LOYALTY TO BELIEFS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20619, 21 November 1941, Page 2

LOYALTY TO BELIEFS

/ SUPPORT FOR OBJECTORS CANTERBURY SYNOD (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. The attitude of Methodists to the rights of conscience in war time was further defined in a motion passed by the North Canterbury Methodist Synod yesterday, when the previous day’s discussion on conscientious .objectors were reopened. The motion was as follows: “In view of the strong feeling aroused by the war, we reaffirm our determination to uphold the freedom of Christian conscience and urge our people to manifest and encourage an attitude of tolerance and sympathetic understanding towards all who may suffer through loyalty to their Christian convictions.” A committee consisting of the Revs. Raymond Dudley, M. A. Rugby Pratt, and W. E. A. Carr, framed the motion. They were appointed to do so after a discussion in which Mr. Frank Thompson said that there were hundreds of men overseas who conscientiously objected to Hitler's methods. Pronouncements by pacifist members of the church gave the impression that the imen overseas were committing a sin.

The president, the Rev. W. A Burley, said it was not a question of whether objectors were right or wrong, but they were entitled to sympathy in their suffering.

Mr. Dudley, who earlier had moved a motion almost identical with the one passed, said that it was not desired to pat the conscientious objector on the back. A righteous war was being waged and nothing should be done to incite objection.