WHAT RELIGION ?

Putaruru Press, Volume XXI, Issue 1237, 3 July 1947, Page 1

WHAT RELIGION ?

CLERIC’S POINTED REMARKS No matter to what church a person professes to belong a portion of the homily delivered to his parishioners in his June issue of the Parish Recced by the Rev. G. W. 'G. Griffen (St. Mattheiw’s, Morrinsville) might be of interest in these times of trials, strife and turmoil. The remarks might toe applied to any - professad member of a church. The vicar in the course of his address states:—■ “We English Christians arre passing through a time of testing: we are standing trial before our fallow countrymen and before hungry and disordered Europe. “There are many who say that the Church’s day is done: sha is a 'back number - now! She has no vital contribution to make towards the rebuilding of civilisation to-d!ay. Many more are asking not in hostility but in sheer perplexity, ‘Who will show us any good?’ And now is the moment when we are called upon to give answer to such questions: and our answer must be the quality of our own discipleship, our own faithful churchman ship. “If the Parish Church is the ‘key unit’ of the whole Church of England the Parish Church itself is dependent on the Christian homes and the individual members in the parish—the home which was originally consecrated in God’s House and has sdnea then let all Christian standards go: the individual who in Confirmation declared himself ‘Christ’s faithful soldier and servant unto his life’s end,’ and who to-day goes only occasionally to Church and still more rarely to Holy Communion: the Church member who is all the time more active in criticism than in loyal readiness to help: these all make it difficult for the Church to answer tho questions which are challenging her to-day. For in their cases the Church is already to all intents and purposes a ‘back number.’ The real danger to the Church to-day comas not from her opponents and critics but from her own lapsed or faithless members. The Church is suffering to-day from a superfluity, of ‘Nominal’ Church Members who are ready enough to claim t.hciir privileges (to demand the Baptism of their children and to resent any suggestion that an obligation rests upon themselves to bring their children up as living and practising members): to demand to be married by the Church (and: often ask for remarriage by the Church after divorce) : to claim Christian burial, etc.; but are apparently impervious to any sense of corresponding responsibility or obligation. * i “But ‘if any man will not take up his own cross daily and follow Me ho cannot be My disciple,’ said our Lord. “Now, we are always being given opportunities: some never come twice. I can only bring these matters before you and give the lead. “Let us take stock of our own position in this matter of the ‘Witness borne by the laity’ and-to ask ourselves candidly the old question: What kind of Church Would my Church be If each Church member . Was just like me?”