CHURCH INFLUENCES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18255, 25 November 1933, Page 15

CHURCH INFLUENCES

SPIRITUAL REVIVAL URGED THE NATIONS AND WAR" “Christianity is not ‘dope’ ; it is not intended to reconcile a man to the in-, justices and inequalities of life,” said) the Rev, E. D. Patchett, in his open* ing address at the Auckland district Methodist synod. “If man reaches up and finds his true life in God, however,' he will find a new harmony and prof mise in life. It cannot be too stronglyinsisted that the church's paramount duty and the world’s pre-eminent need is a deep and creative revival of religion. Such a revival will react favor* ably on the whole range of life. A world view of history strengthens the conviction that times of moral and spirf,' tual renewal are also times of general initiative and inspiration.” _ _ * “The logic of events is fast driving tile church to the demand for the reconstruction of the social and economic eider so that service and not self wilt be the dominant feature,” Mr. Patchett added. “The church’s vision to-day takes in the whole life of man, individual and family, industrial and poli' : tical, national and international. What will the church" do if nations, although committed to a policy of peace, should have war thrust upon them?” he asked If a sub-Christian nation threatened the existence of a Christian nation, should it defend itself? Should the church ex. pect the nation to be prepared to be sacrificed for the church's conviction that peace at any price was more Christian than war? Mr. Patchett expressed the opinion that, looked at from that standpoint, the conclusion was almost in. evitable that the church could not, itj all circumstances, command her sons to refuse to fight for their country. There were some things more precious than life, and the loss of them was mors dreadful than war. It was, however, the clear duty of the church, Mr. Patch? ett concluded, to build up the will to peace, and to organise the Christian forces of the whole world in a definite and sustained effort to outlaw war.