A NEW SPIRIT.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1920, Page VII

A NEW SPIRIT.

APPEAL BY THE CHURCH. VALUE OF FELLOWSHIP, By Fiass A»sn—Copjrrifkt Received August 13, 8.5 p.m, London, August 12. The of Canterbury has issued an encyclical on behalf of the Lambeth Conference. He says: "The idea which dominated the conference, and one which is prevalent and potent throughout the world to-day, is the idea of fellowship. Four terrible years' loss of international fellowship emphasised its value, but the war, which broke one fellowship, created others, and nations became associated and alliances became cemented wjth tHeir blood. Thus to a world craving for fellowship we present our message.

''The Church must itself be a pattern of fellowship. Men began to think of a reunion of Christendom as an imperative necessity, and in the shadow of suffering the ancient Eastern Churches drew nearer to our own than ever before. All realised -that reunion was a most important subject, and it was entrusted to, the largest committee ever appointed in the Lambeth Conference, and the decision was reached by almost complete unanimity. "It is not by reducing groups of Christians to uniformity, but by rightly using their diversity, that the Churches can become all things to all men. We are convinced that .this ideal cannot be fulfilled if groups are content to remain separated, or joined.only in some vague federation. Their Value in Christian life can only be religion, and if they unite in one visible society, bound by ties of common faith, common sacrament, and common ministry, this vision points a way to reunion. The road may not be short, but we believe it to be sure." > The encyclical then urges an improvement of fellowship within the Anglican communion as the most direct method of preparing for reunion. The Church must frankly acknowledge that it has undervalued and neglected the work of women. It approves the revival of the order of deaconesses.

The encyclical, referring to spiritualism, Christian science, and theosophy, declares that their teachings injure spiritual life and endanger loyalty to Christ, but it recognises that these movements are largely reactions against materialism. There would be something wrong with the Church if it failed to afford refuge against materialism. Tfterc was much in Christian science which ought to be found within the ChuTch. Many distracted souls turned to spiritualism for help, not realising that the Church had abundant treasures to bring comfort and solace to a world confronted with an. internecine conflict between Capital and Labor. Each was aiming at exclusive supremacy, and such a supremacy was not consistent with the Christian ideal of fellowship. The encyclical urges men to rearrange their mutual relations, and to cease competing in a spirit of 'suspicion and hostility. It was Christian justice that all should Bhare equitably in the results of labor. The letter appeals for international fellowship, and commends the principles underlying the league of Nations.—Aus.-N-Z. Cable Assn. .

BASIS OF WORLD PEACE. VIEWS ON VARIOUsI TOPICS.

Beceived August 13, 8.50 p.m. London, August 12.

While the Lambeth Conference con- j ijidered it necessary that the United Church should have an episcopal form of government is inferred that it must he an episcopate without prelatical elements. The conference passed a resolution that the peace of the world, no less than the Christian principle, demands the admission of Germany and other nations into the League of Ndxions at the earliest moment. The conference recorded its protest against the color prejudice among tiie different races of the world, which hinders intercourse and gravely imperils the peace of the world. The Conference, in approving the creation of deaconesses, left, it optional whether candidates cared to pledge themselves to a life of celibacy. An opportunity should be given qualified women to speak in consecrated and unconsecrated buildings. Resolutions declared spiritualism as a cult which involved subordination of the intelligence and will to unknown forces, and to that extent it was an abdication of self control to which God called us. There was a direct tendency in Christian science to a pan-theistic doctrine, while a denial of the reality of disease a*d suffering was irTeconciiiable. The Bishop of Auckland Was a member of the Industrial Social Problems Committee. and he remarked as significant that there was no area in New Zealand in which prohibition had been carried by a three-fifths majority, which had reverted from its previous decision. The committee. declared that it was an offence to the conscience of the Christian community that men able and willing to work should be forced into idleness. It affirmed the principle of a living wage.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ~

UNITY OF CHURCHES. ATM OF LAMBETH CONFERENCE. London, August 12. The Lambeth Conference, which sat in private throughout, has now issued a voluminous report of the proceedings. It shows that 80 resolutions were adopted, dealing with religious and social problems. The most important embodied an appeal to all Christian people, dealing with the reunion of Christendom. The appeal, which was adopted practically unanimously, urges that Christianity should be manifested in united fellowship. It emphasises that the causes of division lie deep in the past, while the present calls to a new outlook and new measures and demands of a re-united Catholic Church. It visualises a church in which the divided heritage of the past would be possessed by the whole in common, and suggests that the basis of the United church would be the acceptance of the Holy Scriptures, the Nicene creed, the Baptish holy communion and a commonly acknowledged ministry. It Claims the episcopate as one means of providing such a ministry. The Lambeth Conference report earnestly appeals Mr the organic unity of Christendom and a complete re-united Catholic Church on a basis of the Scriptures and the Nicene Apostles' creed.