SPIRITUAL MORALE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24737, 14 October 1941, Page 9

SPIRITUAL MORALE

BASIS OF ENDURING PEACE PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE " The war has certainly revealed that the British race is far from being as decadent as our enemies supposed," said Bishop Fitchett in his address at the opening of the Anglican Synod last night, "and before the war is over there will be much more evidence to that effect; for, as we repeatedly warned by our Imperial statesmen, much loss and suffering must be endured before final victory is attained, and beyond doubt they will be endured with the same fortitude that has been displayed in the past. But when we have won the war, there will lie ahead the great and difficult task of establishing an enduring peace, and for success in-that task, those who undertake it will need great spiritual morale. "An enduring peace cannot be secured in a moment b the mechanical process of signing a treaty. It can only be secured by a change in man's spirit. Man's spirit has had, and has to-day, an entirely wrong outlook. In this time of war and privation, what does man's spirit most crave—peace —and what do we most readily couple with the idea of peace—prosperity. Peace and prosperity—material prosperity—is that which readily presents itself to our minds as most desirable. Obligations of Peace

"But the peace on earth mentioned when our Lord's birth was announced,", Bishop Fitchett said, " was not coupled with prosperity, but with goodwill. Peace on earth to men of goodwill is the Christian message, the Christian promise, and until man learns to value,, and to cultivate, the Christian spirit of goodwill and fellowship, the signing of peace treaties will prove what it has. proved in the past—merely a crying of 'peace, peace, when there is.no peace.' "While it is beyond doubt, that in the Mother Country, the hardships, miseries, and sorrows of the war are breaking down the walls of partition between the classes, so that people are beginning to 'look not every man on his own things but every man also on the things of others,' and fulfil the law of Christ by bearing one another's burdens, nevertheless the greatest hope for success in securing a just and enduring peace for the world by a change in man's spirit, lies, not so much in righting the wrong spirit of our own generation, as in developing the right spirit in our growing children, for the burden of rebuilding the world will fall mainly upon them and their children.

Training of the Young

"It is wise to learn even from our enemies," the Bishop said, "and they have demonstrated what wonders can be worked by the training of children from their earliest years. The ideals inculcated and absorbed by the youth of Germany we rightly regard with disgust, but by the same methodical and diligent care, the Christian spirit of goodwill, fellowship and'service can be developed in the youth of our Empire.

"In this matter the clergy have a great responsibility, but the responsibility is not theirs alone, and while I urge upon the clergy the great import-

ance of giving very special attention to training the young, I call upon parents and the laity in general, not only to facilitate the efforts of the clergy, but to encourage them and cooperate with them."