CHRISTIAN DUTY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 154, 25 March 1939, Page 9

CHRISTIAN DUTY

Defence Of Country ATTITUDE OF CHURCH Dominion Special Service. CHRISTCHURCH, March 24. It was the duty of those who were able to tight for the defence of their country, said Archdeacon H. W. Monaghan in answer to a question put to him at a service at the Anglican Cathedral in connexion with the Forward Movement in the Christchurch DioThe question was: “As a returned soldier I am. being pressed to offer my services for defence purposes. As a Christian man, what should be my attitude?” “If I were in your position,” replied Archdeacon Monaghan, “I would offer my services for defence purposes; but if you thought otherwise ami for conscientious reasons refused to offer them, I should not condemn you. This may sound rather a quibble, but it is not intended to be so. War, with its horrors of death and destruction, cannot be the will of God, and is contrary to the spirit of Jesus Christ. Christian men should do all in their power to prevent it.

“But the history of the last 10 years has proved beyond ail doubt that to leave our own country defenceless is not the way to prevent war. I believe that God has a destiny for the British people to fulfil. I believe that if the British nation went under the cause of the Kingdom of God would suffer a great setback on earth. Sad though it is to see Britain rearming, I cannot see that there is any alternative.

“Now we Christian people are not a community apart. For good or ill we have taken our place in the British Commonwealth. We receive many privileges as members of the community, and therefore I consider it a duty to help to defend that community against destruction. So I consider that the words of the Thirty-Seventh Article of Religion are still common sense: ‘lt is lawful for Christian men, at the command of the magistrate, to wear weapons and serve in the wars.’ ”

VICAR’S ATTITUDE TO WAR Refusal To Take Up Arms By Telegraph—Press Association. HAMILTON, March 24. “I refuse to take up arms against a man of any other nation with whom I have no quarrel and do dirty work for someone else who will gain by it. I prefer a firing squad. That was my attitude in 1914, and it has not changed in 25 years.” This definite stand on his attitude to war was taken by the Rev. C. W. Chandler, vicar of St. Andrew’s Church, Cambridge, at a public meeting in Hamilton last evening, at which the question, “You and Your Attitude to a Future War” was discussed.

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