APATHY IN RELIGION

Taranaki Daily News, 6 October 1931, Page 4

APATHY IN RELIGION

CHRISTIANS BLAMEWORTHY. CHURCH'S GREAT OPPORTUNITY. In the course of a sermon in St. Mary’s Cathedral, Auckland, on Sunday evening Archbishop Averill .pleaded for a greater fidelity and earnestness on the part’ of Christian people. “If the Church is not what it might be, who is to blame?” he asked, “Not the faithful few ’ souls who are quietly and selfsacrificingly helping the Church with Missionary and social activities, but the many who stand aloof from direct witness and by their apathy help to weaken Christian witness in the world and the true knowledge of God. “I must admit that I cannot fathom the mentality of the men and women who stick loosely to their religion in these days. The. world wants trust, confidence and peace, and God alone can give them. It is the apathy of Chriswhich is robbing the world of that comfort it sorely needs.” Christians must hold themselves to blame if anti-God campaigns and other movements designed to stamp out the very name of God from the earth were to succeed, said his Grace. Such movements deliberately set out to dethrone Christ because, as their supporters openly said, if they did not smash Christianity, Christianity would smash them. Unfortunately, tlie indifference and carelessness on the part of . Christian people did more to help anti-God campaigns than all the babblings of rationalism. ■ “You might not think you need the. help of regular corporate worship,” said his Grace, “but the world needs it; it needs your witness, your example and your sacrifice. The lives of Christians are the only Bible that the world reads. Do not look upon your Church as a kind of forcing house,..but as a power-house; it is not an end in itself, but a means to an end.” Archbishop Averill said he was certain that to-day was the Oburch’a great opportunity. .By their witness -to God Christians would help their neighbours, their country and .the world in its distress.