ATTITUDE TO WAR

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20917, 23 September 1939, Page 6

ATTITUDE TO WAR

SENTIMENTS FROM PULPIT ATTEMPTS AT JUSTIFICATION “The war which we feared would eventuate is now upon ue,” states the editorial article of this month's Waikato Diocesan Magazine. “Pulpits arc re-echoing the same sentiments they expressed during the Great War. la this the right attitude? “Christopher Dawson, In a new book entitled ‘Beyond Politics,’ refers to Protestantism's habit of adapting the Faith to temporal needs, and by a process of puJpit sophistry making everything that man does perfectly justifiable in the light of eternal truth. “Let us accept the position as It is by all means. Let us do all we can to help and not to hinder," continues the editorial. “Let us follow' our consciences wherever they lead us. Let us come to an intelligent understanding as to the inevitability of war under present social conditions, but don’t Jet us justify it in the light of Faith. "Milton opens Paradise Lost’ with several glorious lines wherein he explains lhe purpose of the poem and prays fur Divine light in the writing of it. O Spirit that dost prefer the upright heart and pure. Instruct, us, for Thou know'est; What iii us is dark alumine; What is low raise and support. What in us is low, raise and support. That to the height of this great argument I may assist Eternal Providence, And justify the ways of God to man. “Note the last line, ‘Justify the ways of God to man,’ not ‘Justify the ways of man to God.’ Ponder over that last line, for therein lies our present danger.“