, could not fail to be of advantage to members of the institution and to the community at large. Turning the ordinance of the institution, he found that there were two requirements. The first was a high standard of Christian life and character, and the second a steadfast Adherence to the Protestant religion, strenuous opposition to the errors of Rome, and resistance of her encroachments. Their organisation had been formed long ago ih days of strife and bitterness, wheA on either side there was wrong—perhaps right also. But God had mercifully sent As quieter days, and the question was what place had the''Grange instil atibh in New Zealand ? If to perpetuate grievances, the sooner it was buried out of sight the better. If a benefit society, let it drop its quasi-religious and political’character. But he believed the neces'sity which called it into existence remained to-day. A great d*-al had Changed since those days had gone by, but there was one thing which had not changed-, and that was tire Church of Rome. What she was then, that she was mow. Her errors had been multiplie<V her pretensions and her political intrigues were as dangerous now as ever they were. At the present moment she was more free to speak and act in England than iu any other country in the world* and she had spoken and acted* and ..is making more strenuous efforts towards the conversion of that country. And who could blame her Yet, he believed that at that moment she was actually losing ground in England ratheif than gaining it. Speaking plainly, he regarded the supremacy of Rome in any country as being fatal to that country's good, and* in the long run-, disastrous to true religion., Therefore, He believed that the Church of Rome’s activity demanded the most strenuous and organised opposition. Hi

could not speak on that subject ■without calling to mind whal Home had been in the past, and how great, bow splendid had been her services in cause of Christ; He could not forget what thd British owed to Rome and hef labours amongst them. Though she had fallen away from hel great past, though Sfee had adsum <*d to herself the title of thd whole Church, though she had fallen into error after error, yet hd could not forget what she had been, and what* by the grace d God, she might yet be again.) Nor could he fail to give hid tribute of admiration to her organisation, her magnificent devoi tion, and the very many saints that Were reared within her fold* But now let them look at thd

political dangers in this colony dl New Zealand. The.,first of them was from inter-marriage, in whicl Rome insisted that the Childrei should be brought np in tbi Roman Catholic Church, and i vraft so done. This was due t( **nie indifference of Protestants, Rome had her organisation am her rule, which the Church o England had not, and the forma also had her discipline* Anotbe danger he found in the fact tha Rome Was gradually securing tin bulk of the reliyious education d the colony. That seemed to be i very large statement, but he wa not afraid to make it. Rome sai( to her, u We will have ourehildrei receive religious education* ami li Cannot get it elsewhere* we will pay for it.” She did pay for it and large numbers of her children were receiving religious edi ca J don* while a number of tb< bhildren of the Church of England were going to her schools. All honour to her for training he! children and'doiug what very fed Protestants would do—paying foi the religious education of hei

children and securing it; AIM honour to her, she had a right H hat, and they all acknowledge ft* But let them remember tbsH twhile she was strenuous!* training her children in religion* they themselves were tfainifiM their children as heathens* He urged on them the duty oil teaching religion in the StatM schools, and said he believed thaM if Rome should ever get religions! supremacy in this country ill would be because Protestants did* not care enough for their reTSti* to teach it to (heir children said the political power of,. Catholics in New Zealand. creasing because they together and knew wM! thefl

'wanted,and got what they wanted. The rev’, speaker mentioned the tolerance of Protestants, or rather “ Protestant indifference,” whereby the Roman Catholics were called “Catholics,” a title to which they had no right. The Protestants had only to get an organisation as perfect as that of the Roman Church. The latter was organised by men who did not write to the newspapers, did not publish their purposes in the daily Press, and did übt have a public synod. In one way and another it was that wretched bogey of denorainatioualism upon which Rome was building, and this was ousting the recognition of God and religion from almost, all departments of public life. Roman Catholics believed that what they were doing was for the cause of righteousness. It was because Protestants were careless and indifferent as to the growth and progress of those things that they had need to be watchful in their opposition. Their business was not so much to oppose, however, as to out-work and out-do

what was wrong. They were called upon to fight Romanism by being better than it, by showing their Veligion and their form of Christianity is really a better and u stronger tiling than Romanism, ami it they failed in that they certainly failed, ahd deserved to fail, in their opposition. He de. plored the existence of such a multiplicity of sects, but said there were not wanting signs of a tendency to draw nearer to one another. They had realised that Rome was one and they were many. In concluding bis-sermon Bishop Julius urged the Orangemen to fulfil the qualifications laid down in their ordinances. Had they got, faith in Jesus Christ ? If not, what right had they to stand up and oppose Rome? One good Roman Catholic was better than a number of bad Protestants. He would rather see New Zealand flooded with Roman Catholicism than with indifference, ignorance and neglect of religion.” We have seen Bishop ,lulitis’ sermon referred to as a “scurrilous wail,” but we can find nothing in it reflecting in any way offensively on the Roman Catholic religion —indeed it is a. eulogy of their energy and their •nithfulness to their convictions. If Protestants as a body were as ‘earnest and enthusiastic as flotnan Catholics there would be nothing to fear from the political influence mf the latter. -In fact, the gist of The Bishop’s sermon to the ’Orangemen was “ Go thou and do likewise.”

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WDA19010713.2.11

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 175, 13 July 1901, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,308

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1901. Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 175, 13 July 1901, Page 2

THE WAIMATE ADVERTISER. SATURDAY, JULY 13, 1901. Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 175, 13 July 1901, Page 2

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