WAR AND CHRISTIANITY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14986, 5 June 1914, Page 8

WAR AND CHRISTIANITY.

TO THE EDITOa OF "THE VMUSS." Sir, — Had your correspondent, "Quite Ciuar," ailosved himself to do a little more thinking and a little smiling, he might eventually have woke uy to die {act that there was nothing in my previous letter to lead a sensible person to believe that we do not all deplore war, or that the Israelites were not a warlike nation. As to God commanding war, if my clear-headed friend would read his Old Testament, lie would have found that it was the priests of that day who simply said: "Thus said the. Lord." Nowadays the parsons do and say the same, only they modernise by talking of duty to "God and your country." ."Quite Clear" goes on to say that true patriotism . . . has ever been

the defeuce of the soil or the interests of one's country. He evidently forgets that when defending our soil or interests, we are defending them from men who are coining to take them, not because they think it is right to do so, bnt simply because they have been told to do so, and, being true patriots and good soldiers, they obey. As to his remarks regarding peace anti-militarists, etc., I think I can do no better than let them speak for themselves. "Quite Clear" can rest assured that the parsons will continue to be attacked as long as they preach peace and love, and yet "smooge" to the war and hate crowd. Of course, that's not hypocrisy. Oh. no! —Yours, etc., TRULY PERPLEXED. THE SAVING OF LIFE AT SEA. TO THK EDITOR OT "THI PBESS. ,, Sir, —You were good enough on March 11th of this year to insert a letter from mc upon the above matter, and in which I stated that there was a lifebelt inveuted by a Xew Zealander, Mr. Moore, of Christchurch. I was informed that it had passed all the necessary requirements of the English-

Board of Trade. Since then, I. believe, it has passed the Governments of Germany and France, and Mr. Moore is mow, or h?s been, negotiating with the American Government "for its adoption. I cannot understand the delay which har taken place as to the adoption of a life-jacket, which will inevitably relieve to a great extent these unparalleled loss?! 3in the history of our marine reco-ds. As a layman I would suggest that in the future, when this jacket is accepted 'universally, it sbouH be p'acinl in every cp.bin upon every ship sailing at sea, for, according to the present method, I am told the lifebelts are so inaccessible thnt pa*senjrer? as a rule know little of their Tvhore- •" bouts. T am informe:! that our Hi ill Commifsioner, the Honourable Mr. Mackenzie, has taken a very deep interest, find has associated himself per«wiallv in promotin.fr t'-e adoption of Mr. Mocire's life-jacket, and if it becomes universal will it not jHd Imircl to the inventions which onr little •--•)!n'iy has produced in the past.— Yours, etc., JOHN CHAS. JONES. Christchurch, June 3.