SPIRITUAL POVERTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20111, 23 November 1928, Page 15

SPIRITUAL POVERTY.

FAMILY RELIGION DECAYS. "TAPROOT" OF ALL TROUBLES. "Our ministers were practically unanimous about tho real state of tho Church and tho root causes of all <jur troubles," stated tho Lifo and Work Committee of Iho Presbyterian Assembly. "They all feel that the Church is not making tho headway it. ought to make in the light of tho world's need and our great opportunities, and tho time is more than ripe for a thorough overhaul of our machinery and methods. The most hopeful feature about tho replies is that there is a healthv feeling of discontent abroad, which we may accept as the necessary prerequisite for a rovival of vital religion in our land. All are agreed that tho real cause of our spiritual poverty lies in tho decay of the family altar, with its resulting prayerlessness, passion for pleasure, Sabbath desecration and neglect of tho public wor ship of f!od. In the opinion of our com mitten tho decay of family religion is tho taproot from which all our other troubles spring." Thin report, which dealt with a number of other subjects, was presented yester day by the Rev. L. H. Hunt, convener of the Lifo and Work Committee. It was agreed that in tho coming year tho Church should again concentrate on evangelism, personal and congregational