WORLD'S ILLS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 63, 12 September 1938, Page 11

WORLD'S ILLS

CALL TO CHRISTIANS

PEACE INTERCESSIONS

In harmony with a suggestion made by the Prime Minister of Australia Mr. J. A. Lyons, that yesterday be observed as a special day of prayei for the peace of th~c world, intercesIsions were made in Anglican churches (throughout New Zealand for divine guidance for rulers and nations in the present critical period, states the "New Zealand Herald" of today. Preaching in St. Barnabas' Church Mount Eden, last night, when the 9lsl anniversary of the consecration of the original church building was celc brated. Archbishop Averin spoke upon the text, Ephesians v: 14-16: '-Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest. and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." THE ONLY REMEDY. These words, said the archbishop, were a challenge to the Church and its members to be up and doing in the present difficult days. Christians were apt to forget that they were the guardians and trustees of ■ the only remedy for the world's ills. They were not helping the world as they should, by definite witness. * The Church today could not rest on the merits of the past. Its members had to consider what they stood for today and what they intended to stand for in the future. They could do nothing unless they built up a positive hristian character for service on earth. "When we read of the activities of Communists," continued the archbishop, "we must say to ourselves. We have got the truth, and what are we doing with it?1 We must have a vision of the real manifestation of the sons of God. It is not enough to live on the fringe of the Christian religion; we must be real and hed-hot witi nesses, drawing our inspiration from God himself." CHRIST OR CHAOS. The world was God's, not the devil's, the archbishop declared, but the world was sinking back into the glorification of race and blood, into darkness and chaos. It could not be denied that the Church was partly to blame for what was now taking place in Spain and Russia, and for the lack of a real international spirit, because in her disunion she had not manifested that spirit. The Church" Catholic, which knew no racial or national boundaries, was the only body which could bring mankind to live in peace as brothei*s. "Let us join in prayer for a new vision of the Father and of Jesus Christ as the only authoritative light to guide the nations into the way of peace," concluded the archbishop. "I am sure that the world stands between Christ and chaos. All the armaments and pacts in the world cannot save the nations from mutual destruction. "Let us pray for God's help to all nations and seek ourselves to apply the principles of Christianity to everything that affects the life of man. Let us not be deterred by any charge that the Church is mixing in politics. It is our duty to bring the light of Christ into politics, which, is the science of living together."