RE "A DAY OF PRAYER"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 45, 16 November 1917, Page 7

RE "A DAY OF PRAYER"

Sir—May I bo permitted space to say "Well spoken, llangntainolial" and to give your paper the lushest praise for bringing' his letter before the public? True, forcible, precise, exact—his words defy contradiction. Throughout this war how few havo been the days set aside for national prayer, and how slack has been tho method of observing them. Wo livo in a time-saving ago of hustle and bustle, forgetting in our hurry Him to Whom wo oivo .everything. Wo blind ourselves by saying that we are right, and "right must conquer might." Germany, as ft people, believing they are right, are saying the same; but tho issno of this ghastly struggle lies in tho hollow of God's hand, Who can savo by many or by few. When people realiso tho fulness of these words they will seo that tho issuo does not depend wholly upon our superior earthly resources. What avail all our great efforts of men and munitions if we neglect Him in tho matter of earnest prayer? Too ready aro we, when in trouble, to cringe and pray for holp from Him tho existence of Whom we equally readily forget in timea of ease and luxury. To-day wo pray for peace in this great war; to-morrow we combat with strikes and other petty disputes throughout tho Umpire. What a farce our prayer is! Until wo quell our petty, individual, internal strifes and unite together to overthrow, our great enemy it would appear that we ■ want more war rather than peace. Truly our methods aro farcical and Pharisaical to say tho least; and whilst wo as a nation continue m these methods we cannot iopo for the end ot this war and a lasting peace. Let us, as a nation, follow out to tho letter . 'Jinngatainoka's" suggestion, and then wo will get that pea.ee for which somo ot us in our private prayers earnestly pray. As Tennyson said in his well-known poem, "Tho Passing of Arthur": "More things aro wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." Than these no truer words havo been written.—l am, etc., EARNEST IN Pit AYEK, November 11.

Sir—Our King is calling for a, day of humiliation and prayer to God on behalf of our nation for His protection and aid on our behalf in this dreadful war. During tho English session of Parliament before the war began a Bill was brought in, or, I may say, two Bills-one a Sunday Closing Bill and one a Sunday Observance Bill. The one was defeated by the 'Uninniat Party, the other by tho Liberal. Party, with the result that a few weeks later wo were launched into this terrible war. Aro we trying to improve matters to-day? Wo seo by •The Dominion of November 9 that Hie Wellington Lawn Tennis Association is petitioning to bo allowed to play on Sunday on a particular place, pointing out that the courts are far removed from churches, so there would bo no cause ot offence to churchgoers, and apparently God nor His laws was not to bo considered. He is behind he times, although it is said the word of God abuletli to over. But if the British nation has not tho power to carry, out the law, how do they expect Christ to answer their pray /while the largest part o them are defying God and His laws? Does it not look like mockery and ft farce: A Christian nation that pretends to believe in God and defy His laws can novel prosper, and will bo punished acordngv, and this war is a punishment for o sins and whilo wo persist m detymfc Him our prayers cannot be- heard, even tho "h ordered by the King. We are onl'"adding fuel to tho lire win to wo persist in our pleasure and make ,our Sabbaths a day of work or pleasure and gainbliiig.-I am > etc, PAIIUOUI-

Sir —"B A." rather oversteps the mark when ho uses Hie phrase, "Our King as hod of our Church. ." without any qualifying words, In Enhcnans V, 23; wo read, "Christ is tho head of tho Church." The 37th Article in the Book of Common Prayer (inserted in o71),, explaining the civil supremacy, distinctly ays that .the reigning monarch is given "that only prerogative which wo see to havo been given always to a.I ROdly Frinces in Holy Scripture by God Hm self; that is, that they should rule all estates and degrees committed to their charge by God, whether they be ccclesiSi or'tcmporal. 1 ; The King, or ru flparticular Mate, is (in tho &ciip. tural sense) tho. temporal bead 0 f «dl associations-religious, and. othcrwiscwithin his Dominions,, and is not urvtot. e,l with any spu.tual^nsdioto.-lau,,