CALL TO CHURCHES

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 286, 30 August 1935, Page 6

CALL TO CHURCHES

Observance of League of Nations Sunday

AN UNFULFILLED TASK The first Sunday in September is recognised by many Christian churches in New Zealand as League of Nations Sunday and with the object of having this observed as widely as possible on Sunday next the Dominion president of the League of Nations Union of New Zealand, the Rev. F. 11. Wilkinson, M.A., has sent the following appeal to the clergy and congregations of over 1800 churches in the Dominion:—

"Believing that the programme of the Christian Church must embrace the bringing of the Christian ideal to bear upon international relations, the League of Nations Union of New Zealand would draw the attention of ail Christian clergy, ministers and congregations to the urgency of this unfulfilled portion of their task.

“The widespread awakening of ardent exclusive nationalism imperils all for which the Church of God stands. The wealth of nations Is, through fear, being dissipated in massed armaments, and that wealth is desperately needed for better education, better homes and general welfare. Practical atheism largely dictates the present relations between States; “Challenge to Church of God.” ■ “Such a situation surely constitutes a challenge to the Church of God. No Christian man can believe that might is right. No Christian man can give unqualified approval to the dictum ‘my country right or wrong.’ There is a loyalty that outruns the loyalty to King or Empire. It is the loyalty to the Kingdom of God and its law of love. So the League of Nations Union makes strong appeal to the churches of the Dominion to meet the present situation with thought and action based on faith in the ultimate sovereignty of God and on prayer that seeks to know the mind of God and to do it.

“We believe that the Christian Church has a divinely appointed task to work for the development of mutual respect and welfare between ■ all peoples, for the overcoming of all un-Chrlstian warcreating attitudes such as fear and suspicion, greed and resentment, and for the extension of international justice to supplant national force as the final appeal between States. Au important step in this programme would be the persuasion of all Christian people to urgently support the limitation of armaments by international agreement. “The League of Nations is the machinery by which effect can be given to these ideal.?. But they can never be adopted apart from widespread popular support. To, this end the League of Nations Union of New Zealand would welcome the support of Christian people, and would in turn offer its cooperation in the furtherance of this our common task and ideal. It is a significant fact that whenever any great power unhesitatingly supports the League, there is an added element of security among all peoples. “The union would in particular ask all ministers of religion to continue regularly to lead their congregations in prayer for the League and the ideals for which it stands, to keep them informed of the work of the League, and to observe tlie first Sunday in September (or nearest possible day) as tlie occasion when their services specially emphasise the work of tlie League.”