PEACE OF THE WORLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16335, 15 September 1916, Page 6

PEACE OF THE WORLD.

WHAT THE CHURCH MAY DO. SERMON BY DR. SPROTT. In the course of a sermon at St. Paul's pro-Cathedral, the Anglican Bishop of Wellington, Dr. Sprott, referred to the part the Christian Church should play in the creation of a highly moralised international public opinion which, he hoped, would gradually abolish war. Dr. Sprott said the Church was in essence and idea an international society, whose members were bound ty one and tha same moral law, and the same spirit : oi Mil •whip, worshipped one and the !j«r:e God. and looked forward to the same destiny. The Church seemed to be I the very thing that was wanted—the | source of a strongly-moralised international public opinion, the existence of v-hich ww essential to the success of any scheme for the abolition of war. But the Church itself was divided. The fundamental cause of its division was uot theological disputes, but social, political, and racial diff.3r6i.-ces. The Church hud not yet .succeeded in removing these decisive forces—it had not yet succeeded in unifying mankind in God. Yet this was | the great task for which it existed. Amid all that was unhopeful at the present time nothing was so hopeful as the fact that the Church now saw the vital importance of this task more clearly than ever before. Christian men were I realising with increasing; conviction that i disunion and division were the negation I and stultification of the Church's mission, [ [ and many of them were doing their best j 'to remove this reproach. The wonderful! j response which had been evoked by the i | appeal for free and frank discission of religious differences made by the promoters of the world's conference of all the Churches, was a striking illustration of ' this growing desire for unity. Another I impressive proof of the growth of the I spirit of unity was the endeavours which ! wer« now being made to establish a more ! friendly understanding between the ' Anglican Church and the Greek Orthodox . Church—the Church of the Russian people. i The Greek Orthodox Church of the East had a membership of 134,000,000, and would probably be.the dominant Church of the Continent of Europe within the next fifty years. The efforts of Churchmen, both in Britain and Russia, to estab- - lish closer relations between the two Churches had undoubtedly contributed to i that better understanding between the two nations which was standing us in such good stead to-day. The bishop was of opinion that the Christian Church as an international society would have some part to play in finding a substitute for the horrors of war. He believed it would play en important part—possibly the decisive part. But Church people must realise their responsibilities. I