CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 133, 6 May 1940, Page 9

CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

APPEAL MERGED. NATIONAL PATRIOTIC FUND. At the request of the National Patriotic Fund Board and in the interests of economy, of unity and of presenting a united appeal to the public, the Church of England Military Affairs Committee announces that it has decided to merge its appeal in that of the National Patriotic Fund Board. In a statement read in churches in all parishes yesterday the committee, stated: “A request was made by the standing committee of the National Patriotic Council that the Military Affairs Committee should receive a deputation to go iuto. the question of the relation of the committee to the National Pa trio tic Fund Board. The deputation wa received by the Military Affairs. Com mittee on March 19 and explained it: desire that the Church of Englam merge its appeal in that of the Na tional Patriotic Fund Board, with tin assurance that' its interests would Ik adequately safeguarded. After so mi discussion, it was agreed to appoint : sub-committee to discuss possible term: of unification. “This sub-committce met on the same afternoon and decided in favour of unification if such conditions could be ob tained as would secure the identity oJ the Church of England within the framework of the Patriotic Fund, ant the maintenance of its spiritual work both at. home and abroad. “A conference between the sub-com-mittee and the representatives of the National Patriotic Fund Board tools place on the same day. It was found that these representatives were willing to assent to all points which the mili tary affairs representatives felt to be essential. “In support of the action of the Military Affairs Committee, it shoulc be explained: (I) That there has beer considerable misunderstanding of tin original decision of the Church oi England to ‘contract out- of the Government scheme. (2) That Church oi England people were being asked tc bear a double burden, as they fell their obligation to subscribe to publi< as well as to Church appeals. (3) Thai the prime object of the Church oi England in contracting out was tr secure the opportunity for spiritua ministrations which th"v feared mighi not be provided for under the ori<nna design of the National Patriotic Font Scheme. These have been very ade quatelv guaranteed, and the objects o: the Church of England thereby at tained.’’ APPEAL FOR SUPPORT. The Military Affairs Committee, including as it does all the bishops in the Province of New Zealand, in the interests of national unity lias unanimously agreed to this merger and therefore asks members of the Church of England to give their wholehearted support to the National Patriotic Fund and the Provincial Patriotic ■ Councils in their provinces, confident that their Church will he given every opportunity, both at home and overseas, through that fund to fulfil all her obligations to her sous now cut off from their homes and their Church in the service of their country. The secretary of the' committee (Mr A. S. Kempthorne) in a letter to vicars throughout the Dominion, states:—“Under the new arrangement the work of the Church of England with the fighting forces will continue as at present, both at home and overseas, but finance will be provided through the patriotic fund, though the huts and all equipment become the property of that board. In the matter of finance, it will be of interest to Church people to know that the sum collected since the war was declared will exceed £II,OOO, the greater portion of which has been expended on the erecting and furnishing of huts at Papakura, Trentham and Burnham, and other work for our forces, thus" leaving the old fund from the last war, amounting to £1865 15s Bd, intact. It will be seen, therefore, that Church people have liberally met their obligations to the troops, and the financial position of the Military Affairs Committee is in a very healthy state at the time of handing over to the National Patriotic Fund Board.”