CHRISTCHURCH MINISTERS.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 27, 8 September 1911, Page 17

CHRISTCHURCH MINISTERS.

Sir, —I was very pleased to see that the Christ-church ministers are opposed to the compulsory military training scheme. I think that every clergyman who believes in the religion he teaches . ought to be opposed to"it, whether he thinks there is fear of an invasion or not. For are not Christ's teachings to the effect that we should put our trust in "Him rather than the things of this earth, such as mighty navies or j huge armies. A nation that puts its faith in costly Dreadnoughts an<3 so on, rather than, in a Higher Power, may find out sooner or later, as other nations have done, that "He seattereth the proud in the imagination of the heart," and that "He humbleth those of high degree. " It was not force, of arms that defeated the aim of the ■Spaoiisli Armada, but ari act of God. Christ was aai anti-militarist, for He said, "Love all men," and nobody could be so foolish as to imagine that one could love a man and shoot or bayonet him at the same time. The person that Christ would have regarded as a hero or patriot is not so much the on© that would be ready to shoot down a fellow creature either in defence or offence, but rather the on© whowould risk his life to go to the rescue of someone in danger of drowning, or to save people from a burning building or some other danger.—l am, etc., Well. C.W.