CHURCH AND LIFE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20639, 11 August 1930, Page 14

CHURCH AND LIFE.

SOLVING WORLD TROUBLES. PLEA FOR GREATER INTEREST. " Christianity could ho more effective if the clergy had a fuller knowledge of what are known as the 'social sciences,' " said Dr. 11. Belshaw, professor of economics at the Auckland University College, speaking on "Economics and (ho Christian Ethic" at the Mount Albert Methodist Church men's guild yesterday. 1 do not wish to belittle individual effort, but (he old idea that the saving of individual souls means that one does not need to bother about social change must be discarded. Individual charity is a case in point. Such charity can" bo made demoralising by the manner in which it' is administered, and an even worse effect is that it can divert attention from the root causes of distress by concentrating on a mere palliative." Material conditions provided a most important factor in properly carrying out the Christian ethic and it was unfortunate that the material side of Christianity was not stressed more. The happiness of the people, their moral tone, their love of beauty and their capacity of creating beauty were all matters of Christian concern and they were all dependent to a large extent on environment. " The question of social reorganisation should be studied by every thoughtful man," he said. " The troubles of this world cannot be solved only by everyone becoming a Christian. The basic roots of our troubles must be looked for."

Speaking 011 "The Church and Unemployment" at a later service, Mr. W. J. Holdsworth advocated a federation of the churches to deal particularly with social questions. "While church union is neither possible nor desirable at the present juncture, the Church should adopt a method of 'nationalisation' just as industry has been forced to. If the Church wishes to gain tho respect of the people she must show a more definite interest in their material welfare. Nothing could be worse for its prestige than to bear of an archbishop in England dying and leaving an estate of £<lo.ooo in a country where for so long there has been bp army of men out of work. If tho Church is to be a vivid force it must identify itself with the needs of the people."