"A TRUCE OF GOD."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 238, 8 October 1935, Page 6

"A TRUCE OF GOD."

DUTY OF CHRISTIAN CITIZENS,

"There is only the Christian way out, said the Leader of the Parliamentary Labour ■party in Britain, Mr. George Lansbury, m the course of a letter to "The Times," in which he appealed to Christian leaders to "call a halt to the nations ancl accept a truce of Cod. lnc Archbishop of Canterbury, in a letter in reply to Mr. Lansbury, wrote: "Mr. Lansbury s letter contains two proposals, though he not make it very clear how they are related to each other. The first is that the League of Nations should immediately summon a new World Conference for the one single purpose of discussing how the vast stores of national resources and the trompndous unsatisfied maikcts of the world can be organised and regulated for the service of mankind.' I must not make any comments upon this proposal except to say that I do not see how the League of Nations at the present time when its very existence as an instrument of international order is at stake can be expected to embark upon this difficult and far-reaching enterprise. Let its position and credit be now maintained, and then it may very rightly take this matter, one of real urgency, in hand. United Action Contemplated. "Tt is with Mr. Lansbury's second proposal that 1 am chiefly concerned. It is that Christian leaders should make some common pronouncement 'calling to the nations to halt and accept a truce of God' in the name of 'the God of Love and Peace.' In all that lie writes about Christ's teaching and in his insistence that 'there is only the Christian way out,' he is repeating with a very impressive sincerity what in common with others who hold some position of leadership in the Christian world I lmve been constantly urging. But as a sign of sympathy with Mr. Lansbury's appeal, let 1110 say that I have for some time been considering whether the present unspeakably grave world situation does not call for some special and solemn reminder and reassertion of fundamental Christian principles by the responsible leaders of all Christian communions throughout the world, so far as may be possible simultaneously, so that the voice of a united Christendom might be heard. The organisation of any such united action is obviously a difficult task and must take some time. But I am already taking counsel as to how far and in what way it may be achieved. "Jf this proved to be possible, then Mr. Lansbury's hope of a united gathering calling from Mount Calvary for a truce of (Sod and bidding the war-spirit rest, though (for reasons into which I need not enter) I do not see how it could be fulfilled in literal fact, might be fulfilled in spirit.

"Meanwhile, however, we are confronted by an immediate crisis. In a world where manifestly at present the Christian law of love in not established and where mere appeal and exhortation cannot of themselves establish it, organised action may at least restrain pride and greed from committing wrong and inflicting upon men the horrors of war. It seems to me, therefore, that the immediate duty of Christian citizens is first indeed and always to bear witness to that spiritual power which alone can deliver mankind from the fear of war and establish peace, and secondly to take their share in upholding international justice and order. For this purpose the League of Nations was founded. Therefore in this immediate juncture Christian citizens in our own and other countries arc surely called to support their Governments in taking such action as will give effect to the Covenant of the League." .