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Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 78, 29 September 1930, Page 11

' Freedom alone would: never ' secure virility ana. progress in > Blatters either secular'or- religious, aiicl; even - more •than- democracy,- WsHlre.efficacy of the Christian Church on trial in its present staiie-of - serene-security and .equality, said the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, in anaddressiatthe-official opening of ■:■ the: new Colombo, ■ - Street. ■ Baptist Church building at. Christehurch yesterday/1 ■ •■':'." ''■■' :; , -:" -.:, ■'-.' ."' •' - '"Both in1 religion' and in secular af> fairs there are to-day the.utmost toleration' and-liberty-:in" "-speech' and doctrine, ,■ ;tliat"-',- are: but: -little restrained in; English-speaking' countries short of■■Waspheiny or'Sacrilege-on the one-hand aiid anarchy and •sedition-on. .the -other,-'.'-said-the-- Governor-General. "But' old-time persecution and- intolerance had one-beneficial effect; m: that, they-caused men and: women 4 o baud together iii. defence: .of principles winch they -JVeld "dear, and-submit to sacrifices and hardships.■which.--/dogged tenacity to their ■■principles..called.- forth..-. Tdieso adverse forces not only-produced sfleadfast co-operation.and a sense of brotherhood among the devotees of oppressed or unpopular creeds, but they also strengthened individual character and buttressed religious faith. Tho weapons .;6f ■■■'spiritual, warfare .-wore' not then/ rusty; they were, kept bright by .constant use. Men and women., were all tho more zealous becauso they deeped their, cause to be-in jeopardy in an.-un-sympathetic ; environment. . [/ . ; DANGER OF ATROPHY. ."There is no greater spur to spiritual steadfastness tlian human antipathy. On-tho. other hand, there' is "no more numbing spiritual narcotic than human apathyj and .tins'1 often arises from a •too comfortable sense of security, or the achievement of what was once the great objective. A-tree, which has never felt. the fury of,a strong gale from a particular quarter develops little' •or no growth" in' that./direction, and when (perhaps once in ; fifty- years) a hurricane comes from •that quarter, it is blown over through lack of sufficient, anchorage.' So it is with human, beings. We,are apt to atrophy in that part of our natural equipment which is not at times.put to a'severe test. We are told, we-are losing.our.teeth through eating too soft.food, that'our hair.is becoming ' deficient. through ignoring- Nature's Covering! in 'preference for that of human manufacture, and that even our legs may some day.become atrophiedthrough the discontinuance of walking' in favour of mechanical propulsion.' • '"Is this not equally.applicable to our spiritual powers-and..our.spiritual equipment? " If the' efficacy -of- ultra-dcnio-cracy is nowadays challenged, '.and deemed to be on dts trial, as ..the best medium for providing 'the greatest happiness for tho greatest- number,', still more so in this -present state--of serene security- and: equality is the efficacy of our Christian Church-in advancing the Kingdom of God among" the. great, restless, masses of mankind.... Freedom alone will never secure virility: : and progress— either secular or religious—and may in fact hamper their development, especially. if.it induees:self : sufficieiicy.and militates against corporate-activity and corporate, enthusiasm.. .;■■... ■ : COOPERATION, y "It is •often >said that wo are our own 'worst: enemies.- In no', sense is this more truoVtlian in our- reluctance to accept the sublime truths :of our Christian religion, our readiness to find excuses.and' pretexts 'for differing from its. accepted tenets, or in pur lack of co-operation resulting from oar membership;of different Christian, communities. Worldliness,: scepticism, and infidelity .... aro1 abroad 'in.' tho world today, and'because religion is. not fashionable as it was in Queen Victoria's days, they, stalk in our midst naked and-, unashamed; Are 'we' all going to remain'in our'separate'tents, or, tabernacles, - emerging-'perehanco -at times to; snipe 'at-'one another,' when the. common enemy, is'; abroad threatening to' "undermine the; sound - foundation ■upon; ivhieh -not; hierely -the Mother Country rose to-greatness among the 1 nations,- but^New Zealand' pre-eminent-ly- of all li,er-oversea colonies was securely;. ■ established?.-'■-'■■• And ■':' surely jm-where-in-'New-Zealand was the foundation Stone more' -'well' ; and" truly laid-; than1 in Christehureh;.'• and Duii.----!edin!-' ■;,;','; l! '"• '■''~ .;' - '•' ' v.' ■■- ' ■ If we, qauriot combine, ■at least let us co-operate, and-with the Bible in our. :liaiids and faitlr inr-our hearts,' let us :all alike kqep' the. lamp ;of Truth brightly ■shining.; in the- dark places ;of this iDominio'n and';,of::this J'cityj aiid ;lrayo'.'tltß;Vworld:'a:^iit'tleVTßettej."':than-'we-;fou-rid" it, ''with 'heailih- <ft -'mind!. aiid body radiant.in many faces around us, and Eternal, lippe1; buoyant in many, hu■nian"s6uls.>;' --V..' ."]] I'^T.-w'i';-'1 '".'.".: .'" ; bisCiPJiINED LIFE.; - : *•'/ '"Aii"undisciplined and aimless, crav'in^;.:foV spcailed libpity-j-wliich is- an-_ other. n;ame''t'pr HcensCrris' 'pn'e'.pf; the w"eakncSs;es ; .of "nVoctern1; democracy, tire source of'.mUfih :dW.cpiitenfe;'and urihappiness, and .incidentally:; a ;pdtent -factor in fomptyirfg"1 places of' worship, inducing a; demand forT'constaiit'exeitement and loosening,the ties, .of domestic' life and sometimes, of^^■conjugal...fidelity. ■ Without .some organisation', and the gentle dispipline. which;'is ita.'outcome, civilised.', human* .beings .become .little;/ better than', savages'.", indeed,. they . a.rp ;less happy and contented than savages, as education, ;whicK has .been the. privilege of''all of us 'to 'a L'gr.cater. or .less, degree, needs a disciplined life for its full justification and the full enjoyment of its fruits.- Just as. water to -.be., effective in ..providing, power. and light .must' bo compressed;,iiito; a' 'narrow..eliannel and ultimately, into-.'a "turbine.or. other inochanfdal device;, -so. also 'to make tho 'fullest use of the powers" and opportunities for good available to us all we need such concentratioit- and regularised- control as membership of- a Religious' community, provides. In ..fact, true freedom ;is the freedom-.of discipline aiid not of license. There is a popular fal* lacy. that unlimited., pleasure provides maxiinum.happiness.. There is no greater error... WorkjVwitli the self-discipline which it necessitates, is.-a far more Certain and satisfying source of happiness. The fullest, and most supremely happy life is probably that in which on the average at least four-fifths of tho day is occupied with conscientious work, honestly and faithfully accomplished, and the remainder with healthy relaxation of mind or body. Aiid if that work is beautified- or ennobled. by being evoked by love of God or of man, its value as a source of happiness is greatly augmented.'' '.. i