THE PRESBYTERIAN ATTITUDE TO WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24783, 6 December 1941, Page 13

THE PRESBYTERIAN ATTITUDE TO WAR

TO THK'EMTOF

. Sir,—The resolution of - St. John's Church,, Wellington, criticising the statements of the recent General Assembly with reference to conscientious objectors- is likely to create in tho minds of readers an,entirely false impression■■-'..■ as to' the total attitude of the .'assembly, .[■ to ; the war and military service. The 'assembly has repeatedly and unequivocally declared its support of the nation in the present struggle, and has urged the people .of the Church to serve the nation with fullest devotion. Oxi the outbreak of. the war the assembly carried a resolution stating:," We recommend our people to respond with a loyal sense op civic responsibility to such calls for service as the authorities may make, with due regard to the rights of conscience.". The assembly "last month gave general approval to a statement which included the following: " The Church recognises; that readiness to render military service on just and necessary occasions is a civic duty compatible with the fullest Christian devotion. It must be, insisted that the' Christian is bound in conscience to bear his part in maintaining the ordered life of human society, and that, as long as the world is not controlled by the spirit of Christianity, the elements of justice cannot; be preserved without the use of * force in their defence." , . The principles that have governed the Presbyterian Church's attitude on the question of conscientious objectors are, I believe, those that have been accepted by every Government■:•'that has had to deal with the matter both in Great Britain and in New ■ Zealand, namely, that there'are people who hold with a perfectly sincere conviction that it is contrary to ) the will of God foremen to fight in any war, and that the State ought to be ready to respect such sincerity even though these convictions are "■' contrary to the welfare of the State. These two principles are recognised in'the law of this land, arid the Church's concern has been to see that the law is fairly drafted and, enacted, and 'fairly administered at a time when popular passion is strongly-|

against any law which gives relief to these objectors. The matter has a further, importance for the Church. We are fighting a nation which has adopted the principle that the supreme and absolute authority in life is the will of the S-tati.. and we are fighting to destroy that principle. When the State declares that it will respect conscientious objection, that means a recognition by the State that its citizens have a duty '/to an authority higher than its owrt. ' In other words, there is no more striking acknowledgment by the State of the fact that the only supreme authority is God. than that which it makes when it grants relief to conscientious objectors.—l am, etc., r John A, Allan.