SERVICE OR SERVITUDE?

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 13, 16 January 1940, Page 6

SERVICE OR SERVITUDE?

As a member of the Methodist Church for 40 years and au ex-member of the Imperial and New Zealand Force* it was with a feeling of disgust andtgjgine that I read the resolution of the Methodist young men's Bible claea. 1 venture to suggest that 90 per oast of the members of the Methodist Church are true to the principles of demome; and all that the British Empire ataa&i for in this present crisis. The clearly warns us that to preach jme# where is no peace is a form of aeduptai which is fatally subversive. Th* enemies of peace know this and tain every chance to promote the propagatica of false pacifist doctrines accordingly. There has been a tendency in modern times, due to the sentimentalism of 111 present day, to disparage patriotism, M if it was in some way antagonistic ti the mind of our Lord Jesus Christ; 41. if to be a Christian a person must cease to love his or her country. Trm patriotism is only another word for eon* ship. We may not approve of all law# that are passed here or in the Empire that do not conform to our pet ideas, but we are living under better conditions, sheltered by tlie Union Jack, than are known under any other flag on earth. Wocld peace cannot be achieved by piogs platitudes alone, any more than law and order can be maintained in a country without a police force. If we do not like the word conscription, let us adopt another term aud speak of universal military training and national service. The issue which faces us is the alternative between national service and national servitude. S. E. WHITE{L