Human Dreams Break on Rock of Human Selfishness

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 59, 13 March 1944, Page 4

Human Dreams Break on Rock of Human Selfishness

CHALLENGE TO YOUTH “We are all standing on the threshold of j a new world, a new day in the world’s history,” said lit. ltcv. St. Barbe Holland, Bishop of Wellington, addressing a rally of Young Anglicans yesterday. ‘The future is still In a fog," the speaker continued, “and so much has happened—some cannot even remember a world not at war, but something eolossally new may come out of the war. 1 cannot help iceling contempt for young or old with no sense that we are living in the greatest ! moments of the human race. What will | count most is the way God’s human family turn their laces. These are creaj tive moments in the world’s history and j you and I cannot escape our responsibility. Standing on the threshold and looking into the foggy distance there is an inward urge to raise out of the ruins that better world. Our lives have been bought at the price of the love and devotion of the best in the world and cannot now be treated as something to traffic with. We know that wishful thinking, | enthusiasm, charters, or the finest planning won’t do the job of building a better j world because the one hug'C obstacle of j human nature is in the way. We have I not the will to plan a better world because so many human dreams break on the rock of human selfishness —the worst side of human nature spoiling the best in j man. There will be the temptation to go back to the things that were sapping the ! strength of the race, the horror and shame infiltrating the life of the young in 1 this country, when there should be a higher, nobler plane. Wo cannot pray for victory unless we are worthy of it. If wc want a new world we must become new men, and only God can do that," his Lordship stressed, “and that is the big idea behind the Young Anglican .Movement.” Speaking as an older man to youth, the Bishop said: “The only thing that makes life worth living Is having something infinitely bigger than self to live for—that is having God to live lor." A tremendous lot was going to bo demanded from the commandos, those splendid men living in close comradeship overseas, in unity of purpose and action, a Bishop Holland said. But that was just a leaf ouL of God’s book. His Commando Group of Hi men had been trained as tougli Christians, the strongest force in God’s great campaign to defeat the evils .. of mankind, it was the same to-day as then, Ho was out in the field leading the ’ troops in a great campaign for social !’ justice, economic freedom, etc. The 0 Young Anglican Movement was recruiting commandos all over New Zealand ; with a platoon in every parish, training ’ youth for Christian fellowship to go out , as a body of people bringing home to others what it means to be a Christian. )