PRAYER FOR VICTORY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2522, 24 July 1915, Page 10

PRAYER FOR VICTORY

(To the Editor.)' Sir,—l am glad tliat tlie Anglican Bishop of Wellington lias decided to ask the pcoplo of his dioceso to observo \ August I (the anniversary of Britain's entry into the war) as a day of prayer, and I ]iope that tiio congregations will be given au opportunity to pray for victory. The word "victory" doos not occur in tlio special war prayer drawn np for use in this dioceso. The omission is 110 doubt dun to a senso of reverence, and to a desire not to appear to dictate to tho Almiglity. I havo 110 sympathy with those wiio seem to tln'nk that Britain is God's pot nation; that Ho is our tribal Deity; and that our defeat would mean His defeat. Butif wo really believo that onr cause is just, we need not hesitate about praying for victory. In fact, wo ought to do so. I sure that the Bishop of Wellington and every Anglican Churchman in his dioceso will agree with the Moderator of tho Church of Scotland when he declared, in closing the recent General Assembly, that this war is 0110 "which tho Church of Christ within onr Empire can sanction and support." "And more than that," lie added, "tho Church may legitimately regard it as a holy war. a war undertaken and carried on with' a distinctly Christian object in view. More truly than tho old crusades for the recovery from tlio Saracens of tho sacred spot® of Palestine is this war a crusade—a crusado against national covenant-breaking and falsehood and 'cruelty. It is a war 111 which wo may dare to stand before God and pray for victory. It is a war in which the .Church of Christ can summon our young men to come forward and leave their homes and tho peaceful ways of life, and fight even unto death in defence of tho righteous cause their King and country are contending for. . . Our country has been engaged in many wars, but never in one which tho Christian Church 'in this Empire has so unanimously agreed to bless." One would like to know the reason why the fine prayer in tho Prayer Book for uso "in the time of wars and tumults" is so seldom made use of in this diocese. It seems to strike the true note 111 the war such as this.- It is as follows:— "0 Almighty God, King of all kings, and Governour of ail tilings, whose power 110 creature is able to resist, to whom it belongeth justly, to punish sinners, and to bo merciful to them that truly repent; Savo and deliver us wo humbly beseech thee, front the hands of our enemies; abate their pride, assuage their malice,'and confound their dovices; that we, being armed with thy defence, may bo preserved evermore from all perils, to glorify Thee, who art the only giver of victory; though tho merits of thy only Son Jesus Christ our Lord." Commenting on this prayer, Bishop Barry remarks: "The prayer is for victory, not for the sake of glory, hut as a deliverance from the pride of strength, the malice of enmity, the devices _qf craft, arrayed against us; and it implies a promise to give glory, not-to ouv power, but to God." Surely no prayer could be more appropriate in such a crisis as that through whioh the Empiro is now passing.—l am, etc., 'ANGLICAN,

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