DAY OF INTERCESSION

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16750, 4 January 1915, Page 6

DAY OF INTERCESSION

If the "day of intercession" hold in Christian churches throughout the Empire yesterday had no other effect than to rivet on to the public mind the grim seriousness of the war, it wore not held in vain. Thore is something, unquestionably, in Bishop Julius's suggestion that many of us fail to realise the significance and the immensity of tho war. The Bishop attributes this to lack of imagination, which may be correct to some extent, but the struggle is really of such magnitude that it defies the imagination. At, the same time, wo fully agree that a considerable section of the community has quite failed in its estimate of the situation. There exists a quiet confidence in tho strength of Britain and her Allies which it is well to see, but thero is no ground for lighthearted optimism. We are all concerned in fighting the most powerful as well as the most unscrupulous foe that we could possibly have encountered, and the trouble wiH> beyond a doubt, tax our resources and our courage beyond any test they have endured. Because cannon are not booming and shells flying over our city of Christchurch is merely a geographical accident—these dreadful things are daily and nightly occurrences in the lands where our kinsmen and our own men are battling and Uiey have taken place among tho peace-loving citizens of England. Jjet us all endeavour to recognise that we are engaged in a grim and terrible war. Lot us realise the responsibilities, though we may be spared the worst horrors of this welter of blood and carnage; and realising, who will not join in the spirit breathed yesterday in many thousands of British churches, a spirit of humble intercession not only for the success of the Allies, but also for a better and happier time to follow the sheathing of the sword ? And that is a reasonable thing to hope for. The war is certainly nono of Britain's seeking. It was forced upon us by an impudent and arrogant foe, and we should have been craven had we shirked the call of duty and honour. But it has been well said that this is "a war against war." The position is that the more civilised nations—and Russia and Japan have proved themselves immeasurably superior to Germany in civilisation—have taken up the challenge of militarism run amok; and there can bo no peace or progress, no prosperity or safety, for any country in tho world, until the military "road-hog of Europe" has been crushed. The enemy has no scruples, but he has a giant's strength, which it will be the wildest folly for us to forget or to under-estimate.