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Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 3, 28 September 1921, Page 5

Dr. Averill, Anglican Bishop of Auckland, in tho course of a sermon at fit. Matthew’s Church, condemned recent divcrco legislation, in New Zealand, and emphasised the need of more religious influence in the Legislature. The church, he contended, must he prepared in tho future to bo more than n silent witness. There was. he said, a danger of allowing tho world’!? influence to he more frit in the Legislature than that, of the Christian churches. Deferring to the divorce laws, Dr. Averill said: “Surely if the voice of the men nnd women hnd Ix-eiv raised sufficiently loudly the Statute Book of the New Zealand Parliament would not have been disgraced with an amendment to the marriage law. w'hich now permits any man. whatever his mode of life and conduct, to bring on action for divorce against an innocent woman whom he hap compelled to separate from him on account of his viciousncss, and to obtain a divorce after three years’ separation at the discretion of the Judge. The church’s conscience can never allow siich a law to remain on the Statute Book. The Christian was never intended to be passive, but revolutionary, and when Christ is dethroned, a.nd tile goddess of liberty and license set up in his place, it is time Christian men and wonr-n realised they are a bodyguard of Christ, and must not, like the frightened apostles, forsake Him, and flee when the enemy is nt hand."