NEW YEAR MESSAGE

Grey River Argus, 31 December 1941, Page 4

NEW YEAR MESSAGE

FROM N.Z. CHURCHES Time to Face Spiritual Issues WELLINGTON. December 30. The following- New Year message has been issued on behalf of ,the Church of England, the Catholic Church, the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Conference, the Baptist Union and the Congregational Union of New Zealand:— “As war always brings bereavement, distress of mind and sad and anxious hearts, we 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 secret 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 takingup of our cross. If we 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 be carried through, the future holds for us not days of ease and freedom from cart* but days of blood and sweat and tears. We must face the fact, but let us not be dismayed. God has not ceased to control tlie 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. “We 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 \dctory 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 God for help in our struggle then we must seek to co-operate with Him in fulfilling His purpose rather than ask Him to co-operate with us.

(Signed): CAMPBELL WEST-WATSON, Archbishop of New Zealand. THOMAS O’SHEA, S.M., Archbishop of Wellington. JOHN DAVIE, Moderator of the Presbyterian Chur’ch of New Zealand. r W. A. BURLEY, President of the Methodist Conference of New Zealand. H. T. FALLA, President of the Baptist Union of New Zealand. C. CANNELL HOSKIN, Chairman of the Congregational. Union of New . Zealand.