CHURCHES IN UNITY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 207, 1 September 1932, Page 3

CHURCHES IN UNITY.

GREATER EFFORT NEEDED.

« NO HAPPINESS WITHOUT SERVICE."

dANON.GRANT COWEN'S ADDRESS.

Canon Grant Cowen, vicar of St. Matthew's Anglican Church, stressed the importance of the co-operation of Churches in the campaign of Christian witness in an address before a large congregation in St. ' James' Presbyterian Church, Wellington Street, last evening. He said the day was not very far away when there would be a united Church.

"The willingness with which the Churches have united to further the campaign of having the community signify its belief in Christianity is of great significance," said the speaker. "The day is not very far off when there will be a united Church. If that position obtained at present, the Church could make its voice heard in the counsels of men."

There could be no happiness in religion without personal service, said Canon Grant Cowen. It was those who understood the value of service who understood the juy of true religion. That wan the courage Christianity needed to-day, but it was a hard thing to lead the truly Christian life. Indeed, tremendous courage was wanted, and there were many who had not that.

"The actual reason for the present stress in the world is that there are people who look too much ' at the material things of commerce, instead of the centre of holy principles/' continued the speaker. "The world is keeping its windows closed to God—or those windows may be dirty. There are men and •women prepared to live their lives for pleasure, for self and their own aggrandisement, but until the world opens its windows to God there can be no improvement. The economic difficulties are man-made. Mankind has tried to shut out God. In an attempt to forget the awful years of the Great War mankind entered into an orgy of pleasure. The root of the evil in the world is pure selfishness and godlessness. Life's values have all been wrong in the past, and will have to be readjusted in the light of Jesus Christ." In conclusion, Canon Grant Cowen said that the Church was playing a part in the affaire of people, but, great as it was, the part would have to be increased. In the case of the city of Auckland, had the Church not pursued its social work there would be ten times as much suffering. That alone was an answer to critics of the Church. The service was led by the minister, the Rev. E. R. Harries. Others who took part in the service were the Rev. W. Walker, of the Pitt Street Methodist Church, the Rev. A. V. Whiting, of Beresford Street Congregational Church, and Pastor W. Campbell, of West Street Church of Christ. Services at Mount Albert. At the third of a successful series' of meetings in the Mount Albert district, the Rev. R. G. Coats, the vicar, was the preacher in St. Luke's Anglican Church last evening. On Monday evening the opening meeting was held in the Presbyterian Chureli, the address being given by the Rev. A. Mcßean, of the Mount Albert Metliorlist Church. The Rev. J. Laird, of the Baptist Church, was the speaker at Tuesday's meeting, which was held in the Methodist Church. All the principal Protestant denominations have been well represented among the large congregations which have attended the services. The final meeting of the series will t>e held in the Baptist Church this evening. The speaker will be the ReV. W. Gilmour, of the SandPresbyterian Church.