CHRISTIAN ORDER

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 57, 5 September 1945, Page 9

CHRISTIAN ORDER

CONFERENCE'MESSAGE

TO BE RE-DRAFTED

PA. CHRISTCH-URCH, This Day. Divergent opinions as to what the final message of the 'conference to- the constituent denominations' should /. be were expressed at the concluding session of the Dominion' • conference % , on Christian Order. The' adoption of a prepared statement1 as' the message I'of the conference was moved by/the Primate of New Zealand" (Archbisnop West-Watson). The statement emphasised the basic1 unity, of the delegates. '••Our New Zealand standard ofvlivitig is high in contrast' with mosv ot the world,I.' ihe statement said. \Ve would remind ourselves that poverty anywhere endangers prosperity everywhere. Hunger and want are breeding grounds for violence. • We ought not therefore to delude ourselves into forgetting that ultimately we are m the same danger as is the rest of the world. "We in New Zealand, as have people in many other places in the world, have a further peril to face. The Tinavoidable "and universal, necessity lor national planning, here as elsewhere, threatens to crush individuality ; 111 man. • Rapidly changing conditions of thinking and living have resulted in widespread bewilderment " as to the purpose of life, and also in despair- of reaching security and peace. The consequence of this bewilderment is tq be seen in confusion as to the purpose of education, leading on to instability and shallowness of life,..- Our lack- of balance shows itself in the spirit of prejudice and in the exaltation -of party and class above the interests of the community as a whole. "We in New Zealand have our special problems to face jn considering the place in our common life of'the Maori people, with their growing nationhood. LOSS OF FAITH. "These are some-of'"the aspects of the predicament which" we have sought to face in our conference, and the conviction has grown upon us that all these things are but different expressions of loss of faith in a living God. Our experience together has persuaded us that our-pre"didament can be met, and that it can only be met, by a realisation and proclamation of the reign of God over every phase of our, country's life. We must-challenge the prevalent secular, approach to education, to the land, to industry and commerce, to our community life, and to our international life. ' \- '...■■>■ "We affirm that the- -responsibility for bringing the-truth of God's rule home to our people lies . with His Church. We therefore appeal to the Christian Church in New Zealand to carry further the work of this conference towards relating1 the message of Christ-to every -aspect of our national life." ■•'-' TONE OF DEFEATISM. .; Various speakers suggested amendments to the statement, and it was contended that its tone was defeatist rather than hopeful. Exception was also taken to the framing of the reference to the Maori people. Captain William W. Edel, United States Navy, said the conference had made implicit; _in , the message, as drafted, defeatism and lack of courage. He submitted?, thai ;such,was ~not_,the spirit -crißhe conference. The message which ought -to., be.,-...taken1 to ,:the Christian Church in New Zealand was a positive message, not" a negative statement about predicaments-and bewilderment. ' . Mr. E. H. Langford suggested that the solution for the problems as determined by the conference should be summarised in the final message. Eventually it was decided, on aa amendment moved by the Rev. L. A. North, to refer the message back to the members of the National Council of Churches who had attended the conference, and to ask them to redraft it. •■ ■ • ■