VOLUNTARY MILITARY TRAINING

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 135, 4 March 1941, Page 12

VOLUNTARY MILITARY TRAINING

Protest From Pulpit At Use Of Sunday CALL FOR CONFIDENCE IN CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOUR Dominion Special Service. PALMERSTON N., March 3. A protest against using Sunday as a day of training for voluntary military service was voiced in St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Palmerston North, yesterday morning, by the Rev. J. Hubbard, when he presented the following resolution of the session: “While professing unflagging loyalty to the Throne and realizing that the fight of the nation is also the fight of the Church, aud while also recognizing the right of private judgment, the session of St. Andrew's Church urges members to resist the use of Sunday for voluntary military training and calls on all members for a more striking observance of the Lord’s day as an opportunity for public workship o.f God, who exalteth a nation.” Mr. Hubbard said the Presbyterian Church had always been a fighting ehurch, fighting against the .tyranny of kings and those who would try to put fetters on a nation. The - Presbyterian Church had fought for the freedom of the subject so that mankind could express itself without the humbugging mediatorship of the State. It also knew that, if the nations opposing Britain today were victorious it would be the end of the Church. But the nation was fighting *more than gangsters. It was fighting also against a certain philosophy of life, and the Church' would be faithless to its Lord unless it ranged itself with the powers that be in the fighting of that philosophy. The church session also realized the right of private conscience and would not seek to force on members opinions not in accordance with the consciences, but one of the great factors ’in the winning of victory was morale, and the most important factor in keeping up morale was religion. It seemed, however, that the one day left for the worship of God was being sunk. There was an increasing paganism sweeping through the country. The use of Sunday had not started with the military. Successive Governments had started the ball rolling. There had been mystery excursion trains, followed by other organized gatheriugs, on the Lord’s Day. Even in Palmerston North au important organization had its annual meeting scheduled for this Sunday night. The British nation had marched to greatness because of its regard for the Sabbath day. It was not a Church day —it was the Lord’s day, and .the Session appealed to the people to resist its secularization.

Mr. Hubbard also declared a need for leadership based on the highest ideals and a refusal to compromise with the forces of materialism. “How can we call on God to aid our cause if on Sunday we are a lot of pagans?” he asked. The Government had called for a day of national prayer and the people attended but were remaining away from the church till the next call came. There was a Divine call every Sunday and the people must respond. Christian forces were awakening in Britain and must also do so in this country. “Haven’t we any dash and confidence in our Christian endeavour?” he asked. “Let us save Sunday.”