NEW YEAR MESSAGES

Evening Star, Issue 24082, 31 December 1941, Page 6

NEW YEAR MESSAGES

600 STILL CONTROLS DESTINY

THE CHURCH'S REASSURANCE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 30. The following New Year message has been issued on behalf of the Church of England, the Presbyterian Church, the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Conference, the Baptist Union, the Associated Churches of Christ, the Congregational Union of New Zealand, and the Salvation Army : As war always brings bereavement, distress of mind, and sad and anxious hearts, wo would direct our people to the good news which God has proclaimed to the world in Jesus Christ, in whom is the true source and eccret of strength, courage, and inward security. Christ has taught us that a life worth living does not consist in self-preservation, but in willing self-sacrifice and the taking up of our cross. If wo bear our own troubles in this spirit, God will enable us to share and lighten the burdens of others, and so, victorious over selfishness, to help in the fulfilment of His purpose of love for man. If the noble programme of brotherhood and fellowship outlined in the ‘ Atlantic Charter ’ is to ho carried through, the future holds for us not days of ease and freedom from care, but days of blood and sweat and tears. We must face the fact, but lot us not he dismayed. God has not ceased to control the destinies of mankind, even if man has challenged His authority. Our reply to that challenge must be given by living our lives in obedience to God's will declared in Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us dedicate ourselves to the great cause of human deliverance for which our Saviour laid down His life. Now that the struggle of war has spread to the Pacific we, the heads of Christian churches in New Zealand, call upon our people to brace themselves with courage and determination to meet the stern reality of all-in service. The forces of right must be enabled to triumph over the forces of evil. Wo realise that those who have the richest spiritual equipment are best suited for this conflict and also to fight, endure, and direct the forces of righteousness after victory comes; therefore we earnestly urge our fellow-citizens to make this time of peril an opportunity for facing the spiritual issues involved and for definitely giving up all which weakens their morale. Each man is either a spiritual asset or a spiritual debit to the community. If we are to look to Godl for help iu our struggle then we must seek to co-operate with Him in fulfilling his purpose rather than ask Him to co-operate with us.

Campbell West-Watson. Archbishop of New Zealand. John Davie, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Thomas O’Shea, Archbishop of. Wellington. W. A. Burley. President of the Methodist Conference of New Zealand. , H. T. Falla, President of the Baptist Union of New Zealand'. C. Can.nf.ll Hoskin, Chairman of the Congregational Union of New Zealand. John F. G. Richards. President of the Associated Churches of Christ. J. Evan Smith, Commissioner _in New Zealand of the Salvation Army. THE PRIME MINISTER The year 1942 will find the people of New Zealand united in their firm resolve to do their duty. For the first time in. the country’s history we are directly threatened by enemy attack, and at such a time I am proud to say the people arc neither dismayed nor are they unaware of the perils and difficulties which may be in store for them. Every citizen recognises that the first responsibility is to get together hero and now, and to work, and, if need be, to fight. In the year just past the glorious example of our men overseas, those who fought so magnificently against overwhelming odds in Greece, Crete, and Libya, inspired and strengthened all our people. I know I speak for every man and every woman when I say that if the day should come when we, too, may be called upon to defend our own soil, there will be no one who will not regard it as a privilege to share some of the dangers and hardships which the men of our armed forces overseas have endured, and no Nejv Zealander wilt, I am sure, fail to acquit himself with equal courage and fortitude in the task of defending his own country. _ ... It is customary in the Prime Minister’s New Year message to wish happiness and prosperity, but for 1942 I can express no such sentiments. Something more precious, more vital, more real than pleasure and prosperity is now at stake, and that is libertyßecause we have never known anything but freedom in its fullest measure we do not, probably cannot, realise what its loss would mean. We do, however, have the example before us of millions of unfortunate people in Europe to-day and in Asia who are suffering the grim horrors and humiliations of conditions akin to serfdom. In all these countries, now deprived of a national existence, as in almost every democratic country, there were many who said in the past, “it cannot happen here.” The year 1941 has, I hope, buried any such illusion, and it remains for us in the time still at our disposal to hasten and

complete our preparations ami devote our whole national effort to the prosecution of the war. it is only three weeks since this Dominion became an outpost in an actual theatre of war. Already the people have responded magnificently, but much more is required of everyone. The fateful year ahead will, in all probability, be the most crucial in our history, and. indeed, in the history of modern civilisation. The capacity and character of the New Zealand people will be tested as never before, and it is for us to prove that we arc worthy of the very groat privileges we have so long enjoyed, and that we are capable of maintaining the trust which has been imoosed on us by those who founded this Dominion 100 years ago. RATIONALIST LEADER Mr S. G. Holland writes:— The eve of the New Year finds New Zealand in the war zone, and it behoves all of us to take our proper share in the burden thus imposed upon the country. This is 119 time for anyone to shirk his responsibilities or to say; “That doesn’t concern me.” The war concerns every one of ns. it may affect our lives aiKTour homes and the happiness of those wo love. If New Zealand is attacked wo shall have to stand or fall largely by our own efforts. Vigilance and preparedness should be the motto of all. There is no room for the slacker. There is no place fo" the loafer. A country involved in a war of survival cannot afford to waste its productive power. We have got to make the fullest possible use of our resources in men and materials in order to preserve our own security in those perilous times. But even though unusual hardships, sacrifices, and inconveniences are called for, there are many compensations to be discerned. It is in these times that the finest characteristics of our race arc seen. We stand shoulder to shoulder, and should not let superficial differences in thought and outlook divide us. Then, too, we have been reinforced in our struggle against the dark forces that would extinguish the light of liberty from the world. A year ago Britain stood virtually alone. To-day the course of events has brought to her side two of tho largest and most powerful nations of the world, tho United States and Russia. Our fight is their fight, and who can doubt that such a formidable combination must eventually triumph? The road may be long and hard, but we have the satisfaction of knowing that 1942 may he one of the decisive years of world history. In a year’s time, when we look back, we may be able to know that through our work and achievements we have helped to lay the foundations of a glorious victory.

DEMOCRATIC LABOUR PARTY The following message is issued on behalf of the Democratic Labour Party by Mr F. M. Earle, honorary national secretary:— Although recent events in the Pacific have brought danger nearer New Zealand shores, I believe this country can look toward the New Year with more confidence in imminent democratic victory than was the case 12 months ago. Ultimate victory has® never been doubted, but the recent entry of the Soviet Union, the United States of America, and Japan into the war has brought all potential contestants together. The issue is now clear cut: World Democracy versus Total Fascism. Again, the participation of the Soviet Union in the conflict has sharpened the ideological differences between the two forces. The year 1940 was notable for the bravery of the people of England against the blitzkrieg; during the year just past we have seen in five months the heroic Soviet Union turn near defeat into ever-increasing victory. If New Zealand has to suffer attack from an aggressor in 1942—and let us hope it will not —then may those two_ magnificent examples bo our inspiration. Democratic Labour sends a message of goodwill to all men of the New Zealand forces and to all patriotic citizens and boys and girls. Let us comfort at this time those many who have loved ones serving overseas. May New Zealanders continue to strive for democratic victory to help build a brave new world that will end for all time the pagan exploitation of nation by nation and of man by man. jj HOH. ADAM HAMILTON “We stand on the threshold of a new year, realising that 1942 must be dedicated by everybody to the defence of New Zealand if wo are to retain for generations to come our freedom, happiness, and security,” says the Hon. Adam Hamilton in a New Year message. “The dark clouds of war in the Pacific loom so near that it would be idle to presume that the coming months can bring anything else than the placing of community and national service before self interests of any type. I am confident that a worth-while resolution would be one demanding selfexamination on this vital question of service for New Zealand, thereby assuring that we play our part in the ultimate victory of good oyer evil. Results far exceeding anticipations will bo achieved by the endeavours of people who • bend their backs to the task of making the best of the circumstances. The question to-day should not be what is so and so doing or why is so and so not doing _ something, hut rather what am I doing. Though the outlook is the most serious in our history, the gloom is not impenetrable, nor the work and sacrifice required beyond the capacity of each man and woman.”