MESSAGE TO METHODISTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11265, 5 February 1912, Page 6

MESSAGE TO METHODISTS.

CIRCULAR READ IN CHURCHES,

In the Mastertou Methodist churches —and in all tho; Methodist.churches throughout tho world—yesterday, an interesting and inspiring message was read from tho fourth Ecumenical Methodist Conference held at Toronto, Canada, in October, 1011. ■After dealing with the history of Methodism, which began in a heightened' sense of the sovereignty of God and an overwhelming conviction of sin, the circular emphasised the responsibility and duty of tho Church to-day. Tho essential end is threefold —the' complete achievement of a Christian world, tho triumphant establishment of a Christian civilisation, and tho prevailing influence of the Christian spirit throughout the whole range of immau life. Tho first represents the missionary calling of tho Church, tho second its humane mission, the third its Ministry to tho perfect realisation of the Spirit in the collective life of maiiKind. Inter alia, the message, winch made a marked impression upon the Masterton congregations, said:—"As citizens we must seek to secure in righteousness, wisdom and complete unselfishness a truly Christian—and therefore humauo-character for all law, administration and pnblic policy. Tliis governing principle supplies practical guidance as to tho objects that must be pursued by both our personal and collective, our public and private, influence. So far as our several commonwealths are concerned, we must promote all measures that will effectually tend to eliminate tho degrading poverty that injures the spiritual as well as the temporal wellbeing of multitudes, that implies the negation of Christian brotherhood, and brings disgrace upon Christendom in ",the eyes of the non-Christian world. We must labour ceaselessly so as to transform the material environment of the peoples that it may promote and not hamper the possibilities of a completely Christian lifo —with all its moral, intellectual, and even physical implications—-for the weakest " members of the community. We must put forth our utmost efforts to destroy the organised inducements to intemperance and impurity that bring mammon-worship ami self indulgence into devastating alliance. We must upl old Christian standards of morality and humanity in the production, ' distribution and use of material wealth ; and we must guard, in all wisdom, the sanctity of the j Lord's Day. . . . In the sphere of international relations we must exert all our influence to abolish war, to remove all causes of suspicion and estrangement between nations, and to allay all onbursts of warlike passion whenever they arise. In this connection the Conference offers unfeigned thanksgiving that the President of the United States has inaugurated a League of Peace, into which we may well hope that all the nations of the world will eventually enter. Further, we must be constantly solicitous that the contact of the more powerful and progressive races with tho more backward ones may be so ordered as to rei spect the rigr.ts and promote the higher interests of our weaker brethren—never to sacrifice them to gieed, contempt or cruelty. Keeping free from tiie danger of political partisanship, we must seek to bring a truly Christian inspiration to the Stale, setting forth the noblest spirit of patriotism, of righteous and incorrupt service ol the common weal. By appropriating to ourselves and applying to our communities these ideals of Christian brotherhood, we shall bear witness in the secular and social affairs uf life to the Methodist doctrine of pi'i'fect love.