"That depends very much on what is meant by religion. There can be no question that there is a great falling off in the attendance at religious ordinances and in the hearing of religious sermons, not only in this country, but all round the world, as far as I have observed.... and I should think this refers to the different classes - not only working, but well-to-do people also. How far this implies a falling-off of the heart from God and godliness I am not prepared to say, but I am afraid it does tend seriously in that direction. Many people never seriously think of these subjects, and have never had any intelligent, definite belief to give up. This state of irreligion is more like indifference. Religion never having had any particular hold upon their hearts they have been drawn away by the political agitations, or by the strife after bettering their material condition.... When we come to causes I should say that much of the neglect of religious worship and services and profession results from the uncertainty of a great deal of the teaching of the day. You can hardly expect that a man will make the sacrifices and face the disagreeableness which the open acknowledgement of Christ would mean, and agree to the abandonment which would follow of things that are inconsistent with His service, while the preaching and literature of the section of the Church with which he has to do is all uncertainty about the great doctrines which he is asked to believe, and without which faith and religious life are impossible.” [War Cry (NZ), 21 January 1911, p.2]