Page 9 Advertisements Column 4

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1800, 12 July 1913, Page 9

DOES THE WORLD NEED THE CHRISTIAN FAITH? TIIB PLIGHT OP TIIE CIIURC'II. Continuing his sermons on this subject in St. John's Church, Dr. Gibb said they had seen in previous discourses tiie plight into which human society had fallen. Tho average man had lost l'aith in a living Uod, and in his own soul, llis morality was largely prudential. His chief ambition was to get on and have a good time, i Now, ull this presented a great problem ! to tho Church. Tho Church dared not '• sneer at the man in the streH'. Perhaps sho was responsible for his being the man in tho street; and oven if this responsibility were denied, it-was at least the Church's boimden duty to uplift and transform him if sho possibly could. The average man was the problem of problems for the educationist, tho statesman, and, above all, for the Church of Christ. On the face of the matter it might seem that the Church was ,helpless. She seemed unablo to find any solution of tho problem. The probable explanation of her inability was that she, too, had become vulgarised, had lost sight •of her ideals. It th? Church is to. do the work appointed by her Divine I.ord ( sho must l)e reformed—jhe must reform herself. How urgently this was required they would see if they .-considered— , I. Tho rampant commercialism of tho Church. Human society, they had seen, was keyed to (he making of money. The Church did not aim at money-making, but the commercial spirit was nevertheless in clear evidence. What was her test of efilcioncy? "Practically tho only tost of efficiency which wo aro capablo of appreciating 'is that of statistical'peturns. l''at statistics imply tho prosperous .church; lean statistics a. failing church." Tho statistical test of efficioncy was especially injurious when applied to' tho membership of the Church in full communion. Tlie testing question was not numbers, "but vitality and energy. Lumber was of 110 use anywhere, least of all in tho Church. n. Tho condition of tho Church was again to bo seen in tho altogether inadequate idea the averse member had of his obligations.'' Tho' 'avdra'ge 'churchman ■ be- ; lieved in Christ, but a faith in Christ which did not express itself in sorvico was not faith at all, but mero credulity, Tho religion of Christ was It,