THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF NEW ZEALAND
Sir,-I am sorry indeed that my friend Herbert Newell, ere his departure, should sound so pessimistic a note on the life of the spirit in New Zealand, especially as I think he is wrong. Every public teacher knows the mood in which he sadly and perhaps even resentfully says: "I have piped and ye have not danced," and gets annoyed. In such case, however, the first ‘question the prophet should ask is surely: "What was wrong with my piping?" Watching as a Quaker somewhat from the outskirts of the Christian Church, I have felt that in recent years Barthian-ism-to sum up a trend in one wordhas had a bad effect on many estimable Christians, in clouding their view of "the glory of God" and the "wonders of His Grace" to use rather hackneyed terms,
but expressive all the same. And I think Herbert Newell errs in rather too easily labelling people "cynical humanists," which can so. réadily be generalised. Many of us humanists-so-called, but we do not mind the name-are by no means cynical, nor are the cynical all humanists. I seem to see a trace even in Herbert Newell himself. The use of labels so easily limits the power of God who still moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform. As I wander round New Zealand I daily see these wonders, both inside and outside of the Church in the very healthy life of this Dominion. The Life of the Spirit is. very real in this "God’s own country." May I in conclusion offer to Herbert. Newell-if he should perchance see it-the well-known urge of George Fox to "walk cheerfuily over the earth, answering that of God in every man."
JOHN
JOHNSON
(Northland, —
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19470328.2.15.10
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 16, Issue 405, 28 March 1947, Page 12
Word count
Tapeke kupu
292THE SPIRITUAL STATE OF NEW ZEALAND New Zealand Listener, Volume 16, Issue 405, 28 March 1947, Page 12
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in