Letter from the Bishop.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume V, Issue 5, 1 November 1914, Page 51

Letter from the Bishop.

Bishopscourt, Napier, October 23rd, 1914. My dear People, On Monday, October 12th, I was laying the foundation block of a new Church at Te Ruhanga, m the district of Dannevirke. The land was given by a neighbouring settler, a keen loyal Church worker ; the logs for the timber had been given by another. These had been sent to the mill, and' the boards, ready for use, were lying stacked on the ground. There was the promise of construction. It was a glorious day, the settlers had come together m goodly numbers, the Choir had come m from the Parish Church, and several of the neighbouring clergy were present, robed. It was a peaceful, happy scene : on all sides were bright faces : and there, under the glorious sky, with Spring's message of hope and fruition around us, it was hard indeed to realise m any degree what is going on at the theatre of war. Here were signs of construction, there destruction. Here we were endeavouring to build tip a little Church, to be the centre of worship, and of fellowship m a growing district ; there lands were being laid desolate, Churches whose foundations were laid centuries ago m hope, and historic Cathedrals, the expression of the faith of generations fone. built tipon the prayer and self-sacrifice of bygone ages, were being destroyed by a ruthless foe. It is just this failure to comprehend m any measure the awful desolation that is going on that makes us such laggards ajt prayer. Here we see our young men going forth m all the strength of manhood, brght and hopeful of the future, and willing to share m the Emnire's strnp'gle. We see the bright side. There they see cities laid waste, manhood stricken, ie very where destruction. Perhaps it will only be when our sons from New Zealand reach the centre of orerat'ons, and are actually m the hand to hand struggle — only when we make the offering of our own — of our own young life — that we shall really get down on our knees m prayer, as a people. It is easy to admire the splendid courage, the endurance, the tnagnillficent.daring of our soldiers, and to

give them' our applause. 1 ; Btit ; it 1 is the last thing " Toriimy Atkins" wants: What he does want; and what the British sailor wants; is— our prayers. I remember when I was working m Dorsetshire, it was the year of the Indian Famine, 1897 * committees were formed m the village to raise funds for our suffering Indian fellow subjects. There was scarcely any response. The scene of desolation was too far away. It was outside the lives of those who were appealed to. Then came photos from the famine-stricken district, of gaunt living skeletons, mothers holding m their ,- emaciated arms emaciated and wizen-faced babes '. These were taken round by the working committee. Then the villagers realised it, and with tears made their offerings'. In some cases the women offered more than they could really afford and had to be restrained. They would have given their all. Must the fact be brought home closer, closer than it has yet been brought, till we realise by suffering, tili the sacrifice is actually offered, before we begin to pray m dead earnest ? The Churches m France are full of praying people. The congrega-r tions m many Churches m England are doubled. Special week-day Celebrations are held m a great number of Churches, daily Celebrations m others where they have not had 'them before. England is' a praying England. England is at prayer. It behoves us to look to ourselves. The war should affect us m this way : Let us pray. It has affected us m other ways. It has affected the offerings to the Melanesian Mission, as an urgent appeal which comes to us from* the General Secretary of the Melanesian Mission for New Zealand, which appears m the pages of this " Gazette " shows. This should not be so, nor need it be so. As a Diocese we are refraining from making special appeals, such as for the Marsiden Centenary, or the Home Missiion Fund,, because we recognise the claims of the war. But do not ■■ let the constructive work of the Church suffer m the Isles of Melanesia — any shortage 'there is very seriouswhile we are equipping men to destroy. Let us see that men are eauipped for the building up of the Church m these Isles of the Sea. I would urge you to respond to that appeal,

Once more, there is another danger. It concerns us near at home. I mean the work of the Bible-in-Schools' League. There is no doubt that this has been pressed out of our minds, and prayers, too, by this great Imperial Struggle. We were asked to suspend activi T ties when the war cloud first burst upon vs — but ..not our prayers. I hope that the prayer for " the Bible-in-Schools," sanctioned by the Bishops, will be continued to be said m all the Churches, and at home m family prayer. The position of the Bible-in-State Schools' League is this : It seems that the Referendum Bill is not to come up this Session. I believe that this has now been definitely stated. But. it will come up, and we have got to hold this fact before us at the forthcoming elections. It is not for the Church to •take part m politics, but the Church has a right to speak of the rights of the people ; and it is surely within the right of the people of New Zealand that they should have a Referendum upon that which is so momentous— the restoration of the Bible into our State Schools. Yours very sincerely m Christ, Wm. WALMSLEY WAIAPTJ.