CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 153, 30 June 1934, Page 13

CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

ATTITUDE IN CRISIS.

CALL FOR SACRIFICE. WARNING OF RUSSIA. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Alarmed at the influence tlic relief works and sustenance systems have in lowering the morale of the unemployed, the Rev. T. Fielden Taylor, Church of England city missioner in Wellington, has suggested drastic measures for dealing with the position. lie advocates:— (1) The indulgence in no luxury by the people while there is anyone in need; (2) the bringing down of the standard of living for all to the scale of the least-paid married relief worker, and that the vast surplus thereby obtained be distributed under Government control to the people. "I think Our Lord would do these things," said Mr. Taylor. '"He seemed to count money as of very little value. I am convinced that the adoption of these measures by Christians on a wide scale would convince the unbeliever that Christianity is superior to the godless state of existence. 1 am sure that only so could the unbeliever be convinced." Atheism in Russia. Grave dissatisfaction with the attitude and actions of the Christian Church in the present crisis was expressed by the missioner. "No one can set aside the revolution in Russia as a matter of secondary importance, and no one can deny that the revolution has not worked itself out," he said. "It is still in the ascendant. It seems fairly clear 'that "while Russia is not actually persecuting the Church she is committed to a policy of rooting religion out of the country. When one comes to study the history of Russia before the revolution, one is convinced of the corruptness of the Greek Orthodox: Church. Long before the revolution atheism was becoming rampant, and when the revolution broke out there was in existence a large number of atheists, or at least those who professed to be such. I think the Russian Church had full warning of the storm which broke out against her, but she refused to heed- the warning.

"I cannot help feeling that we are I faced with the same challenge. All round us there is, and always has been, widespread* poverty arid destitution. It is an admitted fact that of our population a minority only are either Christians in the truest sense of the word, or even Church adherents. When this ia so, it is. clearly seen that an attack made on the, Church would be resented only by a minority. It cannot be denied that on the whole the Church has been on the side of the better off and prosperous, nor can it be denied that when the nation has been entangled in war, the Church has always been in favour of war. All those facts constitute a reason why, in the case of a revolution, the masses would heed the Church with but scant courtesy. "Apply Christian Principles." "I think the writing , is on the wall, but I do not think it is as yet too late to save the situation. The challenge to Christians is to do all hi their power, both individually and collectively, to apply the principles of the teaching of Christ to details of life. I do not think Russia has revolted against Christianity. I do think she has revolted against a false presentation of the Christian faith. "The real difficulty is that we shall shut our eyes to the challenge and to the danger and be content to drift along , with an imperfect picture of Christianity, which we have so long presented to the world. Men were always blind. You can imagine a citizen, of Rome poohpoohing any idea of the fall of Some — but Rome fell."

Mr. Taylor concluded by saying that he spoke thus because he believed that Christianity alone could save the world, and because he wanted Christians to do all they could to save the situation.