THE PRESENT CONFLICT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 158, 22 September 1941, Page 8

THE PRESENT CONFLICT

A moving message was delivered from the pulpit of Westminster A.bbe3 r by a young airman at the annual Empire Youth Service. While the congregation sang the hymn "Land of our birth we pledge to thee our love and toil in the years to be" the airman mounted the steps to the pulpit and stood there with a diffidence that did not prepare one for the certainty with which he delivered his message. He spoke of the dominance of the machine in modern " warfare, and of the difficulty felt.by many in the services and the factories of giving thought to the serious things of life. He regarded this war as„ a conflict between the powers of darkness and of light, and said that the nation must concentrate its spiritual power. Young people must share in re-building the world, a difficult task requiring high qualities. He believed the new world could be built only by justice, unselfishness, kindliness, and fair play, even the fair distribution of the world's goods, and work for every man that he might keep his self-respect. These aims came from our Lord's teachings. He believed that the citizens of this Elmpire and of the English-speaking world were called to put the world in order. They could do it only if each one believed these things in. his hear! and loved them.