THE CHURCH AND THE WAR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 700, 9 May 1916, Page 8

THE CHURCH AND THE WAR.

SYMPATHY WITH THE GOVERNMENT. NOT AFRAID OF COMPULSION. GET THE SHIRKERS, SPONGERS, AND SLACKERS. That the General Synod of the province of New Zealand desires to convey to the Prime Minister and the Government its sympathy in their heavy responsibility, and to assure them of the wholehearted support of the Church in their efforts to uphold the cause of the Empire and the liberties of the nations. This motion was proposed at the General Synod yesterday afternoon by Dean Carrington. The Dean said that all he wished to do was to assure the Government thai they were all absolutely of one mind in the matter of supporting the Government in its endeavour to uphold the honour and integrity of the nation. Many members of the Synod had some pledge at the front—he had three children there—but they, one and all, sank all personal thought and feelings at this hour of crisis. Their discussions in the newspapers and on the platform perhaps misled the enemy, but they were all of one mind where the welfare of the nation was concerned. Mr "VY. J. Speight seconded the motion. He said that there was much talk about equality of sacrifice. The first and essential sacrifice was the sacrifice of their sons. lie had three sons lit to serve, and they had all gone, and if he had 13 he would I send them all. He was not afraid of compulsion, and they should not be afraid of compulsion, because they were members of a great ! church in a great Empire. That | being so, they should speak out to i the Government, and say: "Do not deplete our country of its best sons, our bravest and best, and leave behind the shirkers and spongers and loafers to take our sons' places, aye, I and make war profits. Make all do ! their duly—-that is the equality of j sacrifice we want." In the last reI sort, everything we have belongs to the Slate, even our lives. The motion was carried. The Hon. A. T. Maginnily said that it would be an honour if he were entrusted to deliver the Synod's resolution personally to the Prime Minister. This suggestion was acted upon j by the Synod.