Show AN AND A recent issue of 0 the washington ab C post foat ses the claim otter moe ln behalf of ministers who dis with their church rules that agree kree when the organization to which they belong calls them to order they 7 are bining persecuted the piet pieta a article to is based on a recent auction of the he dotton boston iu in a priest of the episcopal who tone bag violated openly and defiantly 9 DOU of that church by inviting ministers not bowly ordained lato into ibis pulpit the transcript talks about 9 on OB the part ot of the be authorities who have called abe disobedient priest to account and arg argeo abot canon law to ie neither infallible nor aible xi ble to tola this the he pot post responds rea ponde what has baa that to do with the case came 7 the only question here la is did this clergyman violate canon law aw he admits that he did and the fact in ia notorious he did what hot he was wan solemnly bound not to do there is no aleal persecution in disciplining a recalcitrant minister mini ater it unjust ia just what every human organization does doea to members or gento who violate its rules taking up an ar argument gumen on oa the sub BUD eject out our washington makes the he following pointed statements m ants it is ia not only true that no rogue eler eer felt the halter draw with good opinion of the law I 1 but the same rule is ia equally applicable to men who are not rogues who are honest or mean to be in all the relations of life but having violated some rule that they were bound to obey attempt to vindicate themselves thom selves by an outcry against the rule and denunciation of those who in compliance with official duty undertake to discipline them for disobedience of it the post has on various occasions discussed the cases of clergymen who had violated the canons or prescribed rules roles of their respective churches and who cried persecution when brought to book in this happy land of ours we have complete religious liberty every man has a right to believe or disbelieve in any creed any two iwo or more persons holding the same belief have a right to formulate a creed and set met un up a sect they have a lawful right to 10 believe arid and declare if they see fit that their belief is the only true faith that their path is the only way that leads to the heavenly city this absolute religious freedom has naturally resulted in a multi multiplication li estion of churches denominations and sects the slightest lightest difference in belief sometimes splits a church into two or more parts so that we have various divisions of pres byte rians methodists baptists quakers etc the post poet says this religious freeti om works well under in contri contributing bating to the peaceful and 0 orderly conduct of religious bodies and adde add but bat no church or sect compels any person to join its membership and no man can became a clergyman of any denomination except by his own seeking and every man who takes the office of pastor priest or minister must solemnly declare that he believes the doctrines of a church achurch and pledge himself to obey us its laws he is ia not bound to believe and obey to the end of his life he ma may change his faith at any time le he mayhome may come to believe that this or that tenet is erroneous or this or that rule a mistake but as an honest man he is in bound to stop step down and out when he can no longer keep his ordination pledge bound 10 refrain from disobedience of canons or regulations and if when he has disobeyed and in ia called to account and put on trial he be raises the persecution cry he its is entitled to no sympathy every organization among men whether for religious social commercial scientific or any other purpose every organized body from a baseball club to the greatest church council oot ineil has and must have its laws and if its it officers or members violate them they are and ought to be subject to disciplinary proceedings 1 I 1 tin he po poria ils article overs covers the ground pretty we well 11 as regard the principle involved it if ao an or were to pursue a person who bad withdrawn rom irom it bec use he dij nit n t submit to its rules and who made no assault upon the organization but let it severely aiole there would be but any lawful organization organ ratton has baa a right to act in its own defense anti and to enforce the rules of the society upon its members if the latter to do not sp ap prove of the rules they can withdraw irom membership where the rules no longer apply tu to them and no church or society could Main maiotti tai its self belt respect if it dai dl not du enforce torcie its rules upon recalcitrant members so BJ every self person who has the burago 0 urage of his convictions and beote to sand by them when those these dint gree with the rules of any organ orga nisso lk tion will vindicate Tind loate them by with from that society whoa rules rulea he dissents from if members of a church entertain views view on doctrine and discipline contrary to the church rule they have no lost fast oom com plaint plain tat at the organization fir either or expelling them hem it if they wish to maintain those contrary fletre they should retire irom from the society tj w with I 1 th which they disagree but to retain anem barship while a church doctrine or rule Is 1 tres trespassing passing dpn the religious freedom of that to the extent of the dissension or disturbance that to Is caused in its ito ranks by such agite antagonism onlea |