THE CLERGY AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10197, 5 July 1911, Page 1

THE CLERGY AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS.

BISHOP SPPOTT'S ADVICE. [Per Press Association-.] WELLINGTON, July 4. Touching upon one phase of tho general mission of last year, Bishop Sprott in his presidential address at the opening of Synod to-day said: —"I have said that the mission evoked a widespread response. One class in the community seems to have been found less responsive than many had hoped would be the case, 1 mean the artisans of the cities. Tho cause of this has been found by some in a lack of sympathy on the part of the local church with the social and political aims and aspirations oi this section of our fellow-citizen* 1 , aud tho clergy hare been advised to give more serious study to social problems. I do not myself under take to compare the irresponsiveness to the mission of the artisau class with that of other classes. irresponsive persons wero found in all classes. Nor do I undertake to say whether the alleged lack of sympathy exists in fact, but- the advice that we should seek to understand the social problems of our age and country I think excellent, and I trust that as far as possible we shall act upon it." " But I think a, word of warning, not to the laity but te the clergy, may not be out of'place," the speaker added. ( "'We hear much in these days of clericalism. The terra is not always understood by those who ot to nest use it a-s a term of opprobrium, but rightly _understood clericalism is an evil thing. Ministers of religion aro to clericalism when they imagine that just becauso they are ministers of religion and apart from any qualifications of serious study and competent knowledge they are entitled magisterially to decide what ia the right and what is the wrong solution of complicated social and political problems. When ministers of religion so act they only compromise religion by identifying it in men's minds with some certainly imperfect and possibly mischievous policy, aud they incur a just resentment by making claims unsrustainod by any adequate equipment of knowledge. To be consistent they must hold aud maintain that Christian principles are applicable and ought to be applied to social and political problems. The application in detail was often a matter of huge complexity and difficulty."