The Sun. 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1928 A PLEA FOR UNITY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 518, 22 November 1928, Page 8

The Sun. 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1928 A PLEA FOR UNITY

SEE liow these Christians hate one another!” Though expression was not given to it, that jagged, non-Christian jibe at the universal Christian Church may have been moving in the deep recesses of the Moderator’s mind last evening' when the Right Reverend Professor Hewitson, at St. David’s Church, before a keen Auckland congregation, marked his inaugural address as the welcome leader of the Dominion Presbyterian Assembly—or, to be topical without contaminating the church with politics, as the new Prime Minister of the Presbyterian Parliament of New Zealand- —with an earnest plea for Christian unity. The Master of Knox College, Dunedin, where his work as a teacher and wise moulder of character is on the same high plane as his former service as a robust preacher, did not limit his appeal merely to ail exercise of faitli in tlie ultimate triumph of idealism, but' urged its practice and development on the widest possible range of practical effort. As one who must, in daily experience in the intellectual field, survey the ways of the world and note the tendencies toward straying from the firm, if relatively hard, road of true Christianity, Professor Hewitson realises the need of more active unity in everything that touches and concerns most vitally the moral fibre and spiritual life of nations. The Moderator’s theme was the fact of diversity in the progressive service of the church, and he had no difficulty in demonstrating clearly that many of the diversities were in no sense those serious differences which superficial or sceptical observers, as well as the heathen, so-called, interpret too easily in error as the clash of hatred among Christians. It is perhaps true that Professor Hewitson, yielding to the temptation that besets scholars in spiritual wisdom, academically took the long way round the wide field he surveyed, but when be did cut across to the centre, there Avas no doubt at all about its being the exact centre and the very core of universal striving for something better now, for the best some time. And that, of* course, simply means that the ivorld’s greatest need to-day is an honest practice of unity for the highest causes, for the triumph of things spiritualover the curse of too popular materialism. Much of the diversity of operations in the Moderator’s own church Avas slioAvn to be nothing else than the outward and visible signs of progress and administrative groAvth, though here and there, possibly, more eager than territorially necessary, but still progress Avithout any disturbing diversity of purpose. There is the echo of regret in Professor Hewitson’s reminder that it Avas not necessary to go abroad for instances of a multiplicity of churches, “sparsely attended and feebly manned” in many villages where there is room for only one church. It is more inspiriting and more hopeful to turn from the Aveaknesses of diversity to the strength of such differences. All are striving for the ideal, and Avliere the idealists come nearest to one another in effort the Avill for greater co-operation, for unity and ultimate union grows stronger in the promise of achievement. One message of the eloquent Moderator of the Presbyterian Assembly is applicable to every movement tOAvard universal peace and tolerant brotherhood, affecting alike the problems of war and politics. “The peace of every assembly, ecclesiastical as Avell as political, is disturbed by men Avho aspire to bold the reins, Avhereas their Creator said most audibly when He made them, ‘Noav go behind and push.’ ” The world has been stricken Avith feuds in recent years, and Avill not regain full vitality unless and until it banishes the fretting causes of discord and disruption, and fights only against sin, the Avorld and the fjesh.

ANOTHER QUEER TRADE

WORTHY candidates for membership in Chesterton’s “Club of Queer Trades” are the enterprising incendiarists Avho, according to revelations made in last eA’ening’s Sun, are pursuing the mischievous business of taking well-insured cars off the hands of their penurious owners, burning the said vehicles, and then lying loav Avhile the owners collect the insurance money; all for a consideration Avhieh is no doubt commensurate Avith the risks and hardships of the hazardous business. Setting aside tlie slight element of adventure and romance Avlticlt people may be inclined to associate Avith this means of gaining a livelihood, and getting down to its sordid foundations and basic unscrupulousness, Ave cannot judge this neAv profession, fostered in our midst, to bo a groAvtli of Avhieh the city may be proud. First of all, takes advantage of the intrinsic disabilities faced by those extending tlie benefits of insurance to the carOAvner. The motor-car is a notoriously easy object to steal, and the difficulty of tracing complicity betAveen the owner and his hired rogues —excluding the genuine cases, of course, in Avliieli the motorist is left fumbling unhappily for his tram fare — is obvious. The practice cannot but react unfavourably upon the body of motorists avlio insure simply from motives of common prudence. By spreading tlie dangerous doctrine that the insurance companies are fair game for the shreAvd and shiftless, it strikes at the heart of commercial morality among the people; and it may help to breed among the rising- generation a neAv and dangerous class of car-thieA*es and fire-raisers. The disclosures made yesterday are supported by the considered judgment of responsible authorities. It is impossible to ignore the warning. lloav the gangs and those reckless enough to employ them are to be combated Avill not easily be discovered. It will always be difficult to distinguish the genuine from the fraudulent, the case of real hardship from the brazen deception. Popular sentiment and publicity Avill help more than anything. Ultimately it may become unfashionable to lniA-e one’s car stolen and burned.