CHANGING TIMES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22724, 10 May 1937, Page 6

CHANGING TIMES

CONDITIONS OF LIFE need of internationalism ADDRESS BY DR. T. Z. KOO "God makes things new through the transforming power of His love," said Dr. T. Z. Koo, who is visiting New. Zealand on a mission arranged by the World Student Christian .Movement, in an address on the changing conditions of life which he gave to an audience of more than 3000 in the Town Hall yesterday. The address was the principal item of a rally of youth organised by the Auckland Christian Youth Council. Dr. Koo was welcomed to the gathering by the chairman, Mr. H. T. Stevens. Dr. Koo asked bis audience to catch a vision of the new heaven and earth. The years of the past had given people a life of pain and conflict, whether individually as a people or collectively as a nation. Throughout these troubles and suffering the people saw 3n" old form of life passing away and a newone just beginning to come. Nationalistic Concept One part of life was the political field and in this sphere could be detected a change from one form to another. The old idea of each nation being a law in itself, the restricted idea of nationalism, was going, and since the close of the war there had been coming from the hearts of mankind the urge for' a wider, more peaceful, and higher form of internationalism. The struggle between the two concepts was still going -on and at the present time it almost seemed that the old idea was going to submerge the new. But, said Dr. Koo, he knew that the better internationalism was going to win. Nations had .to learn to condition some of their national freedom in favour of a common international purpose. The Economic System When people became, or were made aware of the inadequacies of the old economic system for the demands of life in the new economic conditions, then the conviction that economic inequalities were wrong grew upon mankind. Indifference to inequalities was shaken and when this happened the, knowledge came of the approach of the new earth and heaven. In the last 15 ideas the old idea of "devil take the hindmost" in the individual economic conditions of the . people had begun to be superseded, it seemed, by a new concept of Governmental social control. Signs of new conditions were also to be found in treatment of the different races, said Dr. Koo. "Are you not conscious," he said, "of the fact that the secular world is setting the standards for the Christian world and that the Christian world is not able to set its own standards r How can we set out to build a new world when the secular world dictates to our Christians the standards to observe in the things we control?" Devotions were led by the Rev. J A. Thomson, and the Her. E. T. Oid> resd the lesson. The Rev. A. C. Xelseis led a special prayer for Mother's Daj and Dr. Alexander Hodga said* tin benediction. Mr. R. Goldsmith gave ; piano solo. A song service before tb rally was led by Mr. Y. T. Drew. ADDRESS TO COUNTEYMEK DEVELOPMENTS Es CHINA About 250 Chinese, a number o. whom had travelled long distances gathered in the William Maw-sou Memorial Hall in Cook Street yesterday morning to welcome their distinguished fellow-countryman Dr. T. Z. Koo. Dr Koo, who was accompanied by Mrs Koo, was welcomed by the Rev. T. S Chau, who presided, by Mr. H. Ah Kew. on behalf of the Chinese Young Men's Club, and by a small group of Maoris who contributed a song. Four Chinese children sang a hymn in English. In an address. Dr. Koo spokes in the national or Mandarin language of his country. This was translated by Mr. Chau into Cantonese, the speech of the local Chinese. Dr. Koo outlined some of the great developments that have taken place in China since his boyhood, and spoke of what he owed to Christianity;, He spoke also of the great influence of the Christian Church in China to-dav.