A UNITED WORLD

Evening Star, Issue 25895, 12 September 1946, Page 5

A UNITED WORLD

THEME OF ATLANTIC CHARTER REV. W. A. STEVELY'S ADDRESS “It is significant that in the Atlantic Charter drawn up by Mr Churchill and President Roosevelt in 1941, little mention was made of territorial problems,” said the Rev. W. Allen Stevely in an address on ‘ The Condition of Peace—Unity,’ to the ninety-eighth annual meeting of the First Church congregation held last night. “ The, Christian doctrine envisions a united world,” continued Mr Stevely, “ and obviously the leaders of mankind were agreed that what mattered most was not the drawing of dividing lines across a map, but a co-operative effort to solve the problems which were common to all humanity.” They declared in the chartei - that for realistic as well as for spiritual reasons, the nations must work together to promote the' common prosperity of their peoples. SPIRIT BEHIND UNITY. These things,Mr Stevely .said, could not be attempted, let alone accomplished, without the spirit of unity among the nations. International organisation and machinery, however perfect, were not sufficient. The driving power of popular opinion and universal goodwill must be behind them. The creation and development of this driving power had now become central in the tasks which the Christian Church must perform. Unity, he considered, should be the outstanding feature of the individual life. There was a beautiful and challenging aspiration recorded in the eighty-sixth psalm: Unite mv heait to fear thy name. There could be neither progress, nor peace so long as a person had a divided heart. It was a prayer that expressed correctly our deepest and most urgent need. The Mayor, Mr Cameron, extended civic greetings to the congregation of First Church, and remarked: “This is a civic church. You belong not to a single denomination, but to the city. This is the church of the pioneers, and it must take a central place in Otago s centennial celebrations, preparations for which are already under way.” Moving the adoption of the annual report, Mr J. L. Salmond paid a tribute to the fine work of Mr and Mrs Stevely during the year. The report was adopted. . ' ' Musical items were provided by Mrs H. Beckingsale and Miss E. Watt.