Finance Minister Preaches On Law Of Love

Northern Advocate, 26 September 1940, Page 2

Finance Minister Preaches On Law Of Love

[Special to ‘'Northern Advocate ”] CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday.

“For the assertion of truth, the unveiling of illusion, the dissipation of hate, and the influencing of men’s hearts and minds,” the motto of an English news letter, was the text used by the Minister for Finance (Mr Nash) in a sermon which he gave at the Holy Trinity Church, Avonside. Mr Nash said that there could be no progress in opposition to these principles; but some more was needed—the law of love.

To obey this involved a complete surrender of personality to the benefits of all others, and this was no mere physical act, it was an uninterrupted activity of sacrifice or "sanctifying.” “Essence of Love.” Mr Nash added: “The growth of this principle is determined by our spontaneous responses to the momentary constructive urges, exemplified by Christ. “There was a man with whom I came into contact in my life who always responded to the constructive urges immediately; people called upon him tc do things and straight away he was on the job, without knowing that he was following in the path of Christ.

“This,- what you may call ‘essence of love,’ is, I am afraid, often cruelly lacking in social and political reformers.

“It has to be built in In the individual from the start.

“Truth Impregnable.”

“Even the most beautiful environment cannot produce results unless recognition of this law of love is built in in the individual.” Mr Nash said that the greatest im-. pulse of good in men was the knowledge that truth is impregnable and unconquerable. “Maybe when we get a touch of the ’flu we get depressed and wonder ‘is it worthwhile?’ but we realise that next morning, or the morning after, things will look different, and we always know that only truth can win. “That faith will always bring us out of depression and give us strength to go forward again,”