RIGHTEOUS WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15915, 12 May 1915, Page 9

RIGHTEOUS WAR.

PRESBYTERIANS SUPPORT.

" REVIVAL OF SAVAGERY."

UPHOLDING CHRISTIANITY.

A stirring speech regarding the righteousness of the war in which the allies are engaged was made to the members ol the General Assembly of New South Wales by the Rev. Principal Harper, D.D. He moved the following resolution, whic'i was carried by the Assembly :— "The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in New South Wales having met in circumstances unparalleled in' the national history, viz., in the tenth; month of a great and perilous war, desires tc express its horror of war, as a means of settling national differences, and to emphasise the fact that always, and in all circumstances, it is the result of evil or aggressive action on the part of some at least of those concerned in it, and so is contrary to the mind of Christ. " Further, it deplores the various revivals of savagery in war which the German nation' has permitted itself, and also the widespread ruin and death which this war has brought upon mankind, and it affirms its belief that the. chief proximate caust of this unparalleled calamity is the ruthless ambition of the ruling classes ire Germany, which has issued a claim that! that country has a superior faith and morality which it is lawful for it to force upon the other nations at the point of the sword. Such a claim threatens the autonomy of all other peoples, and if successful, would bring in a world-wide tyranny mide which no free man could live.

Meeting "Furious Ambitions."

" Therefore the assembly gladly endorses the action of the British Government and the allies in meeting these furious ambitions with armed resistance—approves of the policy of the Imperial Government— and expresses its confidence in the wisdom and patriotism of those who are now guiding the destinies of the British Empire, and exhorts all citizens to give the Christian's answer of self-sacrifice at the call 08 the country, either by taking the field in person, or, where that is impossible, by making such -sacrifices as they may be called upon to make with joy for freedom and mercy against those who (consciously or unconsciously) are fighting for the suppression of freedom, and for the negation, of the Christian virtues of pity, righteousness, and unshaken good faith in national affairs. "The assembly also hopes and prays that the nations" who have been willed to make such terrible sacrifices for the maintenance of a Christian civilisation in the world may be enabled to stand firm until the menace of German domination has been broken, so that when the peace, for which even in the midst of war we pray, comes, it may he just and lasting, and such as a righteous God can approve." No -feneration, the mover said, had had to stand a wai like tl.- : s. It represented one of the cardinal points in the interests nf the world. It was difficult to realise the awful importance and dangers wrapped up in this war. They, as ministers, should trv to prepare the minds of their people if' it should fall to them to shave in the making of peace. There was, it seemed, a lime when Christian men were forced to take a part in warfare.

"The Call of God." This wit was thrust unnn n«. and there was the call »f <:<•'! l " take up arm?. (Applause.) He hud hen aske.i »i » letter imlv that morning whv was it that Christian men should be >:! ins,' one another, and whether Christ ever intended that Christian cri slioiihl I"- thus waging war - : In tins wrr I l.ns'i.-.- «- t i • justified--Ihft-r. hear!-i. ujan,, to uphold Christianity, .-mlis-luT .».! tha recognition of int.rmitmtipl ti.-'i;.-. i-cr-manv. the „„,e mother of freedom, had in the last -10 yens, by process " lone to relet,. fallen awav Mm ii<* dnrtrino that it had hither-, held, and had adopted the vkir ha the ..no thing to he trusted in national life was strict... violence, and terror. Ihe « ■«*■< and atroci showed that this nation had ;,u,k hack into the level of savagery The poisoning of the air «as like the tin,-* of the ' poisoning "f the waters of the well* and wh?.t for' Simply to aggrandise this huge military Power. But |,e did not believe that they would suereed. He believed that the >r*t was over, and tint thn- could have no more of world domination.

Turks the Scourge of God. The Turk was the scourge of Cod in South-eastern Europe. It. was a country governed bv massacre. Having some experience of Turkey, it was an addition to his strength and happiness that ha was living to see the end of the domma- ' , tion of the unspeakable Turk. (Applause.) W Those of our young people who died in this war lived more nobly than those t; who bad gone to grey hairs. If ever J. there "'as a Holy War this one was. ;.;, If ever England's hands were clan they J* were clean now. It was the duty of every p£ minister to tell their people trat this £jj| was a war for Christianity. (Hear, hear J -Jm aaßan