The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-10-09
RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION.
That's What the New School Tax in
England Is.
By Rev. Len G. Broughton.

London, Sept If Especial. ITO
day has been an interesting day. Ac-
companied by the kev. Albert Swift,
the pastors associate at Westminster
chapel, | attended court and witnessed
the trial of about one hundred pass
i've resisters." i am sure your many
readers viii be interested in the pro-
ceedings.
These passive resisters' are men
and women who refuse to comply
with the new school tax act This
act is held by them to the strict Vio-
latIon of the principles of religious
liberty. II prohibits all but establish
ed churchmen from teaching in the
public schools. 1t forces the schools
to teach the creed of the established
church to all pupils. 1t forces the
teacher to throw his influence with
his pupils against the free. noncon-
formist churches. 1t allows the Ro-
man Catholics. however. the right to
conduct their schools without govern
mental supervision or even inspec-
ton. Moreover the government ap-
propriates money for the Roman
Catholic schools. The bill was framed
| by a Roman Catholic cardinal ana
held by him to be a victory over nom
| conformists.
This is the measure that is playing
havoc here to-day. There is nothing
| like it. The demonstration that L
| witnessed to-day is one which | shall
never forget. The court convened in
| the council chamber of the Campbell
Green district.
Promptly at 10 o'clock q great
crowd of men and women assembled
at a church near by FOR prayer. A
| few moments before IL they adj
| journed to the court room and all of
lus marched in a body BY special
permission [ sat with the reSisterS-
Y,oi11 al +
| ing with criminals before. This ti1n~
| / would have been one of them had
! lived in the district. / would rot in
iiail before / would pay one cent of
the iniquitous tax. The court room
was packed with business men,
preachers and women.
| Promptly at II the old beadle called
out, make way for their worships,
the honorable magistrates and four
stern looking old chaps marched IN
| After a few preliminaries the chair
man of the bench said that it had
been decided to allow only one person
| to speak for the body. Just then the
| Rev. Mr.. Stevens, of the Congrega-
| tional church. arose and gave reasons
why they did not intend to pay the
tax After this the roll of Offenders
was called. 1t soon developed that
| each man wanted to speak Tor nlm-
self There was great confusion over
this The court finally DECIDED tnat
the individuals would not be allowed
to say anything in their pehal1. en-
cept just sentence showing their
reason for not complying with the law.
The court said it had made up Its
mind on the whole situation and did
mot propose to change. my" sald L
to myself, chow would we stand
trial without being allowed to make
our defense? We would Just Dust
Al xIyh0 w
do"
All but two of the number sum-
moned had property and the collec-
tors were ordered to sell the same
land settle the claim. The two that
had no property elected to go to lall
land hence they were given each seven
days in prison; as one OF them sald'
can for three shillings and three
lpence" CTS cents in our money!. But
it is not a question of money. IT is
a question of principle
After the court adjourned the crowd
gathered on the street in the pouring
rain. Soon a huge box was brought
and the crowd sang Am / Soldier
Of the Cross" and then don't you
forget "the fur began to fly | never
heard speeches SO full of ginger. They
denounced the law the conservative
party. the Balfour government and
everything else that had to do with
the business.
The first thing / knew they had
introduced me to the audience, and
II was on the stand before / hardly
knew it. / confess 1 was in speaking
trim by this time.
My address ran something on this
wise:
Friends of the Old Motherland:
I come before you bearing the sym
pathetic greetings of the only country
under the canopy of heaven where
absolute religious freedom exists. II
may not be proper for a child to in
struct its mother, but it will not be
out of place for the child to come
again. after long wandering in pleas
ant paths and offer her the fruits OF
his journeyings. / come before you
therefore. to say a word concerning
the blessings of the separation o.
church and state in my land. the lane
of the Stars ana Stripes."
The cries. eco on" were interpret
ed to mean. Lets have it, ant