THE CHURCH AND WAR.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19933, 18 October 1934, Page 5

THE CHURCH AND WAR.

To tile Editor of " The Tlmaru Herald ” Sir, —Some time ago a sermon preached by Dean Inge in Marylebone Parish Church on the futility of war, was published in “The Timaru Herald.” I feel sure this sermon was worthy of all thoughful persons giving it serious consideration, and I hope it has been widely read. We are so apt to be blinded by our patriotism, but Dean Inge seems to see thing's as they really are. Published in your issue of to-day is an account of what took place at the annual assembly of the Baptist Union of New Zealand held at Wellington, in connection with the Church and war. It seems a pity to me that there should be any division of opinion regarding the duty of the Ministers of the Christian Church and war. The Rev. L. Al North, of Christchurch, in my opinion did just what his Chief would have him do. Good and faithful Mr North. The Rev. J. C. Macky (Nelson) is reported to have said the peace of a hundred years had been maintained because Britain was strong enough to show her teeth if necessary. I do not wish to offend, but I am compelled to admit my surprise at Mr Macky’s statement. Britain did not contribute to world peace for a hundred years nor even half of that time, but rather showed the world a very bad example in that she refused to allow the trouble with the Transvaal Government to be settled by arbitration, for which the Boers so persistently pleaded. Mr Macky tells us that the hearts of the nations had not changed, yet they were not lambs but wild beasts. It would seem then that in Mr Macky’s opinion the Church had failed in changing the wild beasts into good and peace loving beings. Mr Macky evidently despairs of his work for the Church being useful, so why not get out of it and do something that is useful. The nations and the people are not nearly so bad as Mr Macky makes them out to be. The nations came together and established a world supreme court for the purpose of outlawing war. They recognised that to settle disputes by violence was madness apart from religion. The I-ague of Nations should be supported by all means.—l am, etc.. ANTI-WAR.

Timaru. October 17. [The Baptist Conference ultimately endorsed the following pronouncement: “This Assembly expresses the opinion that war is an un-Christian method of settling international disputes. and urges our people to do everything possible for its total abolition,' especially (1) by being foremost in their support of the machinery of international co-operation provided by the League of Nations and (2) insisting upon all the implications of the pledge given by our nation under the Kellogg Pact.”—Editor of “The Timaru Herald.”]