Prayers in Parliament.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XIV, Issue 2952, 20 April 1893, Page 2

Prayers in Parliament.

Referring to the death of Sir Charles Clifford, the leading English Catholic organ states that it was largely through Sir Charles Clifford's tact and firmness that Anglicanism was never recognised as the State religion in New Zealand. The " Tablet" narrates a curious story which has probably been forgotten in the colonies. It says :—" At the opening of the session a question atose as to who should say prayers. It did not greatly matter who said them, but it was important to avoid the appearance of having an Anglican clergyman merely because he was ah Anglic hi. The matter rested in the first instance with Clifford as Speaker. Anxious to be conciliatory and not to lub people up the wrong way, and yet determined not to admit any pretension at variance with the most perfect religious equality, Clifford explained his position to a friendly parson of the name of Lloyd, and asked him to be in the precincts of the House on the day when Parliament opened. Accordingly in the beginning of the proceedings, after the election of the Speaker, the new Speaker rose and said that he thought it would be the wish of the House to commence with some form of public prayer, and a 5? there was no such thing as an established religion, he p.oposed that the sergeant-at-arnis should go out and ask the first clergyman he met, of whatever denomination, to come in and officiate for them. The sergeant at-arms accordingly went out, ' and the first clergyman he came across, as you may suppose, was my friendly confederate, the Rev. Mr Lloyd, who at once came in and read the prayers.' The difficulty was solved, everybody was please i, and the principle was saved."