CHURCH AND LABOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17484, 31 May 1920, Page 5

CHURCH AND LABOUR.

'APPEAL FOR CO-OPERATION:.

The scries of pennons on "The Church and Social Problems" was continued at the Rpv. C. H. Grunt Cowen at St. Matthew's Church last evening. The text was from Acts 11., 44 and 45—"And all they that believed were together and had all things common. And they sold thcii possessions and goods and parted them U. all men as every man had need." Proceeding from the point reached in his lastsermon—the essentially democratic char after of the teachings of Christianity in their essence—the preacher proceeded to consider the extent to which the Church had carrid out those teachings. Tracing the history of the Church, he maintained that it had grown away from the social ideals on which it was founded. The earl) Christians, under persecution, remained ■ loyal to the standards set. When Christianity gamed an official status its moral teachings were varied to suit Jthe political standards of the day. So he traced the process to the List century, when Lord Shaftesbury was championing the cause of mill-hands! chimney-sweeps, and others of the poor and the oppressed. In very few instances was the great reformer supported by the ministers of any denomination. So, proceeded the preacher, Laboui |«';is deeply suspicious of thp attitude ci the Church even to-day. Unfortunately her history (o a certain extent gav* [grounds for their suspicions. Bat he maintained that the social and ethical teaching!, of Christianity had been learned afresh to-day, and the Church was anxious to take her place, in helping to remould society after the Divine basis. The ol& order was in the melting-pot. What wad wanted was a new earth, in which the spirit of brotherhood, toleration, and love should reign.- It had been resolved by all that the sacrifices of the past few yean, should not have been made in vain. The Church was anxious to-day to Line its part in the practical work of reconstruc tion, and held out her hand to the forces &. I«aisonr, .appealing for co-operation in rebuilding the world upon the ethical basis eel out in his text.