THE CLERGY AND THE WAR

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 27 February 1917, Page 5

THE CLERGY AND THE WAR

"The desire of some people that the clergy should be called up for military service seems to me to be a sign of spiritual flabbiness" said Dr. Averill, Anglican Bishop of Auckland, iii the course of a sermon at St. Mary's Cathedra. "No men are more ready to fight for their country than the clergy," he continued. "I do not suppose there is a clergyman in this diocese who has not asked me for leave to go and fight, though it is contrary to the law of the Church. Do you know that there is a prospect that we shall have to close some of our churches, and that religious ministrations will be reduced, and this in face of fae testimony of Lord Roberts that there is no more vital need than religion in times like these? If I am drawn in the ballot I shall go gladly, but I believe that the maintainence of religion is vital." Earlier in his address the Bishop quoted Lloyd George's appeal to the B'ritish people to place all their powers and their desires upon a national altar, consecrated by the blood of thousands of heroes. Too much attention, he said, was being paid to surface problems, and to the provision of surface remedies, and there was scarcely any attempt to the root of the matter. God longed to bring the war to an end, but man was not ready for it. "If you want to be an asset to your country," he added, "develop the religious instinct within you."