CHURCH'S PROTEST

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 55, 3 September 1934, Page 10

CHURCH'S PROTEST

RELIEF POLICY

STATE'S RESPONSIBILITY

PARAMOUNT CLAIM.

The whole congregation of the Scatouu Presbyterian Church roso at tho service last evening to signify its support of the following resolution, which was proposed by the Rev. A. A. Armstrong following a trenchant sermon on the unemployment problem and tho Government's policy iv tho matter: —

That this congregation of the Seatoun Presbyterian Church regards the growing' distress, sufferings, and penury of the unemployed with deepest sympathy, and expresses itsshamo that such preyentible evidences of spiritual infidelity, social inhumanity, and political and economic injustico and incapacity should be existent in this country, , wherein a bountiful Father God has granted more than sufficient for the provisioning of all His children.

This congregation expresses its indignant protest that the State has not made more adequate standards of relief for the maintenance of the homes, self-respect, and morale of the unfortunate workless thousands. This congregation urges upon the Government that before any other section is afforded Legislative assistance by amending present financial couditions, the lot of the thousands of suffering mothers and serai-starved children be alleviated. We further suggest to the Government that a scientific and permanent form of forced leisure insurance such as prevails in Great Britain be established either by retaining that part of the wages tax jt is proposed to remit, or by ■• some other "mobilisation of national resources. '< This congregation expresses its : conviction that. any. continuance of ■ r;ivie or political indifference to the '■ '■ appalling distress of over 200,000 souls in this Dominion is warranted ■ to not only destroy faith in constitutional: Government, but- also to do despite to the. great commands of Christianity, found in'\tho sociology of the. Good Samaritan and the Golden Rule. "A STANDING PROTEST. " The sermon was "A Protest-against Nationalised Poverty," and Mr. Armstrong took as his text ''Jesus answered and said, 'Give ye them to eat.'" (Mark, 6:37.) " . • . When the disciples advised sending the multitude away hungry Christ challenged their inhumanity by revealing how available was tho abundance of tho Divine resources, said Mr. Armstrong. Ho recognised that _ the people had bodies as well as beliefs, stomachs) as well as souls. Ho brought the social into active relation to the spiritual by challenging .in that great miracle His disciples' attitude. It could be said that Christianity repudiated any policy of camouflage in relation to tho hungry multitudes, and called for tho recognition of their reasonablo needs, crying out in commanding tones to all in authority, "Give ye them to cat." Christianity was a standing protest against all -policies that tended to. nationalise hunger and poverty, and opposed all such ideas'with a Divjiio plan which, if acted upon, would' result in the plenty that was more than equal to the human need. NATIONAL DISCIPLBSHIP. I "As a litiz'en therefore who knows that daily the miracle of abundant supply is ' enactod !in this land," Mr. Armstrong continued, "I wish to proclaim that our Christian duty is to provide an adequate, national discipleship, a means or agency, or system, wheroby these natural resources can bo distributed among those thousands of our suffering fellow-citizens who have heard in this land' the word of Christ's preaching, and"wait for it to be applied in practice to their social needs. "As a'Presbyterian, .'minister, therefore, I desire to protest in the terms of the sacred example and expressions of the Divine Head of tho Church against tho prevalent infidelity, injustice, and inhumanity of spirit, and the economic* and political incapacity and indifference, which manifests itself in that attitude of the Stato .which is related to the continuaueo of the deprivations and growing distress among the thousands of unemployed iv this country. How should a Christian State act in this matter of tho semi-starved degenerating conditions in which vas* thousands of men and women and children find themselves today in a country of abundant and providential gifts? Should it turn away from human need like the disciples, or should it follow the direction of Christ and devote itself as an organised agent for a more effective distribution of the Divine supplies? STATE AND CHRISTIAN FAITH. ."Tho Church surely here must say that. tho State ought to be so organised arid.' mobilised that the physical needs of the unemployed .are adequately met. The Church believes that this should bo done, and If it is not done, then this is clear indication that in social antl political practice tho Stato is not defending tlie Christian faith." • ' ... Mr. Armstrong spoke of the experiences and impressions of voluntary social workers among the unemployed during -the past few years,.and of tho sufferings and bitterness that had been revealed. : "For three years we have endured all this, in patient hope, expect* ing and preaching that the State would rise to its Christian duty and do something soon to alleviate the lot of the thousands of families crushed by this catastrophe," he' said. "The worst of it is. that we find that as Christian, ministers our faith in the Government is let down, and our hopes of improved conditions for the unemployed have been dashed," It was an offence to God and a shame to man that proposals were abroad to benefit certain classes while no effort was made to give directly better conditionb of relief to the unemployed, without which, in his opinion, there could be no return to rcnl prosperity. For thousands their already bad conditions had become much worse, and a new depression had fallen upon them with stunning influence with tho general move to put as many as possible on the smaller "dole." The present policy not only defied tho laws of true liberalism in Government, but was a public denial of that social love which was one of the principles laid down in tho Divino call for a Christian administration in a human social action. ;

"The timo has come for the Christian people to translate their prayers into a social policy and programme and to demand of the State, a removal of conditions which are a deep injury to tho spiritual life Of the nation," - Mr. Armstrong concluded. "For tho sufferings of the section affect the wellbeing, of the whole. The Church reminds the State that in righteousness alone is found a sure defonco against the violence of revolution."