CATHOLICS AND BELGIAN RELIEF

New Zealand Tablet, 13 May 1915, Page 34

CATHOLICS AND BELGIAN RELIEF

As we mentioned last week, the unworthy and utterly uncalled-for aspersions made by the Rev. A. Macdonald, Presbyterian pastor at Otautau, in regard to an alleged failure on the part of Catholics to do their duty in assisting the movement for sending relief to the distressed Belgians, were submitted to Mr. J. A. Johnstone, Chairman of the Belgian Relief Collecting Committee, with the request that he would make an official statement regarding the facts. Mr. Johnstone has addressed a direct personal communication to the Otautau minister, stating the incontrovertible facts, and expressing. the hope that that gentleman will withdraw the absurd and utterly groundless charge. "We have been kindly supplied with a copy of the letter, which we have pleasure in placing in full before our readers: ' Dunedin, May 5, 1915. 'Rev. A". Macdonald, Otautau, - Dear Sir, —My attention has been brought to a paragraph appearing in the Otautau Standard of 20th April, in which you are reported to have made a charge

against the Roman Catholics vof not supporting the Belgian Relief movement as they should do, and I have been asked to place the facts before you. ." ■■'';" v O~ Ever since the "war broke out I have taken an active part in the collecting of subscriptions for the various relief funds, and to date there '"-, has actuallypassed through, my hands the following amounts; collected* at Roman Catholic churches throughout Otago: Dunedin ... ... .%. £134 15 0 ; : ; Lawrence ... ... ... 86 0 3 South Dunedin ... ..." 55 0 0 Gore ... ... -'.- 48 3-0 • - Mosgiel ... '2O 5 6 Milton ... ... 13 3 6 .. .... ■'- Riversdale ... ... ... 12 12 0 Port Chalmers ...... 11 15 9 Omakau . .'. 11 0 0 £392 15 0 V" ! * '"ln addition, there was a large donation from a Roman Catholic body included in the totaS funds raised here at a large patriotic - demonstration on Trafalgar Day. I forget the actual amount as it was merely included in the total, but I well remember the special donation coming along before the" meeting. 'I also understand that over .£6O has been paid into the Otago Central Fund by the Roman Catholics of Ranfurly, and over £SO has been collected at the churches in Oamaru. ' I have been chairman of a committee that organised various country meetings throughout Otago, and at two of —Lawrence and Miltonthe local Roman Catholic priest took a seat on the platform and did splendid work in inducing the members of his Church and others to make donations. ' At present the ladies of Dunedin are working a large house to house monthly Belgian Relief collecting scheme, and in three of the largest districts the work is being organised by Roman Catholics, and it is only fair to state that these three ladies are the best workers we have, and, no doubt, they are. being' well supported by many collectors who are Roman Catholics. ' As far as Otago is concerned, the Roman Catholic Church as a body is certainly assisting more than any other Church. The next best are the Baptists and the Methodists, and as far as the Presbyterians and Anglicans are concerned, they are doing practically nothing. ' In mentioning these facts I make no criticism, but I do hope that you will now see your way to clear the charge you have made against the Roman Catholics as far as Otago is concerned. ' Yours faithfully, ' J. A. Johnstone, 'Chairman, Belgian Relief Collecting Committee.' * This official and authoritative communication speaks for itself. The Rev. Mr. Macdonald had said that ' so far no Catholic movement in our own district or Dominion had manifested itself ' : the Chairman of the Belgian Relief Collecting Committee, than whom no man in Otago is in a better position to speak, replies that ' the Roman Catholic Church as a body is certainly assisting more than any other Church.' We hope, for his own sake, that the Otautau minister will be manly . enough frankly to withdraw his foolish statement; but whether he does so or not is really a matter of little consequence. Mr. Johnstone's official and authoritative communication is the final and unanswerable reply to a reckless and ridiculous charge, which had not a particle of foundation, and which ought certainly never to have been made. We have only to add that the figures given above have to be supplemented by a further donation of £SO from Ranfurly, and by the very handsome contribution of £37 from the Riverton parish.