Sir, - The indefatigable Patsy McGarry reports that Dr Ian Paisley, in making "one last desperate stand" at Drumcree, thundered: "Is this country to be ruled by Dublin? Is it going to see the Protestant people wiped out as they have been in the South?" (The Irish Times, July 18th).
I have not been wiped out. From the memory of Dr Paisley there seems to have been wiped out what happened when the servant of Elijah, having played the numbers game, believed he was besieged by hostile forces and said: "Alas, my master! How shall we do?" "Fear not," Elijah assured him, "for they that are with us are more than they that be with them." And he prayed: "Lord, open his eyes that he may see."
During the past week the Church of Ireland has been accused of funking the issue. But what is the issue?
As a boy of 12, 64 years ago, I can remember my father opening my eyes to it when he thundered from the pulpit at parishioners outraged by his banning of God Save The King on Remembrance Sunday:
"How can the Church of Ireland possibly justify her claim to be the true Church of the Irish people if her members persist in behaving as if they belonged to the Church of England?" - Yours, etc., Arthur Bateman,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.