METHODIST CHURCH

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 369, 25 February 1937, Page 5

METHODIST CHURCH

DEBATE ON WAR. N.Z. CONFERENCE Use of Force Upheld if Necessary. Press Association—Copyright. Auckland, Last Night. Wide divergence of opinion on defence and other aspects.' of war and peace was reflected in '.he discussions at the session of the New Zealand Methodist Conference to-day on the ultimate issue which arose out of a report by the public questions committee. The views of wEat was described as the extreme Christian pacifist section were revealed as h’eing held by a minority only. The conference adopted with few dissentients a proposal by the committee requesting the Government to repeal immediately the compulsory clauses of the Defence Act, but declined to pass a motion by a lay member condemning participation in war under any circumstances. An amendment upholding thg use of force if necessary for the presenvation of peace was carried by 109 votes to 47.

Motions submitted by the public questions committee were adopted stating that- “the conference having already emphatically declared that war is incompatible with the spirit of religion and inconsistent with the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ feels that a way must be found to bring under impartial survey the economic grievances and other inequalities out of which the anxieties' and fears of the nations grow and which account in large measure for the feart*l race in armaments.” .

The conference urged that ths League of Nations, acting in conjunction with those States not included In its membership, should convene at the earliest practicable date a world conference on these subjects, open to all States.

The conference expressed its grave ccncern at the universal movement toward rearmament, believing that such rearmament is provocative of war.