The Roman Catholic Peers have laid a statement before the
Lord Chancellor protesting against the declaration con- demning the doctrine of transubstantiation (required by the Bill of Rights) which the King has to make before he opens his first Parliament. The Roman Catholic Peers declare that it is painful for them to hear the declaration made while they are discharging their duties in the House of Lords, and also that it cannot but cause the deepest pain to millions of subjects of his Majesty in all parts of the Empire. For our- selves, though we are for strongly maintaining the Protestant character of the Monarchy, we should like to see the declara- tion purged of all language which can be called offensive, or even painful, to Roman Catholics. We would remind the Roman Catholic Peers, however, that it would be far easier for those who, like us, desire toleration in its completest form to advocate the abolition of all forms and ceremonies which, like the declaration, are painful to Roman Catholics if the Roman Catholic authorities would be more careful in regard to the wounding of Protestant feelings. Cardinal Vaughan's pronouncement in regard to the impossibility of holding requiem services for the Queen "as for peace-parted souls"—we are not, of course, here quoting Cardinal Vaughan's actual words—was certainly a great shock to many Protest- ants who hoped and believed that a more tolerant spirit now prevailed in the Roman Church. No doubt Cardinal Vaughan would say that he was bound to act as he acted by his religious beliefs, and that Protestants are not bound by con- science to use language like that of the declaration. We ourselves admit the abstract force of the plea, for we are absolutely convinced that toleration should be a free gift and not a matter of reciprocity. Still, the fact remains that the mass of mankind do hold that reciprocity should prevail in matters of toleration, and the fact is one which the Roman Catholic Peers must take into account.
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