WORK FOR PEACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 253, 24 October 1936, Page 16

WORK FOR PEACE.

WAR CONDEMNED.

"CONTRARY TO GOD'S WILL" . - j DISCUSSION BY SYNOD. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. "That this Synod, being convinced that war is contrary to tlie will of God, urges Christian people to strive actively for peace and advocates the settlement of all international disputes by arbitration," was a motion moved by the Rev. F. N. Taylor and carried after a brief debate by the Synod of" the diocese of Christchurch this afternoon. The mover said that he had worded the resolution with the view to securing as far as possible the unanimous support of the Synod. "It is a question of ever-pressing urgency," he added. "The people are eagerly awaiting anything which may help ill the deep-rooted desire for some method by which the world may work its way to health and happiness. When we refer to war we mean war in the modern seuae, and it almost seems that ' we will need a new word to take the place of the term 'war' in future. War has been stripped of all its glamour and chivalry, and we must think in terms of war of the future and not of the past. It is impossible for anyone to say that God wants us to resort to that way ot solving any difficulties that may con-i front the nations. That war is still a.j school of discipline, honour and courage, and is God's way in the making of the whole man, ,is a view which few of us can take." Mr. H. D. Andrews said he could not support the resolution as it stood, because he did not, believe that a defensive war against an aggressor was against the will of God. Canon 0, Hanby moved that the word "aggressive" be* , inserted before the' word "war" in the resolution. Dean Julius said he thought the amendment was unnecessary, because the resolution referred really to the guilt of war. Bishop West-Watson said that sometimes* a man had only the choice of two evils, and, unless he was willing to make away with himself and thus evade his responsibilities —a greater evil still —he had no option but to adopt the lesser evil. "War is an abominable, horrible and evil thing, and only something more horrible could justify it at all;" he said. "But man by his greed and selfishness and jealousy sometimes brings about circumstances in which he has only the choice of evils." Canon S. Parr expressed the view that the resolution did not pledge the Synod to absolute pacifism. Would -the resolution be taken as a censure of those measures which were now -being taken for the defence of the Empire, and in this Dominion? asked the Rev. A. H. Norris. Several Voices: No. Great Britain took the view, continued Mr. Norris, that she could more effectively further the work of the League of Nations by increasing her defensive armaments. There were young people who believed that war was a glorious and noble thing, . said the Bishop, and ■ others believed that, because men were human, there must always be war. The Church stood for the utter disbelief that war was glorious or noble, or it was a necessary part of human relations. The amendment was lost, and the resolution was carried without dissent.