ANGLICAN GENERAL SYNOD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16685, 4 May 1916, Page 8

ANGLICAN GENERAL SYNOD

PRIMATE'S ADDRESS. (Peb United Pbess Association.) _ CIIRISTCHURCH, May 3. Tho twentieth session of the General Synod of the Church of the province of New Zealand opened this afternoon. The Primate, in making the address, said that tho most notable ecclcsiastical events since they had last .assembled wero the translation of Bishop Averill to the see of Auckland and the election, consccration, and induction of tho Rev. W. W. Sedgwick, formerly vicar of St, Luke's, Christcnurch, as Bishop of Waiapu. In tho secular history of the past, three years tho outstai/ibng event was the occurrence of an unprecedented war. This largely absorbed attention, and affected every relationship of life. Tho origin, conduct, and probable issue of the war had so long been tho subject of debate and literary comment as to render further discussion needless. Nor did it fall altogether within their province, as the Church through all history taught that tho political condition of nations formed either the Church's opportunity or its difficulty. At this moment a mighty emotion was pulsating through the Church at large, and only convinced her that war was no mere accident of human passion, but was fraught with divino purpose. It must mean in the outcome the advancement of the highest interests of mankind and the progress 'of tho kingdom of God. The moral and psychological outcome of tho universal commotion might be a more sure unification of tho Empire. Already it had considerably advanced. Unity of action was spontaneous and complete throughout the dominions, widely separated as they were, and afforded very striking proof of the existence of a deep-seated unity of sentiment, perhaps before partly recognised. It might be ex pected that this unmistakable manifestation of feeling would _ bear fruits of political, economic, and social importance which have an influence upon the religious life. In illustration of the unifying effect of the common danger, the Primate said that a few months ago there seemed to be littlo prospcct of averting civil war between the varying elements of the population in Ireland, but the trumpet call of a common danger had awakened the common sentiment. The Ulsterman and his fellow countryman in the south and west had cheerfully endured together their miseries in the same trench, and had dashed together with equal zeal against the common foe. When the war was over would the weapons raised gloriously against *,he King's enemies be turned upon each other? He refused to believe it. Notwithstanding the outbreak of a seditious, organisation instigated bv our enemies, he believed that the horrors shared together would prove both that the war was enteredl upon with no motive less holy than self-defence, the protection of the weak, and the resistance of a crime against humanity.