ADDRESS TO GOVERNOR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2334, 16 December 1914, Page 7

ADDRESS TO GOVERNOR

BY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DEEP LOYALTY TO KING AND EMPIRE 'A' deputation representing the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church waited on His Excellency the Governor yesterday niorning to present a loyal address. ' The deputation consisted of the Revs. Dr. Gibb, J. K. Elliott, W. S. Comrie, the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, and Mr. J. M'Kerrow. Dr. Gibb, in presenting the address, stated that the Presbyterian Churdh had, according .to the census, 250,000 persons connected with it. It claimed the direct pastoral supervision of 134,000, and had 41,000 membors- in full communion. ' There were 325 ministers and, home missionaries, and 1273 churches and preaching-places. The income last year, apart from the large sums donated to the orphanages and colleges, was £167,226. Of this £72,000 had.been paid in stipends. .Foreign '. missions received ' £15,621, Maori .missions £1496, tome missions £4000. ' They had a large college in Dunedin, which was also the seat of their Theological Faculty. ' There were three high Bcho ( ols for girls and four orphanages witfi 450 children. Connected with the orphanages was a rescue work for boys in danger of a criminal career. . : As indicating the attitude of the church to the war and the deep loyalty to the Kiiig and Empire, Dr. Gibb read tho following resolution adopted by the General Assembly at its recent meeting in Dunedin:— . .. "This General Assembly of the Tres.byterian Churcih. of New Zealand, in keeping with the spirit and principle erf the Kingdom of God the Father, in His Son, Jesus Christ, the King of love and peace, rejects the. spirit of aggressive war as antagonistic to the Fatherhood of. God, and the teaching and mission of our Lord, who died as the Saviour of all mankind. The Assembly is profoundly thankful that the Empire entered upon the present war with the greatest reluctance and after exhausting the resources of diplomacy to prevent it; but: holds that in face of the 1 peril not only to the integrity of the Empire, but also to every ideal of national honour /and fidelity to treaty obligations, the Imperial Parliament could not have done otherwise than valiantly and unitedly resist the arrogant enoroaohment of a nation to whom treaties are but scraps of paver, and plighted.faith a thing of naught. The Assembly deplores that to i&e inevitable horrors of war there have been added by 'the German army so many excesses of lust and cruelty.' The merciless and wanton.devastation of human homes and slaughter of the civic population, the sweeping away of town, village, and precious works of art and .results of human industry is reprobated b/ the. Assembly with feelings of profound pity for the sufferers and of indignation against the perpetrators of this wickedness. 'The Assembly deplores that the countrymen of Luther, to whom the whole world owes so much in religion'and science, should seem to have cast down the principles of Christ and enthroned in their hearts the evil principle > that might is right. The Assembly protests against the spirit of aggression openly advocated in much of the modern literature of Germany, and regards the contempt of treaty obligations expressed by r the German Chancellor as rendering international relations of peace and brotherhood aa impossibility. The. Assembly commends 4j the compassion of God the multitude, both of "the . Allies and'their enemies, who have already suffered bereavement, the wounded and the maimed, the sick and the dying, and prays that He may be their refuge and strength in time of trouble. The Assembly, aB representing the Presbyterian people of New Zealand, expresses its profound loyalty to His Majesty the King, and rejoices in the wonderful expression, called forth by the war, of the love and' loyalty to the ancient throne of Britain," and of the readiness of the British people to sacrifice their possessions and'their Uves in defence of the Empire and of the rights of freedom and -fatherland against military despotFinally, _the Assembly prays that Almighty God in His great mercy, not only to us, but to our foemen , also, may ■ bring this war to a speedy close, and by'means of the agony and loss it is entailing so purify the' heart' and quicken the conscience of men and nations that war shall henceforward be impossible in civilised communities, and the way prepared-for the full and final establishment on earth of that Kingdom in which the supreme realities are the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man—;even the! kingdom which is righteousness and peace and joy in God's Holy Spirit." He then handed to the Governor the address which had been carried with respect to His Excellency. It expressed the_ Assembly's confident expectation that his sojourn in the Dominion would make for the- promotion of that righteousness which alone exalteth a nation, and so for the strengthening. of the Empire and the furtherance or its high destinies. -

His Excellency expressed his pleasure in meeting the deputation. He had taken, note of the facts stated concerning the strength and prosperity of the Presbyterian Church. It ivas a source of sincere pleasure to 'him that he had been'..so cordially welcomed by the churches of all. denominations, and he appreciated the address which had been presented to him. He would like if a copy of the Assembly's resolution regarding the war were also placed in hia It was well-known to him and, indeed, to most people that the British in 'tho Homeland were profoundly impressed and touched by the loyalty and enthusiasm of the British Overseas. It ,was hardly possible to over-emphasise the delight felt at Home at the part the Dominions were playing during the present titanic strife. Every assurance of the affection of fhe people and the churches of the_ Dominions for tiio Empire was prized in a wonderful way by the Home authorities. He would like, therefore, to have a copy of the resolution regarding tho war. It was arranged to have a copy prepared at once, and, having thanked His Excellency, the deputation withdrew.