§ MR. CHANNING (Northamptonshire, E.)On behalf of the hon. Member for 978 the Wisbech Division of Cambridge, I bog to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether his attention has been called to a letter issued by certain incumbents, in which the writers express their refusal to use the Service recommended for use in churches on the occasion of His Majesty's Coronation as the said service now stands, on the ground of the instruction therein contained to inform the congregation of the King's Oath to maintain the Protestant religion as established by law; and whether he is prepared to make any statement as to the views and intentions of the Government in connection with this matter.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY (Mr. A. J. BALFOUR,) Manchester, E.I have not seen the form of service to which the hon. Member refers. I gather there is no legal obligation to use it. In these circumstances each person must form his own judgment of the value of the reasons rendered for not using it. If they are accurately represented in the Question, in my opinion they are very bad reasons.
§ MR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON (Belfast, S.)Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Oath to be taken by the King at his Coronation pledges His Majesty to maintain the Protestant Reformed religion as established by law.
§ MR. A. J. BALFOURI am not aware whether the hon. Member's gloss on the question is right or wrong. I have not seen it.