POST-WAR RECONSTRUCTION

Evening Star, Issue 24003, 30 September 1941, Page 11

POST-WAR RECONSTRUCTION

PLAGE OF CHRISTIANITY LEAGUE OF NATIONS UNION- “ The most fundamental contribution that' Christianity has to offer to the building of a now world order is that it is a religion,” said the llev. J. A. Allan, speaking last night to the Otago Branch of the League of Nations Union. “ That life cannot bo lived without a religion has been amply demonstrated in the last few generations,” lie continued. “ The whole movement of civilisation from the Renaissance to the present day, while it has been full of results for the common good, has tended to lose touch with religion. One is not much inij pressed witli modern substitutes for ( Christianity. The concept of a lofty ethic has faded and died. _ The only Christianity, I think, that is likely to survive, .is a strongly dogmatic Christianity.” > Opening the meeting, Dr G._C. Billing, who presided, gave the 70 or 80 people who comprised the audience an outline - of proceedings at the Dominion conference of the union. Excluding proxies, only Auckland, Masterton, and Dunedin were represented outside Wellington. They owed a very considerable debt to the then Acting Prime Minister for opening the conference. “He had no idea at all, of course,” Dr Billing commented, “ that the League of Nations was dead. On the contrary, he showed the conference that he knew just what was going on. It was a courageous and a stimulating opening.” .... , , Other contributions Christianity had to offer, said’Mr Allan, included a deeply-rooted hatred of war. It was not true to say that nobody wanted war—a school of writers in Germany, for -instance, was morbidly _ obsessed with the love of war. Christianity inculcated a sense of sin; possessing which it was impossible to believe that one side was altogether right and the other altogether wrong. It gave a sense of balance. When it came to peacemaking it would “ prevent people rushing round trying to act like archangels on the Day of Judgment.” Christianity helped to chill the 'Passions raised in time of ivar. All these things would help to a generosity in tlio peace-making period after the war -—“or, if generosity' is too broad_ a term, at least a passionless restraint that will weigh all the factors involved before making a decision.” This restraint had been in evidence in the peace terms exacted from France after the Napoleonic wars. It was realised that France, after that war, would have to live at peace with her neighbours. “No doubt Germany after this war will present many more problems than France did in 1814, but the" re- 1 straint of Christianity will be an invaluable factor,” the speaker maintained. . ~ Any international authority could only be maintained if it had a force boliind it to implement its decisions. After the last Avar it was hoped that the League cfluld carry out its decisions without a force to back them up. To-day there was a realistic impressiou of the essential nature of power. There must be ' a controlling power. The Church made her greatest contribution indirectly—as a church, not by dabbling her fingers in international politics. The essence of the gospel of the Church was that it was a gospel for everv man. Plans were being made now, to" gather in conference as soon as it was politically possible, representatives of both sides in the present conflict. Representatives of German churches were, of course, not encouraged in that country, but everywhere there were small groups of ardent Christians, working towards these ends. “ We may be on the threshold of great developments; we may be on the brink of ruin for our civilisation; but whatever the prospects. I am convinced that one of the vital forees operating will be the Christian gospel, acting in and through the Christian church,” the speaker concluded.