A BISHOP’S SERMON

Hokitika Guardian, 23 February 1931, Page 5

A BISHOP’S SERMON

REPUDIATION DENOUNCED. NEED FOR CHURCH ACTION. Australian Press Association.) (Received 10.20 a.in.) SYDNEY, February 23. In a Lenten Uastuiai, 'jisiuivil at Baiiiitrst Cathedral, bishop grotty denounced the repudiation proposals and hinted that the cliuicii mils,. soon enter detii.Tely into poliliis to save democracy lroiii the de.-lruri.inn ilnealeiiiug it. Preaching on me text

“Uliere there is no \ision people parish,” Bishop Grotty said an r.nglish preacher recently placed first and last, mo. lein deadly Mils, the cun oi politicsdivorced from principles, thereby putting a linger on the primary cause of our gathering chaos and increasing the poison in Australian public life. When a private individual toreswore ciems or lawful übiigalions, it was a policy without principle, and we were shocked—or used to lie, and when a nation or its chosen representative made the same infamous proposal, trie same moral poison was at work. Ibe policy had -slain principle, and the moral murder was callous and complete. There was not far to seek for a feasoh. Moral principles had been pulled tip from their roots in God. The acids of modernity bad dissolved the ancients faiths. Principle was frankly disavowed in public life to-day and thereby the doom of democracy was sealed. The community looked to tlio church for a bold Chritian nonparty lead, which could be given in the church’s vision, clear and with voice united.

'The church might assert the principle of fellowship as vital to industry. Tiler ewas no such thing as unorclered liberty. The church stood for equality of human nature, unity human like and sacredness of attempts to secure a just order by Governments. I lie moment governments became obsessed by economic issues and exploited by men both ignorant and unscrupulous they ceased striving for snrli order. Then the man who rose up to challenge them in the name of freedom was not a rebel, but a saint. Meanwhile it was useless for vested intersets or noisy demagogues to attempt to silence Christian leaders in their public work. They were in the positio mvhere it was demanded of them that they should speak the truth.