METHODISTS AND WAR SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3011, 23 February 1917, Page 6

METHODISTS AND WAR SERVICE

+ . IRRESISTIBLE CLAIM ON CONSCIENCE

A MILITANT ADDRESS

Reference was made to the military ballot by the Bev. A. G. Lawry, the retiring president of- the Methodist Conference, in his valedictory address. Mr. (Lawry said: "Before declining to appeal for the exemption of our young men on whom the ballot may fall, I submitted the line that in my judgment seemed right to the leading men of our church, and they all practically agreed with me. The conference itself will now decide up to what point this policy of sacrifice can be maintained. The interesting question of the seemliness of ministers enlisting I would gladly discuss nt some length now, but the time at my disposal will not suffice, nor have I a right to anticipate the resolutions that the conference will pass in this regard. Of this I am certain that if a vile wretch were attacking an unprotected home or running amok down a street, our men would not refuse to protect the helpless from brutal nor would they shrink from upholding law and order at some risk on that they , are Methodist ministers. I think that this- should be as true on the international scale as on the domestic or parochial. If those whjo have adopted pacifist views had sufficient imagination to visualise 3 ten-thousandth part of the horrors that would have been inflicted upon the people of the Allied nations but for armed protection, they might understand that even Jesus Christ could lead a bayonet ohanre to deliver the helpless from the brutal in this war between heaven and hell. Always, Jesus stood for the women and children and the poor, and He antagonised the .covetous and cruel, the Scribes ' and 1 lanseos, Sadducees and hypocrites'. J hat is the attitude of our heroes atthe front to-day. Indeed, I am. sure tliat there is so much latent marihood or; the sturdy sort even.in each truly conscientious objecter that if he were among tho scenes of outrage and butchery and cruelty that are now defili"" three continents he would do nY the Quaker did in Uncle Tom's Cabin You will remember that Phineas stood between the trembling women and the slave hunter. He gave him a gentk TS- j n( V stronE: WIS,1 > and saying JM'iend, thee isn't wanted here,''and sent him broken and cursing, but llelness, to the bottom of the cliff. But tor those who feel the argument of the history of the Ancient Church stronger than the appeal of the tragic history of very modern Europe, there is the opportunity, of ambulance and other Christian work at the front. This will not be denied them by the Government and should have an irresistible claim upon the consciences or those who (heedless of danger) will prove their allegiance to crush the enemy. Regarding the young preachers 'who go to the front, I can imagine no grander opening for them, than their posiJon among thousands of ■ men,' and 1 am convinced that those who return will have a unique fitness for their work an °™l speak with a rare authority. In the meantime we must hear throughout the whole Church a fresh call to sacrifice. Our people must attend the churches to worship God, not to.hear a favourite preacher, and must not forsake the wonted place of prayer because . Conference cannot send them tne.one minister that'they desire Our supernumeraries and local preachers an a other Christian workers are at one with the remaining ministers to undertake more and'work harder. I appeal to our people as. a whole to show "the same spirit of self-sacrifice m each department of church life that our heroes m the war zone are manifesting!" Methodists In the Ranks. Mr. Lawry combatted the suggestion that .the Methodists had not sent a largo percentage of their members' to the iront. From the Methodist congregations in New Zealand 6200 men had enlisted, and of these 620 had made the supreme sacrifice. "We find," remarked the speaker, ."that the Deienco Department had not kept a strict and up-to-date record of the denomi-' national standing of the members of the Aew Zealand Expeditionary Force. We also hear disquieting rumours from abroad. These have been repeated by unfriendly clerics in the Dominion and by other critics until the percentage of Methodists among New Zealand's patriots has been put absurdly low: I am therefore -urged by an experienced chaplain to , mako known several incidents m which men at the front, although of the Methodist faith, were recorded as belonging to other creeds. "I have secured," said the speaker, "from nearly every minister and home missionary in the New Zealand Church a return of enlisted men. lam proud to say that' there can be no doubt, that of the eligible young men in the Methodist congregations from 90 to 95 per cent, have gone to the war. In many cases every eligible young man has ■ gone. There is not a young man left. The figures stand thus: 8i per cent, of the ExpediftonaryTorce and 92 per cent, of our eligible young men." ' '