CHURCH AND PEACE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 7 April 1934, Page 10

CHURCH AND PEACE

I 1 WOULD DANGERS OBVIOUS ‘'There is no immediate'danger of an international conflagration, and to let anxiety develop into fright or panic would be inexcusable,” says the Archbishop oi York in the Diocesan Leaflet, “but the dangers before the world are very obvious. It is universally recognised that unless the nations can learn to live together as a members of a family they must be in constant peril of war, ami we .ill know that a future war will be vastly more destructive even than the last. Yet at every point, so soon as the nations have agreed that common action should be taken, they all fall back upon a purely self-centred outlook in discussing what that action is to be Consequently nothing is done except that disappointment and irritation are increased. What is quite certain is that if Europe drifts into another war it will thoroughly deserve the destruction in which it will he involved. It seems (o me that our own Church, as a living society is not yet in earnest in its service if peace. Tile official utterances are sound, of course, ' but by themselves they are impotent. The’ Church, in its impact on the world.' is the average congregation. No doubt we all want peace. Bui do wo ‘know the things that belong unto peace?’ Arc we praying'and expecting that our fellowship in Christ with men of other nations may he found strong enough to unite us with them in resistance to any selfish policy on the part of our reSpcetivi eounmes ? Aio wo praying—will) desire and confidence—for the elimination of ill-will? These are, among the tasks of the body ol Christ in the world to-day. Wo are not neglecting them, hut neither are we dedicating ourselves to thcmY