THE CHURCH AND WAR

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20104, 10 May 1935, Page 15

THE CHURCH AND WAR

To the Editor of “ The Tlmaru Herald ”

Sir—ln Bishop West-Watson's monthly letter to the “Church News,” reference is made to the question of the churches and war. The Bishop declares that “day by day it becomes more evident that the churches should let the world know that they stand for the ‘New Deal’ of truth and mercy and love. The present unrest brings us face to face with the question whether the churches are going to be caught unprepared again in the event of a threat of war,” adds the Bishop. “We can never forget, those of us who lived from 1914 to 1918, that people said the Church had failed because it had not prevented the war. We well know that in the excitement of a crisis the Church will be blamed if it does not bless what will assuredly be heralded as a just and necessary war. In the light of all that has been revealed of the secret history of the weeks leading up to August, 1914, surely it is plain that nothing is more necessary than that some responsible body should have the courage to demand that the points at issue shall be honestly and openly discussed, and that millions shall not be sacrificed to the mistaken judgment of a statesman or statesmen, however sincere, or to some mistaken idea of national honour. Day by day it becames more apparent that the world leaders have no ultimate cure for our troubles, but the ‘Old Deal’ of armaments and the mailed fist. Day by day, therefore, it becomes more evident that the churches should let the world know that they stand for the ‘? t 2w Deal’ of truth and mercy and love. They must let it be known that they will not again say to the nations, ‘Go up to Ramoth-Gilead and prosper’.” What is implied in this message of the Bishop’s is both tremendous and startling. No longer is the Church prepared to allow herself to be used as an instrument to bolster up war; no i ore from the pulpit will be heard the voice of the clergy hurling denunciations at and calling for punishment upon our “enemies,” neither shall we again witness the spectacle of a disciple of the Prince of Peace asking for God’s blessing to ensure success for our armies whether our cause be a just one or not. The Church at long last is realising that she has other concerns than preparing mankind for a life hereafter, she is realising that the Kingdom of God, if it is to be established anywhere, it must be here on earth. No longer can it divorce the Spiritual from the temporal, the message represents the belief that the time requires a new beginning on the part of the Church in defining its attitude to the social and economic life of the people. To admit the necessity ,for a new beginning is to imply that something has been wrong in the past a::d to acknowledge a need for repentance. The admission and the acknowledgment are undoubtedly in the Bishop’s message. The Bishop realises that if the Church takes a definite stand against what she considers is an unjust war, then she will have to face the anger of the mob urged on by our Beaverbrooks, and our Rothermeres. He knows that she will be crucified as her Pounder was under like circumstances, and he is prepared to do nis duty as he sees it and follow in the footsteps of his Master. Will the laity follow him? This is the question every true Christian must ask himself. V/e cannot escape it, not matter how we may try. Will each and everyone who calls himself or herself a Christian stand by the Bishop when the moment of trial arrives, or will we join the crowd and cry “Give us Barabbas”?

As a matter of fact the testing time is here to-day. The Prime Minister says that New Zealand is prepared to enter into a war immediately the call comes from London, without even calling Parliament together. Bishop WestWatson says he is not prepared to support any war until all the points' at issue have been honestly and openly d'seussed. What are the laity going to do about it?—l am, etc., LAYMAN. Timaru, May 9.