CHURCH AND WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 13 July 1928, Page 3

CHURCH AND WAR

PRESBYTERIAN PEACE

MANIFESTO

AUCKLAND, July 11.' A spirited attack by the Rev. TV. «tawson Marsh on the peace manifesto submitted by the General Assembly oi the Presbyterian Church, marked a debate on peace in tho Auckland Presbytery. The discussion, which aroused great interest and some

warmth of feeling, was adjourned

V ill'll nest meeting of the Presbytery V ...after only a few speakers had taken ' ijj^part. • >? “The general assent of the Assembly means nothing,” said Mr Marsh, who ' opened the discussion'. “The General Assembly, when this manifesto came before it, had been bored to tears over this military training business. It came in the very last hours when the majority of those voting admitted that they had never read it, but they gave their general assent. They, would find that this was a tremendously serious and dreadful document. Although it appeared so simple and harmless, yet they had there something that was going to split the I Presbyterian Church from top to hotV tom.” He read from the manifesto bluit ■'_/* “war as a means of settling disputes between nations is utterly opposed to 1 the mind of Christ,” and other strong denunciations of it. The denunciations of the manifesto, he said, were platitudes. There was a certain stress in the manifesto- intended to identify ' the whole Church’ with out-and-out Pacifism if they passed this. If war, was diametrically and irreconcilably opposed to Christian principles, then every soldier in uniform was excommunicated. If they accepted that i manifesto and made it part of the / constitution of their Church they V would do .an irrevocable injustice to /'T the memory of all those who had gone into the war 14 years ago believing they were doing their duty for Chris . Thev would Ibe doing irrevocable injustice to their own historic past. Voices: Oh, no! Mr Marsh: Oh, yes! i The Pacific, he continued, was expected to he the storm centre of com- ■ jng years and this manifesto " c completely tie their hands, unless they adopted it with those mental reservations that were the curse of ecclesiastical resolutions. The manifesto was simply an indulgence in airy nothings. Who was going to take any notice o V ft 9 He hoped they would not amend the manifesto, which was full of cen- , tention and controversy, but that they would try to find some formula m which they could express their utter horror and detestation of war, and yet at the same tune give the Chur something positive to go upon ’ manifesto had no relation to any ton ■ cr ete reality in the world. After several members bad spoken n committee was set up to report on the manifesto.