RADIO AND RELIGION

Southland Times, Issue 19502, 17 March 1925, Page 4

RADIO AND RELIGION

BROADCASTING OF SERMONS. MODERATOR OR ADVOCATE? The radio as an influence in religion is now being considered in the Dominion, and judging by the remarks of the Rev. J. McCaw, Moderator of the Wellington Presbytery, at a recent meeting action may soon be taken. Two years ago in Christchurch, said the Moderator, the matter had been before the Christchurch Presbytery, brought up by the Rev W. H. House. Radio broadcasting had then been in the very early stages, and the Christchurch Presbytery had hanily known what to do with the matter. But to-day broadcasting was creating tremendous interest in the Old Country. POTENT FORCE. It was potent for righteousness and for evil. He believed that the church would have to take cognisance of the fact that broadcasting would be a great factor in the future. He could not help thinking of the words: “Waft, waft ye winds, His story,” and to-day the essentials of religion could be sent to many homes by wireless. Missionaries in India and China were beginning to wake up to the fact that from their great loneliness amidst places of darkness and filth they could get messages; that they could “listen-in” to the best preachers of India and Australia. GROWTH OF BROADCASTING. In Britain up to September 30 last some 900,000 broadcasting licenses had been issued, and during the month of September hundreds of thousands had been given out. There were people who would shake their heads, canny people who were getting older, like himself, and who doubted whether the thing could ever grow or whether it would do good. But there were invalids who were hearing the best music and were being comforted. And the message was going into the hospital wards to those who wanted to hear it as well as to those who did not.

These “listeners-in” out of mere curiosity, were impressed by a preacher and later went to hear him. Instead of emptying the churches they were being rapidly filled by the radio.

Mr McCaw said he thought it would be worth while their appointing a committee. They would have to take the matter in hand, and if they did not do so soon others would begin first and they would have betting news sent out. He thought that the thing deserved to be looked into carefully, and that the radio would hasten the time “when the earth would be filled with the glory of God.”