HC Deb 12 June 1899 vol 72 cc898-9
*Mr. CHANNING (Northampton, E.)

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that in the Government chapel at the Royal Small Arms Ordnance Factory at Enfield, the chaplain, the Reverend C. E. J. Carter, a member of the English Church Union, is in the habit of hiding the manual acts at the celebration of the Holy Communion, mixing water ceremonially with wine, elevating the consecrated elements, and burning candles in the day time, all of which practices have been judicially condemned by the Supreme Court in such cases; further, that Mr. Carter celebrates Eucharists and Vespers for the dead, both services being without any authority within the Established Church of England; and that a cross is illegally placed upon the re-table; and whether the Secretary of State for War will take steps to secure the exclusion of illegal practices and Unauthorised services from this and other chapels under his control.

*THE UNDER SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. WYNDHAM, Dover)

No complaint has been received from the persons using the chapel; and the Secretary of State does not feel called upon to interfere.

*MR. CHANNING

I beg to give notice that I shall ask a further question on this matter.

MR. CARVELL WILLIAMS (Notts,) Mansfield

I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the War Office what proportions of the sum of £565 4s. 5d., which appears from last year's Ordnance Factories Accounts to have been expended for "Divine Service," were allocated to the factories of Enfield, Waltham Abbey, Woolwich, and Birmingham respectively.

*MR. WYNDHAM

The figures are as follows: Woolwich, £293 4s. 11d.; Enfield, £197 10s. 7d.; Waltham, £74 8s. 11d.; Birmingham, nil.

MR. CARVELL WILLIAMS

I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War why there should be a Government chapel, with a chaplain, at the Royal Small Arms Ordnance Factory at Enfield, when in other Government establishments of the same character there is no such chapel or official.

*MR. WYNDHAM

When the factory at Enfield was originated it was considered necessary, owing to the isolation of the buildings, to provide a chapel for spiritual ministrations to the workmen employed there.