The Dominion. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1911. A NEW TYRANNY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1054, 17 February 1911, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1911. A NEW TYRANNY.

At one of tho gatherings held at Dunedin last week in connection with tho annual meeting of the Cbngregational Union of New Zealand, the Rev. I. SaroinSon read a very able, interesting, and timely paper on "Tho Function of the Church, ■" a summary of which appeared in yesterday's' Dominion. His words should certainly havo a steadying effect upon the somewhat hysterical movement which exists more or less among the clergy of all religious denominations in tho direction of committing the Church to latest fashions as regards political and social reform. Instead of taking up an impartial and independent attitude, fearlessly' rebuking wrong-doing on tho part of master or workman, and holding up a high ideal for cach, somo Christian ministers are jat times perilously near to becoming mere' demagogues, flattering the. workingman and overlooking his _ shortcomings,, whilo loudly endorsing tho wildest attacks upon tho capitalist. The following extract from Me. Saeoinson's paper puts the position in words that aro well worth very serious consideration at tho present time:— .

\o doubt great is democracy, with its majorities aud its high hopes; but it ■should bo taught that Jesus Christ is no poor suppliant for its patronage. Ho claims its obedicncc as the supremo arbiter between man and man. lt'the Church would bo faithful to its Lord it must at least try to snvo democracy from itself by insistence upon those great spiritual laws and principles which abido tor ever, and operate whatever'movement may be'in tho ascendant. Democracy needs to bo reminded .'that niojority votes nro no criterion of righteousness and truth, that no question' can bo regarded as ■ settled ujitil it 4 is. settled right;-and • that no question affecting tho relations of men can bo settled right until ,it is settled by Jesus Christ—i.e., settled by love, from within, and without compulsion. Tho .fact is, ii new tyranny is upon us, and tho Church is as afraid'of it as is the' average member of Parliament, and deals With it in much the samo way..

Mri! Sarqinßon goes on to point out very, finely thai; if all the: social and economic programmes from, ...which tho democracy expects so much were realised .. tho thing of supreme _valuo would-still bo. human personalityand.it is of the. greatest importnnccUhat in these days, .when so many checks, arc being placcd on tho free activities of. human life 1 , that tho Church should witness to the reality and freedom of the spirit. They aro the real friends, of tho democracy who, like Mr. Sahoinson, aro bravo enough to speak tho. full truth, even when it is unpleasant, and warn tho . people- of _ dangers ahead. .Such.men deserve, if,they do not always rcccivc, tho best thanks of tho community. Many' good men who know hotter aro -inclined to ask' why should they make themselves disagrecablo and unpopular, when it it sq much easier to tako the lino of least resistance, and either hold their pcaco or prophesy smooth things. It wants no great courage . nowadays to declaim against people'.'in high nlaces, hut it does want a,- morally bravo man to tell' the unvarnished' truth to the all-powerful democracy.' Tho world has never, been more in need of prophots than it is to-day. It was not tho duty of the prophet of old to swim with tho current of public opinion, but, as a modern authority "tells us, "it was ono of his chief duties to rebuke public opinion in the light of higher truth, which ho discerned as from a mountain top, whilst all tho valley below lay in darkness;" The prophet and the demagogue stand as far" apart as the poles.