THE PROPOSED LEAGUE OF NATIONS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 63, 9 December 1918, Page 4

THE PROPOSED LEAGUE OF NATIONS

VIEWS OF BISHOP SPROTT. The proposal to establish a Lengue of Nations to enforce peace was referred to by the Anglican Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Sprott) in his sermon nt St. Paul's Pro-CaLhcdral yesterday morning. He said (lie formation of a League of Nations would be an important step towards the realisation of the idea of the Kingdom of God, which found expression in the words of the Lord's Prayer, "Thy kingdom come." v T'he Bishop went on to say that ho was doubtful whether the Pence Conference would bring into being a league, such us that suggested by President Wilson. If tho President's proposal should be accepted, the nations would have to make great sacrifices, and tho British Empire would probably have, to make the greatest. The nations would have to modify very considerably tho present conception 6f national sovereh'nty. The permanence and success of the ieague would largely depend upon the moralisation and spiritualisation of public opinion throughout tho world. The Bishop said he had not noticed in Ins reading any clear statement by a responsible statesman laying down, as the basis of (lie new order of things,.sonic great foundation principle commending itself to the reason and conscience of the nations. He may have missed some utterance of this character, but so far as he had seen the desire for a League of Nations was generally based upon the painful feelings caused by the horrors of tho present war. We all felt that there must be no more war. The present generation would do almost anything to avoid another struggle. But the collective memorv, like the individual memory, was apt to forget quickly unpleasant things and to remember only what was agreeable. In the course of time the horrors of the present war would bo largely forgotten, and only its heroism, its glory, and its gains would be remembered. Another generation might- not bo so averse from war as we were. A League of Nations must bo based upon some surer foundation than a desire to avoid the horrors of war. It must be founded upon 'fundamental moral principles which would command the allegiance of the civilised world. The idea of the Kingdom of God supplied the required moral foundations for the league. The Kingdom of God meant the unity, of mankind based upon the fatherhood of God, one destiny for all men, and one task to be done in co-operation with God—the establishment of the Kinadom of God. The Bishop said so far as he had noticed no responsible statesman had given us the reason why a League of Nations should be formed, the desire to fulfit the purpose of God and to do His will. They ought to pray for the Peace Conference, and slionW-nccept thankfully whatever it might be able to accomplish in the way of international agreement as a step towards the realisation of the idea of the Kingdom of God. Be hoped that a real advance in this direction would be made. Statesmen would take part in the deliberations of the Peace Conference who recognised in their hearts the sovereignty of God. Let them have the courage to openly acknowledge it,