CHURCH AND WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 146, 22 June 1937, Page 7

CHURCH AND WAR.

Vicar's Trenchant Criticism of Churchmen.

BLESSING OF WEAPONS.

LONDON, June 21. "Sabre-rattling" churchmen were denounced by the Rev. R. M. Le Messurier, vicar of Holy Trinity, St. Pancras, in the course of an address to his congregation. He said: "It most certainly is not the Church's business to bless guns, battleships and bombing aeroplanes." Referring to the Archbishop of York, Dr. William Temple, the vicar continued: "It is horrible to see one of our own archbishops bemoaning the fact that recruiting is not proceeding fast enough. Modern tattoos, with their sentimental singing of 'Abide With Me,' show prostitution of those finer feelings which could be used in the service of peace." Mr. Le Messurier also attacked Nazi Germany, remarking that if the State said: "Thou slialt commit adultery in order to have plenty of men for the army," the issue for Christians surely would be plain. Yet this was being done in Germany to-day, where • a woman with an illegitimate baby was allowed to take the honourable title of "Mrs.*'

In an interview, Mr. Le Messurier said he had spent three years in the ranks in the Great War, not as a padre, and he knew the beastliness of it inside out. He was convinced there was no greater sin man could commit than to make war.