ANGLICAN GENERAL SYNOD.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 May 1916, Page 3

ANGLICAN GENERAL SYNOD.

PRIMATE'S ADDRESS. WAR FRAUGHT WITH DIVINE PURPOSE. By Telegraph.—Press Christchurch, May 3. Tlie twentieth session of tlie General Synod of the Church of the IProvince of New. Zealand opened formally this afternoon. The Primate in his address said the most notable ecclesiastical events since they last assembled wort? the translation of Bishop Averill to t!il> See of Auckland and tlie election, orisecration and induction of the Rev. W. W. Sedgwick, Christchureh, as Bishop of Waiapu. In the secular history of the past three years the outstanding event was the occurrence of an unprecedented war, largely absorbing general attention by its effects on every relationship in life. The origin, conduct and probable isMie of the war had been so long tht subject of debate and literal,y vonimcnt as to render further discussion needless, nor did it fall altogether within the province of the Church. All history taught that the political condition of nations formed cither the Church's opportunity or its difficulty. He was sure at this moment tlie mighty motion pulsating through the Church at large only convinced her that' the war was no mere accident of human passion; it is fraught with Divine purpose and must mean in its outcome an advancement of the highest interests of mankind and the progress of the Kingdom of God.- One outcome of the universal commotio,i Uiey might be sure of was the unification oi the Empire. Already it had considerably advanced in unity ot aetion ; spontaneous and complete,' throughout dominions widely separated, 'affording very striking proof of the existence of a deepseated unity of sentiment, perhaps before partly recognised. It might be expected that this unmistakable manifestation of feeling would bea.r fruit of political, economic and social importance, and have an influence upon religious life. As an illustration of the unifying effeci of a common danger a few months ago there seemed little prospect of averting civil war between varying elements of the population of Ireland; but the trumpet call of a common danger awakened a common sentiment. The Ulster man and his fellow-countrymen of tlie south-west had cheerfully endured together tlie miseries of the same trench and dashed together with equal zeal against the common foe. "When the war is over will the weapons gloriously used against the King's enemy be turned against each other? I refuse to believe it. notwithstanding tlie outbreak of a seditious organisation instigated by our enemies. I believe the horrors shared together will provq that no war was entered upon for a motive less holy; that it was for selfdefence and the protection of the weak, and to punish tiie perpetrators of a crime against humanity." ]