THREATS OF WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22860, 15 October 1937, Page 13

THREATS OF WAR

MORE FAITH NEEDED ARCHBISHOP'S BELIEF A warning against , yielding to the spirit of pessimism and defeatism, which seemed to be overshadowing the minds of men at the present time, was issued by Archbishop Averill, in his address to the Anglican Synod yesterday. While everybody was conscious of the dark clouds which were enveloping the world, he said, there was no reason whatsoever why these clouds should be allowed to eclipse the vision of God or dim the faith in the fundamental truth that God reigned. "It is so easy, but so faithless, for Christians who profess to believe _ in God and the Incarnation to sink into pessimism because the birth pangs ushering in a new world are painful," said Archbishop .Averill. "There is & vast difference between • foolish optimism and a strong faith that the Holy Spirit of God can and will bring order out of the present chaos. Doubtless the tribulation through which the world is passing to-day is intended to test our Christian faith, and in that process weak and insecure faith may fail, but if we believe that the world is God's and not the devil's, we cannot but believe that good will _ come out of the temporary manifestation of evil."