CHURCH & RELIGION

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10562, 16 April 1928, Page 4

CHURCH & RELIGION

REV. J. AITKEN’S MDDE’RATURIAL ADDRESS.

WHAT “BRITISH WEEKLY ,f SAID. .

In “The British AVeekly,” of Feb. 2, the Rev. James Aitken’s AkSderatorial address to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Chur Hi 0 f New Zealand is referred to m flatter- “ His former, friends, in this, country and our readers generally (says “The British Weekly”) will be interested to read even an ■ extract from tlie moderatorial address of the Lev. James Aitken, of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, an address which will take high rank amongst pronouncements from the moderatorial chair in any country. Air Aitken reviews an old controversy with remarkable freshness and spirit. Th< extract which we make is a sample of the intelligence and courage which be brings to bear on the issue: —

“The changing ‘climate of thought’ requires on the part of the Church an attitude towards science different from that which has characterised her in the pa si. Hitherto she has been afraid or science and her fear has constrained her to adopt an attitude of hostility. She has imagined herself the defender of truth, and has regarded the progress in turn of astronomy, of geology, of biology ua so many assaults upon her territory. She would have sprung to arms no doubt to oppose the doctrine of relativity if she had been able to make head or tail of Einstein. But again and again the resistance she offered has been overborne. Aluch of the discredit under which she suffers to-day can b(v traced to her repeated defeats in the past. The .world is mate than inclined to regard her as the champion of superstition and the enemv of truth. She must bring herself to breathe a humbler spirit und even to learn from science a profounder faith in. truth itself and in its progressive relation. She must cease to regard herself as possessed of the last word in revelation. ‘Tlie Lord hath yet more light and more truth to break forth from His: holy Word.’ ”