OUTCOME OF THE WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17029, 13 June 1917, Page 7

OUTCOME OF THE WAR

DUTY OF THE CHURCHES. PLEA FOR UNITY. In the course of his address to the'Otago Diocesan Synod yesterday, the Primate (Bishop Nevill) touched on the question of tho outcome of tho war. In tho course of his remarks lio said: Wo entered upon this war under the impulse of tho most exalted moral sentiments. In defence of truth against tho scornful breach of most solemn obligations, and in defence of tho weak against tho brutal invasion of the strong on no better rijjht than because they were strong, and bccauso they had planned to trample down the liberties of tho world. We, therefore, believed that wo took up arms on tho sido of God' and man. The atrocities committed in tho conduct of the war by our enemies, and their monstrous declaration of intended disregard o£ all laws, human and Divine, confirmed us in this conviction and enabled us to feel that our c.'e<ir ones who lost their lives in such a conflict were martyrs in tho caui-e of Christ. Wo almost wondered to find that God's arm was not at onco stretched out in vindication of our championship of His laws, but God's groat lessons to the world, and even to His church, were not learned quickly. They had to bo received into tho moral consciousness and spiritual perceptions of mankind before they could govern the life of nations; just as seeds must bo cast into .tho ground before they could bring forth fruit. Tho lesson would bo speedily forgotten if it wero not ground in by suffering. Tho leaders of thought in every department of our national life were keenly engaged upon the problems to bo faced as tho outcomo of the war. Men of insight andi wide knowledge of facts had expressed their recognition of the vast extent of tho expected changes in terms which implied a regeneration, in Scripture language, a new heavens and a new earth. It was well that wo should bo reminded of these anticipated opportunities, that wo might bo stirred up to se:ze them for the best, since tha advantages hoped for were not the natural results of war. The natural results of war were degradation and ruin. Tho loosening of the baser passions was like tho opening of the gates of Hell to display to us, with horror, what is was possible for man to bo. Tho picture could only become a lesson when it showed us the true fruits of evil motives and actions, and made it. clear that the laws of God wore tho only security for the rights of ? lan ' , redeeming outcomo of the war. for which so many looked, was not a mechanical result, or tho outcome of a necessary evolution, but could only como from the roadjustmorit on nobler and moro Christian principles of tho political, economic. social, and religious relations of mankind. To such a subject, therefore, thev must, address their minds, since they believed that tho Church of Christ contained within herself the purifying and vitalising principle which alone could effect the desired end. A little thought,made it clear that what was needed far tho adjustment, empowering, and elevating of these several departments of world-wide human life was that tho principle of unity, based on higher than secular sanctions, should run through all. inese sectional interests acted at present as separate and moro or less antagonistic forces. Tho politician of to-ciay was troubled by what appeared to be the necessity of restraining the Socialistic forces. The economist found himself trammelled in the development of his schemcs for enlarged operations by existing political arran°-e----mo»ts-, Th o Socialist laid a strong hand on both with a view to exploit inn- both for tile accomplishment of his own objects. The antagonism was evident enough, and the question was how to fret free from it. Tho great moral lesson of tho world-wide war was that the unwarranted pursuit of sectional interests, or rather imagined interests, meant world-wide strife. Thank ■ God ono outcomo of tho war was that they 'were beginning to learn this lesson. In the political sphere they saw preparations in progress for the practical realisation of larger political unity, to embrace in one imperial governing organisation not >>■' thft representatives of , their own race m various dominions, but also those of other blood, as the people of India who by noble sacrifices had shown that they already shared our sentiments, and that thoy wero ready to share l our responsibilities. Our political alliances, too and the manifest sympathy with our cause °:i the part of nationalities not in formal alliance with us, springing, as these did, irom altruistic and moral feelings shared in common, manifested a unity of sentiment whioh was at least a phenomenon in the history of the world. Wo witnessed also movements in the economic sphc-o which were in the same direction. Projects were put forward for Tiniformity of tariffs to operate over a wide area, and whispers of freetrade withm the Empire, which, even it thoy sprang somewhat from commercial motives, wero yet witnesses of faith in unity and expansion. Of Socialism what should he say? That the war liad strengthened beyond calculation those movement* and organisations which went under that name and displayed the existence of a community of ideals and objects in such sections oven in nationalities which were politically at war. We might strongly disagree with some of the utterances of Socialistic leaders and with tho aims of tho extremists, while the spirit of self-abnegation and sacrifice shown by the members of these organisations for the attainment of their" objects was in itself admirable and only regrettable as applied to sectional interests as if brotherhood limited to .a class, could lie for tho benefit of all. We observed then, m every department of human activities, .wider views, nobler conceptions, efforts in pursuit of freer intercourse and expansion of opportunities, and if all this wero an outcomo of the shaking together of tho nations of the wotld it was for the Church to sec in it a preparation of tho wav of tho Lord. It had often been thus 'that Uod made the wrath Of man to praise Him by awakening his Church from the slumber of ease and saying to the awakened: "Tlvs ,r y A, v ': l , lk yo in ii; -" A °d what, after all, did they say was the way? It was tho pathway of unity, and the unity ?i would never bo reached until the Christian Church had led the war War might teach that the issue of selfisiil ness was desolation and destruction. Selfinterest might indeed teach that combination was necessary, but thus far wo on y into groups which were themselves isolated, if not antagonistic. Thero was no thread of unity binding all together. Altruism and humanism wero sentiments which, when separated from Christian motive, died out in mere emotion, or at best some kindly effort to console Offerers or ameliorate pain they wore powerless to l exonerate. A stronger all-pervading force was needed, to which all might yield T n exact proportion as tho Church of Christ had conquered, the principle of unity had grown, It, had never been so powerful in the world as it was to-day. J t was a spiritual clectrici+.y which could burst, the rocky obstacles of prejudice and demolish tho carefully nrenared defences of sectional interests. It could consume the brushwood-growth of moro habit and convention; but electricity itself was ineffective iinless it b« applied. Thank God, tho principle of corporate Christian unitv was being applied within tho sections of Christianitv. just as wo saw the expansion of unity, m tho secular movements of which ho had spoken We must go on. When tho Church had shown that thorn wero no dividing lines, the world would come to see t.mt tho interests of humanity wero one. How could tho section's themselves como to sec that thero was no need for separate existence' Only by tho surrender of tho desiro for sectional conquests, and a sincere effort to return to the Rock whence wo were hewn and the primitive pit whenne wo wero digged The way to' th-'n had been shown by the ' World Conference on Faith and Order." which comprised representatives of all Wading denominations. After several snncial conferences an executive committee had been appointed to obtnin from all these renresented denominations throughout North America, statements as to the pronositions of Faith and Order, which each considered to be (a.' held in common bv its owji communion and tho rest- of Christendom, and (b). held by its own Communion as tho e-round upon wlreh. it stood apart from other Communions. These propositions wero to be eoHnWl. r>nd n, report would be prepared exhibiting the agreements and the differences alleged. For his own nart ho nntieinntod thnt, the differences which were or hnd been hold to justify separations, wero neither so numerous nor so insnperablo as they were commonly supposed to be. It was "■-T 1.-nnwn thnt scarcely any of the sernrnt'vl Communions affirmed to dav tlm pnrtieulnr doctrines -which were put. forth i-i'-nmii-'ent.lv at the time of tbc'r "jppnrnHon. Why should not every one of the leading r?ennminit:on« ir> N»w. Xenlnnd constitute! niirley (!'" authoritv of their Church Courts' n commission to draw un statements corresponding with those, spt on foot in North America and then refer them all for tabulation and comparison to representatives ehns°n by each hodv for that mirnose? He felt quite iusf.ified in sayincr that, the Anglican Communion would gladly co-operate with the others, although it. had never by '^ ~ ou-n notion IV-m jn V - nofh°m. T-Te ventured, therefore, to subunit tho susruestion to their fellew-citizens

""I*! 1 all respect, believing- that such an nc(::on _ would in the end prove a great step I towaras overleaping thn hounds of scctional ! ineptitude. Spiritual unitv alonecam change the motive uower of the "race, and rally all in the white-robed throng of the foil, wers of the conquering King. Tlius would the lessons of war prove to be the (preparation of the way of the Prince of Peace. Let them remember that the Armageddon of the Apocalypse closed with the overthrow of the boast and the false prophet, the chaining of Satan and the thousand years, of harmony and rest. —(Loud applause.) A voto of thanks was accorded the president for his address.