CRUSADE AGAINST EVIL

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 291, 7 September 1942, Page 6

CRUSADE AGAINST EVIL

Archbishop’s Address DETERMINATION NEEDED

IN WAR EFFORT

Dominion Special Service.

AUCKLAND, Sept. 5.

“A victory for our enemies would mean tlie dethroning of God and His Church and the substitution of the most subtle and deadly paganism in their place,” said Archbishop Averill, speaking at St. Matthew’s. “It is, no uee shutting our eyes to unpleasant truths, for the very principles for which we are fighting—whether we realize it or not —are the gift of God to tlie world. Maybe there are many still who would appreciate this fact only if they found themselves deprived of those blessings.” Tlie task before the Allies was not merely the utter defeat of Germany, Italy and Japan, but the utter defeat of those spiritual powers of evil which were obsessing them. In this fourth year of war, the people needed a clear vision of what a world iu which God was dethroned and dishonoured would mean to mankind. Gospel of the Set Teeth. The war was a crusade —a tremendous conflict between Christian and heathen philosophies of life. “If we lose our vision, we perish,” said the Archbishop. “If we grow weary iu well-doing and faint at the magnitude of our task, we shall fail God and humanity and prove ourselves unworthy of the trust which God' has committed to us.”

Christianity was not the gospel of the bowed head, 'but of the set teeth, and the need was for everyone to go “all out.” It was necessary to face up to the full gravity of the situation, to cease to talk so constantly about the certainty of victory and the everincreasing supply of material and weapons. Will to Take Risks.

“If rio believe as we should believe,” the speaker continued, “that God has entrusted to us primarily the duty of trusteeship of the intrinsic rights of every individual to freedom of conscieilce, freedom of speech, and freedom of worship, then we have almost a superhuman task before us and one which requires the dedication of our whole being.” Archbishop Averill referred to a shipwreck off the eoast of New England when a call went out for the lifeboat. Among the crew was a young man who came to the skipper and said: “Sir, the wind is blowing off the shore and the tide is running out.” The skipper'said: “Launch the boat. We have to go out. We don’t have to come back.”

That, said ths speaker, was the spirit that was wanted—not the spirit of boasting or eoeksureness, but the spirit of quiet determination to do one’s duty at whatever cost.