BIG SACRIFICES NECESSARY

Southland Times, Issue 24565, 14 October 1941, Page 6

BIG SACRIFICES NECESSARY

POST WAR PLANNING DISCUSSED OLD PRIVILEGES MAY DISAPPEAR (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, October 13. “It is clear to us that national differentiation is a Divine ordinance for men, but it is also clear that the whole spirit of the teaching of Christ is opposed to the exploitation of one nation by another,” said Archbishop WestWatson in an address to the Anglican Synod service in the Cathedral tonight. “With a clear conscience the Church can call upon all the peoples to prepare for the sacrifices which will be necessary to remove this stumbling block of national irresponsibility, especially upon nations like our own, which have almost come to regard their privileges and advantages as a natural right. The principle of equal access to natural resources and the conservation of those sources of food and wealth in the common interest is surely justified by the Christian doctrine of equal fellowship of all men in Christ. It appears to be a necessary preliminary to the abolition of war. It will entail great sacrifices by the possessor nations and will present a desperate challenge to vested interests. It will call for great sacrifices, but the sacrifices will be insignificant compared with those called for by modern war.” The Archbishop was speaking generally of post-war planning and the Church’s attitude towards the various schemes being put forward for national or international reorganization. “It is beginning to be understood that peace and progress call for sacrifices and must be bought at a price,” he said. “We must be prepared to pay the price and must try to educate public opinion so that it will not be surprised if some old prejudices and privileges have to be thrown on the scrap heap for the good of humanity.” He distinguished the function of the Church from the duty of individual laymen who, he said, would naturally be free to move in this or that direction as they felt called. The function of the Church, as such, was to keep before mankind those principles which it was convinced could be sustained as being in line with God’s will revealed in Christ. It moved on to dangerous ground when it claimed Divine support or finality for any human programme.