MORAL STANDARDS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 19, 15 October 1937, Page 4

MORAL STANDARDS

^-Preis AsSpciation.)

4We Are On Trial, Not Christianity,, PRIMATE'S C0MMENI

(By Telegraph

AUCKLAND, Last night. "I cannot but believe that the pr#* sent attitude of England, shared, 1 hope, by the Commonwealth of Nations composing tho British Empire, is manif esting an ideal which must sooner or later have . a direct 'influence on the ideals of the world," said Archbishop Averill in opening the Auckland Anglican Synod this morning, Roferring to the Archbishop of Canterbury 's recall to religion on the occasion of the Coronation, Archbishop Averill said. that tbe first essentiaf was that those who called thcmselves Ohrfstians should face up to the qucstiQq oif their own witness. ."Christians must cease to apologise for their religion as if Christianity were on trial," declared the Archbishop. " We are on pur trial, not Christianity. . jt is tho duty of Christians to witness* boldly and fearlcssly to the truth about God and man as revealed by Jesls Chriat, who alone can speak with fearless authority." Referring to the need for a definite stand on the truth of God's moral law, Archbishop Averill said: "The Uovernment's repoft upon the prevalence of abortion calls for more than a condemnation of murder oi potentiai children — it demands a still nior 4 searching inquiry into the canse and effect and far more sympathetic attitude on the part of the Government to religious trajning pf children of this land. It is.undoubtedly the duty of the church to face most couragednsly the whole question of the/Toweripg of the moral standard and bear faithful witness to the Christian standard ; of purity among those who profess to believe in God and accept the authority and kingship of Christ."