From “The English Churchman,” 13th May.
TO those who understand the difficulty of organizing a national movement the magnificent result of obtaining 750,000 signatures to a petition in about thirteen weeks will be acknowledged as a wonderful achievement. This Petition, presented to the House of Commons by Mr. Charles McArthur, M.P., on 12th May, may be taken as a remarkable instance of what can be done by unity, enthusiasm, and the utilizing of existing Protestant Societies in the accomplishment of a great end. It would be invidious to deal with the numbers obtained by each individual Society, all of whom have worked to the utmost of their powers, but it may be permissible to give a few interesting incidents connected with this work. The Women’s Protestant Union, who procured 176,829 signatures, state that one of their London Secretaries obtained over 6,000 signatures, and another considerably over 5,000. A member in the North of Scotland sent in over 3,000, while another resident in the East of England secured a similar number. In a sparsely-populated district a Secretary by dint of much hard work amongst the surrounding villages, secured 1,570 names; while, in another district, a large number of signatures were obtained by a worker over 86 years of age. From Cornwall a member sent in nearly 2,000 signatures. The Calvinistic Protestant Union, who sent in 177,000 names, have equally interesting incidents to report. For instance, from the Highlands of Scotland 8,000 names were received in one batch, and individual workers secured as many as 4,000, 3,000, and 2,000 each respectively. Indeed, the response from the Highlands of Scotland has been most gratifying. The Secretary of the Convent Enquiry Society received about 2,000 from this district amongst the total he collected, while the Protestant Reformation Society have a similar success to report from the North of Scotland, notably the receipt of a large batch of signatures contributed by the whole of the adult population of a remote parish. The Missionaries of the Protestant Reformation Society were, of course, forward in the work, one obtaining many thousands of signatures in Essex, while the Society’s energetic Hon. Local Secretary in Brighton sent in over 6,000 names. The Society’s Missionary in Bristol walked over 100 miles collecting signatures in the surrounding villages of his large district. The Protestant Truth Society, as may be supposed, put forth its best energies, and achieved a splendid result, over 120,000 signatures standing to their credit. The Church Association, in addition to its own individual efforts, resulting in a contribution of over 100,000 signatures, kindly gave the use of its experienced staff in the preparation of the Petition for presentation to Parliament, and the National Protestant Federation not only did well in gallant little Wales, but from the Emerald Isle and Scotland received some remarkable additions to the list, the Minister of a parish in Fifeshire sending in the signatures of the whole of his adult parishioners. Mention must also be made of the excellent contributions sent in by the Loyal Orange Institution, the Protestant Press Bureau, and the Scottish Women’s Protestant Union. The signatures if placed end to end would cover a distance of no less than four and a quarter miles, and have been contributed by people in every rank of life—Peers, Members of Parliament, Clergy, Ministers, officers and men of both the Army and Navy, and every profession and trade. A most noteworthy fact educed by obtaining the signatures was the readiness with which the Petition has been signed. One worker secured the signatures of a whole rank of cabmen. These facts indicate the widespread interest and enthusiasm with which the movement has been taken up.