CALL TO PRAYER

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 88, 14 April 1945, Page 8

CALL TO PRAYER

DOMINION CHURCHES

PROBLEMS OF WORLD ORDER

P.A. WELLINGTON, Friday. A call to prayer for the Conference of United Nations which is to open in San Francisco on April 25 has been issued, signed by eight heads of Churches in New Zealand. It is asked that there shall be a special prayer on Sunday, April 22. The message states:—

"We wish to call Christian people to prayer on behalf of this conference, particularly on Sunday, April 22. The success of any plan for international organisation depends not merely upon political measures, but upon general acceptance throughout the world of common moral judgments. It is our profound conviction, that no system of security can succeed which fails to reckon wtih such principles of the Christian faith as the obligation of moral law, the worth of every human being, the superiority of human over material values, and the moral duty of co-operative action in a world community. No system for the organisation of a world security, however well planned in political structure, can long succeed without the basis of these principles.

"Moreover, a system which may be imperfect at its beginning may develop into something curative and creative if Christians are vigilant to bring the resources of their faith to bear continuously upon the problems of world order. The Church is the creation of God in Jesus Christ, and is called to proclaim to all men everywhere the way of life. The Church is, in fact, a world community, which may be used of God to develop His spirit of righteousness and love in every race and nation, and thus to make possible a just and durable peace. "We are called to pray that each of us who claims to be a follower of Our Lord Jesus Christ shall be so devoted to Him in self-renunciation that in this new order it will be the will of God, and not human passions, suspicion and hatred, which will triumph. Let us, then, with one purpose, seek the guidance and help of God."

The message is signed by Archbishop West-Watson. Primate of New Zealand, Mr. T. C. Brash, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, the Rev. A. H. Scriven, president of the Conference of the Methodist Church, Mr. Nees. president, of the Baptist Union, Mr. R. T. Wright, president of the Associated Churches of Christ, Mr. C. R. Lankshear, chairman of the Congregational Union, Mr. Goldsbury, clerk to-the General Meeting for the Society of Friends, and Commissioner J. Evan Smith, of the Salvation Army.