CHURCH AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2935, 22 November 1916, Page 3

CHURCH AND WAR

WORKING UNDER DIFFICULTIES. "A very serious question is likuj to emerge in the course of the next lew'munins," reports tut) Home missions Committee to tue l-'iesbytenan Lieuerat Assembly. "The service Act wm doubtless reaun out iu not a lew of our uuuiamctl agents; ana, unless a£jpearanees are misleuumg, it is only tuo likely tiiut tne lot will .outore long lull on innmed agents tuoo. Xne queotiun is this: bhoilld tile cuuijhittee, in either ease, approach tne District Bourns to plead, un tile ground oi necessary work, tlio exemption of tliese men irom military (Service? This is a problem not.' only lor tue Home Missions Committee, but tor I'l'usbyteries as well. A guou many of our ministers of military age are practically certain to be chosen lor service, is -every sucli man to determine lor himself tue question of wlietner lie will seek exemption or not? lour committee are of opinion tuat if tiny intervenrion is to bo attempted, it ougnc to be, in tlie case of honie missionaries, made by tne committee, aud iu the caoo of ministers by the Presbyteries. The question is: bhould any effort of this kiud be made at all? \Ve need not enter here into a statement of the prus and cons, but the Assembly snould clearly face tuo iacts, and deciue what course snould be followed. Uur agents are going to the front; many of our theological students, and university. - students looking lonvard to the ministry, have either are going in large numbers, 'i'luj-ihajjlains ac the front and in tlu NeO./.lseaiimd camps account lor 12 cliurge&jjiow without pastors (10 vacant, t fiJSough), and four of our licentiates are a.so serving us chaplains. Three of our ministers and licentiates are in the firing-line as privates or officers. Add to this the men who will yet volunteer and those on whom the Conscription Act will fall, aud the situation becomes manifest in its grave seriousness. We have made some calculations, and to the best of our judgment, when March next comes, even if not another man should join tho military forces, the vacancies in Home Mission stations and charges will be between GO and 70. "The situation is, indeed, profoundly serious. There are ten thousand reasons why the Churcli and every believing man and woman should, in these sad days, be incessant in supplication to Almighty God to have mercy upon the world and bring this horror to an end. Here is one reason more. Always undermanned, it looks as if the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand is going to be almost fatally handicAPjperfor many a day to come. Yet it must not be forgotten that the disability which the Church is experiencing- in its own sphere is only the disability which'the people are facing in every sphere. "One thing we can do in this emergency. We ought to call upon retired ministers, office-bearers, and others, who have some gift of preaching, to aid the Church in this emergency. As far as possible vacant charges and stations should be kept going by voluntary help. The Homo Mission Committee will be "rateful to office-bearers and members of our Church, who are able and willing to conduct services on Sundays, if such will kindly send in their names. Presbyteries would look into this matter and assist the committee by _ putting it in touch with suitable-men." \ ■ *