ANGLICAN GENERAL SYNOD

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2762, 4 May 1916, Page 6

ANGLICAN GENERAL SYNOD

I - < THE PRIMATE'S ADDRESS. [ By jrelegraph—Press Association. ■ , Christchurch,' May 3. t r- The General. Synod of the Church of 1 Province- of New Zealand was open- • i-zA , . this afternoon. The Primate i l ' : (JBisliop" Nevill), in his address, said: "The most not-able ecclesiastical ovents \i 'fiince they' last assembled wore the Jranslatidn of Bishop Averill to the See ! ■ or Auckland and tho election, consecrate ,tion, and induction of the Rev. W. AV. ;>'■ Sidgwick, formerly; Vie'ar of St. Luke's, ChristchurcH, as Bishop of Waiapu. In the: secular history, of'.the past three i" J years the outstanding event is the <•©• 0 cui'retfce of;;an;» ■- unprecedented war |:;r\which largely'; absorbs attention, and &)' affects every relationship of life. The [.v- origin, conduct, and ' .probable issue of tl't the war has .so lorig'becn the subject of '■ 'debate and literary, comriient that furji'Vther discussion is needless, nor does it 1 , tall altogether within, the province of r v Clnirch. -V All history teaches that & .the political condition of nations forms ■1} tither; the-Church's opportunity or diffi--tulty.' <J This moment- of mighty crabra tion pulsating . through tlie- Church at large-only-convinces her that, war is h "no mere,-accident of human- passion, !% out is fraught with Divine purpose. It

must/mean in the outcomc tlio advanoe- • • raent of the highest interest of man1/ l;icd and the progress of tho Kingdom' u ot God. The moral,and psychological L,! outcome: of this universal commotion ; - Way be the more sure unification of the f ; -': Empire,.: already considerably, advanced. 'X 'Unity: of action, spontaneous and conii-': plet'e,- throughout .Dominions ..-widely O separated, alfords a. v.ery striking proof 5. pf '.tho c'xistcncc of deep-seated unity of ,'T sentiriient, 'perhaps before partly rej! r : cognised. It - may be • expected: ttiat it, this unmistakable, manifestation of fc. feeling will hear fruit of political, economic,'and'social importance,, and havo i ; ,: tin-influence iipon the religions life. A If, few :nionths ago 'there seemed little pros-j'-V Jiect of averting civil war between tho f. varying elements in the population of Ireland, but the trumpet call of a. ■: common danger awakened a common ;;V'sentiment-. The Ulster man and his fellow-countryman in the south-west dashed together with equal zeal against • the common foe. AVhen the war was (over would the. weapons gloriously used ;? against the King's enemies be'turned ' Bgainst each other? lie refused to bo- ' Jieve it, notwithstanding the outbreak of., a .seditious organisation instigated hv our enemies. A war entered upon i- with.-a motive less holy than solf-de- ?■ fence and tho protection of the weak would be a crime against humanity."