THE CHURCH AND SOCIAL EVILS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 92, 14 May 1909, Page 2

THE CHURCH AND SOCIAL EVILS

FEDJiKAL PJiK.UIEK'S M'KKC'il CUJTJCISJCJ. • By Telegraph.-—Press Association. Dunedin, Last Night. The leading lights of the various churches were seen this morning by a Star reporter with rclVrencc lo the statement made on .Sunday by tiic* Fcueral Prime -Minister (Mr. Fis'liei). The Primate (Dr. .Neville) said that had the Commonwealth Premier consulted ih 0 Anglican Church year book he would have seen not only a long list of institutions .for grappling with social probi Jems, but also lie might have discovered that last year alone the Anglican Churcn I raised over eight millions by voluntary contributions for educational and bene-

•oleut ipurposes, a large proportion ot vhich went towards remedying social ;vils. The Dunedin diocese, though »

>oor one, supports both clergy and wouen workers exclusively to visit the

hospitals and gaols and grapple with social evils.

The ltev. P. W, Faircfough (Muthocnst) | thinks the Presbyterian Assembly owes 1 an apology to the churches for giving 1 Mr. Fisher a platform from which to deliver his canting nonsense. Men of his kidney are known to be as much agains 1 the church as they are against tiie Empire. He considers there is more cant

to the square iiich in Labor talk about the*churches than any other department.' The church was not organised for political purposes, and could not lead in -social questions in the way the Labor Party conceive without being poijucal; but the church can and docs cultivate pure life and humane iceiiiigs arm nym■pathies. These are the true source of all social reforms. The churches are not at all likely to be dragooned into subserviency by stupid abuse poured on them by Fishers and Tilletts and the like.

Dr. Waddell, of St. Andrew's Church, 1 admits that the Church ought never to; have allowed a too active Government to look after her poor and destitute children, but his experience of all social questions is that political and social legislation falls to the ground unless backed up by religious reform of individuals. The Church is a dynamic force at the back of the State.