"THE SUPREME TASK."

Otago Witness, Issue 3414, 20 August 1919, Page 31 (Supplement)

"THE SUPREME TASK."

REUNION OF CHURCHES. Among the matters discussed by Bishop T. H. Sprott in the course of his presidential: address to the Wellington Anglican Synod' was that of the reunion of Christen dom. He pointed out that the Genera! Synod passed a resolution in favour of New Zealand being represented at the world conference, on "Faith and Order," to be held in America in 1921. The question, he adcltd.was to his mind the most important the Church had to consider. "In my judgment, nothing less than the saving of civilisation depends upon the

answer," continued the Bishop. "We have had such evidence as never before of the appalling evil of a divided and distracted humanity. . . To heal the international strife, and to render future wars impossible, statesmen have devised a League of Nations, but it must be remembered that, in and by itself, such a league, even if u be ultimately established, does not render war impossible. Nay, it may itself be compelled to wage war. , . Such war, at best, would only differ from any past wars in that, given the honesty and sincerity of the league—and that would depend upon tne honesty and sincerity of the nations composing it, and of the individual citizens thereof —it would be force controlled by impartial justice, so far as that is pos-

sible among fallible men. I have little hope of such a league being effectively maintained, and still less hope of the abolition of war, unless underneath the League of Nations, sustaining and animating it, there is also a world-wide League of Churches—of churches not merely professing Christ, but animated by His Spirit, in full and practical sympathy with the cause for which He lived and died, the cause of the Kingdom of God. . . . As you may be aware, there is a move r.'ient on foot here in New Zealand for reunion between certain of the churches—the Presbyterian, the Wesley an, and the Congregational. "It may be thought a matter of regret that the leaders in this movement have not

sought our co operation. But they were probably right m confining themselves for the present to the narrower programme. It is not likely that in so important a matter we should be prepaied to act apart from the larger communion of which we form a tiny lragment; especially as this very question of reunion is being discussed between our representative men of out mother church and of the churches named in the United Kingdom; discussed, too, 1 oannot but think, with a larger and more sympathetic appreciation of each other's position—both theirs and ours—than is apparent here. Especially also, as this question of reunion will doubtless bo the chief subject of consideration at the Lambeth Conference to be held next year, and will

bo discussed on a world-scale the gre& conference in America in the following: year, I think it likely that we here in Ne« Zealand would prefer to await the issue of such discussions before taking any step*' ourselves. Nevertheless, we can have hsj other feeling towards the local movemeafc save that of sympathy and good-will. Bo£ I most earnestly commend this question o 5 reunion to your thoughts and prayers. /& s I am convinced, the church's supremie task, and the one hope of the world. All Christian people need very earnestly an£ honestly to ask themselves whether wfc.si be now deemed barriers in the way of reunion are indeed principles of such viti£ importance that for then- maintenance unfep must be for ever sacrificed."

The multi-millionaire, who gave away millions in endowing Free Public Libraries, and in grants for Education and Science.

A VISIT OF INSPECTION TO ZEEBRUCCE, BELGIUM.

THE LAST RESTING PLACE OF SOME OF THE EARLY PIONEERS OF THE ALEXANDRA DISTRICT.

THE CANTERBURY JOCKEY CLUB'S GRAND NATIONAL MEETING.