AN UNWORTHY UTTERANCE

New Zealand Tablet, 6 May 1915, Page 33

AN UNWORTHY UTTERANCE

The bigots, like the poor, we will, apparently, have always with us. At a crisis like the present, when the great testing time for the Empire is drawing the various religious bodies closer together, and when all sections of the community are bending all their energies and straining every nerve to discharge the high duties

which have fallen upon them, it is deplorable that any individual should be found so unspeakably narrow and small-minded as to mingle sectarianism with his charity, and to drag the denominational issue into a sphere where nothing but good feeling and a spirit of broad and generous patriotism should have place. Yet one such has been found in the person of the Rev. A. Macdonald, Presbyterian pastor at Otautau. At a recent Sunday evening service he is reported in the Otautau Standard as having informed his congregation that ‘it was the Protestant world that was coming to the succor of the Belgian nation at this time of national crisis, although the Belgians -were a Roman Catholic people ’ ; that Catholic peoples were ‘ only showing a poor second lo the sacrifices being made by Protestant peoples in the cause of humanity in the present struggle’; and in particular, that ‘ no Catholic movement in our own district or Dominion had manifested itself, and this he thought should be done.’ * These animadversions and insinuations are as false in substance as they are regrettable ■ and unworthy in 1 spirit. To begin with, the movement to assist the afflicted Belgians is not a denominational one, and has not been so viewed in any part of the Empire, except, perhaps, in a particular manse at Otautau. It is a patriotic and charitable movement, taken up gladly and spontaneously by all sections of the community as members of a common Empire, which Empire owes its present position, and possibly even its existence, to Belgian heroism and gallantry. Had Catholics made it a denominational affair, constituting themselves a separate unit, and keeping their funds and their activities apart from those of the rest of the community, they would have been justly blamed for taking a narrow and sectarian view of a situation which preeminently called for a united and universal effort. With wider and wiser vision, they elected everywhere to throw in their lot with the rest of their fellow-citizens : and throughout the length and breadth of the Empire their record, both in the matter of giving and of working, will bear the closest comparison with any other section of the community. From Ireland, in addition to the special Church collections, enormous sums have been sent to Belgium ; and thousands of Belgian refugees are being housed and cared for in that overwhelmingly Catholic country. The same is true with respect to the Catholics of England. The English Catholic papers —the London Tablet , the Universe, the Catholic Times, and the Catholic Herald have all established special funds, in addition to the heavy contributions made by Catholics to all the other funds that were on foot. Files of French papers that lie before us—such as L 1 Eclair, IT Echo de Paris, Express da Midi, etc.—-show that the Catholics of France, hard pressed as that country itself is by German exactions and by the calls of the war, are making noble and unceasing efforts to alleviate, both by money gifts and otherwise, the distress of their Belgian brethren. In New Zealand, as elsewhere, Catholics have made common cause with the general body of citizens, and they are everywhere strongly represented on the committees which are doing so much to make the movement in this country such a conspicuous success. In all the carnivals, concerts, sports, and demonstrations of various kinds which are being inaugurated, Catholics are doing yeoman’s service : and the good people of Otautau will doubtless bear ■witness that this is as true of their district as of all other parts of the Dominion. In Dunedin, for example, of which we have special knowledge, collecting committees have been established for the purpose of obtaining regularmonthly contributions; and at the last meeting of the local committee it was noteworthy that the largest amount from any individual collector —over £IOO was handed in by a Catholic lady. * In common with the authorities of other religious bodies, the Catholic Church authorities have arranged for special church collections for the Belgian funds in every diocese of the Dominion; and the total sums so realised will more than bear comparison with the like

efforts of other bodies. In Auckland the sum of £ll2B has been collected; in Wellington, £950; ,in Christchurch, £1100; and ,in Dunedin , diocese, between Oamaru and Gore, the sum of £SOO has been raised. The returns for the remaining portion of the diocese have not yet com© to hand. In the case of Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch dioceses, the money has not only been collected, but has long ago been despatched. Not only in money, time, and energy, but in life blood also, the Catholics of the Dominion are bearing their full share of sacrifice for the Empire, and for the cause of reparation to despoiled and violated Belgium. In the first Expeditionary Force which left our,'shores no less. than 40 per cent, of the troops were Catholics; and in all the subsequent contingents the number of Catholics has been far in excess of the Catholic proportion of the population. These facts speak for themselves; and they place the Rev. Mr. Macdonald’s utterance in its true light. We have given the Otautau deliverance more attention than its importance unimportance—deserved ; but the ignoble taunt, as unworthy as it is untrue, was one in regard to which the Catholics concerned naturally felt somewhat keenly. We have only to add that Mr. Macdonald’s remarks have been submitted to the chairman of the country organisations of the Belgian Relief Committee, whose headquarters are in Dunedin ; and we shall have pleasure in publishing the official statement on the subject which we hope to receive from him.