Reformed Presbyterian Minutes of Synod 1947

REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 131The report of the Committee on Item 4 in the reportof the Committee on Unfinished Business was read, adoptedand is as follows:The Implication of the Oath of Allegiance in CanadaYour Committee to study the implication of the Oath in Canadawould respectfully report:We have endeavored to continue the work which was so wellstarted by the late Rev. E. ,C. Mitchell of the former Committee.The question has been raised, "Can Covenanters, in harmonywith our Covenant, take part in pohtical acts in Canada where theOath of Allegiance is required? The answer of Synod has been, "No",for the Covenant says, "We will continue to refuse to incorporate byany act, with the political body", until there is a "Constitutionalrecognition of God as the source of all power, of Jesus Christ as theRuler of Nations, of the Holy Scriptures as the supreme rule, and ofthe true Christian Religion", But the religious nature of the CoronationOath which King George VI took when he ascended the throne,and the religious atmosphere in which it was sworn have encouragedthe belief that Canada is a Christian Nation, and the hope thatCovenanters might be able to exercise aU the rights of citizens andstill be faithful to their Covenant.Then let us get the Coronation Oath before us for study. Intaking the Oath, His Majesty George VI answered the followingquestions:Q. Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the peoples ofGreat Britain, Ireland, Canada, AustraUa, New Zealand and theUnion of South Africa, of your possessions and the other territoriesto any of them belonging or pertaining, and of your empire of India,according to their respective laws and customs?A. I solemnly promise so to do.Q. Will you to your power cause law and justice, in mercy, to beexecuted in all your judgments?A. I will.Q. Will you to the utmost of your power maintain the laws of Godand the true profession of the Gospel? Will you to the utmost of yourpower maintain in the United Kingdom the Protestant reformed religionestablished by law? And will you maintain and preserve inviolablythe settlement of the Church of England, and the doctrine,worship, discipline, and government thereof, as established by lawin England? And will you preserve unto the bishops and clergy ofEngland, and to the churches there committed to their charge, allsuch rights and privileges as by law do or shall appertain to them,or any of them?A. All this I promise to do.It is the third clause of the Coronation Oath that has given theimpression that Canada is a Christian Nation, and especially the partin which the King promises to "maintain the laws of God and thetrue profession of the Gospel". If the King and all the subordinateofficers would faithfully keep this promise, would not Canada betruly a Christian nation?