THE CHURCH AND LABOUR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 510, 18 May 1909, Page 6

THE CHURCH AND LABOUR.

■ANOTHER REPLY',TO IEB. HSHER. (HI TBLEQEAPn.—EPBCIAL COKKESPOKDKtTr.I, . :, ■■■■' ~ Auckland, May Several pulpit references were niado in Auckbind on Sunday fe'tho Federal Premier's recent-statements concerning the attitude of the Church towards' Labour and social tions. The Moderator of tho Auckland Presbytery .'.(llcy".; A.V Macaulay:, Cald'well), stated that, he ; was surprised that; more thought and care', were not given in choosing speak-, ers for Assembly gatherings, there being so 'many men within tho Church who have studied the problems besotting human life and conduct, and have spent and are spending their strength in endeavouring to solve such problems, and are thereby capable of leading and giving advice. He hoped that the exhibition made by Mr. Fisher would be a lesson to {he Australian Churchand a warning to tho Ohurch in Now Zealand not to allow those who are outside the Church, and have apparently no sympathy with the Church, to criticise and abuse it from its' own, platforms. Mr. Fisher and'those assoOKiied with'him overlooked'the fact, that the Church of Christ in all lands was composed of all classes/and conditions of men, many of whom were in a practical way. interested in affairs legislative, -municipal, educationaJ, and-social, and that when any need arose it was tho members .of the Church'who rendered needed help and,donated most of the money required. Bio ■ conspicuona weakness of Mr. Fisher's criticism, said the speaker, f !ay in this, that ho did not specialise the: failure, but made a general assertion overlooking tho fact that abuse was no argumorit. Nothing delighted the true critic more than to bo able to specialise failure; to sot forth what should bo done, and to show how it should bo done. .Mr. Fisher stood' outside and said, "I will do nothing and tell you nothing, v but.you, tho Church, , ought to call at once a special session to take into account my weighty romarks, and, then if. you do , what pleases mo I will come along and give you my blessing." It was timo tho Churcln was done with such cant. What,was saddening, tho phuroh was -the failure of the 1 masses, to rise to their opportunities; :a failuro for which. not Churthes, not economics, but they themselves wcro responsible. .They woTO men and not children. . If tho.Church did not. help them, then let them establish, a' now arid bettor one. Mr. Caldwell went on to say that tho Church had laid horself open' to mnch of tho adverse criticisms by depart--ing from her sacred calling of-preaching, and living the Gospel, by soekin_g'to;meot;the.outsidor with w*hatever ho desiredj and not with what ho required, and.especially by providing., what was frequently • called a. ; Sunday sacred entertainment for tho .people. 'If the Church was to fulfil her mission and become, a power'for good ainongst men, sho- must got back to..Christ and learn-of Him."... i; , .■'.-