CHURCH AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2570, 18 September 1915, Page 12

CHURCH AND WAR

INTERCESSION, UNITY, AND DISCIPLINE ADDRESS BY DR., CAMPBELL' MORCAN. In the course of a recent • addresß, Dr. Campbell Morgan, Pastor of Westminster Congregational Church, said:— Wo are all this morning conscious of tbo critical nature of the hour in which wo live. I personally thank God that events are compelling our own people to understand the real meaning of this hour iii the history of tlio world and ill tha interest of the Kingdom of God. Wo 'have to face tlio great fact to-day ■that in the Government of the hour there is a union of differing parties in this groat State. The Government now consists of a selection of tried and trusted men. : Wo need to remind ourselves to-day that, so far as we are able to judge our fellow-menj those who are now placed in charge of affairs are men who are God-fearing, and men who love rifjhteousnoss. "What, then, is the Church's duty to-day ? ' First and foremost, and ceaselessly, it is that of intercession on behalf of those in authority, that in all their consultations they may 'be so guided by that Divine wisdom that cannot err, that "things of minor importance may bo overwhelmed and forgotten as they stand together with a-full sense of their responsibility in the presenco of this crisis in the national life. I

say our,first duty must be that of intercession. If the Ghurdh of God— and I use tlie phrase as I love to use it, in a truo catholic sense—may at this moment but become in our own country and throughout our Empire the institute of intercession, which it is intended to be, then wa can strengthen tlio hands of. our rulers, and their liearts and minds, in ways we. hardly dream of, "Wo need, however, not only to bo people of intercession: but peoplo exorting.. influence upon the nation. Our work at this moment is to stand in tlie midst of tlio national life, for unity, for discipline, and for full and stronuous effort in overy way on behalf of the great tilings of righteousness. We must live to-day in the Church and in the home, in our places of business, in all our conversation with men, as those who-will refuse to recognise or discuss differences, either within the GovernBient or anywhere else,' in She hour' of our national peril and opportunity. We must stand for discipline, the only true attitude of the hour is that of placing implicit confidence in those men who are now in authority ;■ and we at least of the Christian Church should be done with all criticism which asks for information which cannot bo given; that levels at any man or number of men attacks which are unworthy because tlioy cannot be replied to. Having faith in God and His government, we by our faith in these men who are appointed to bffice, and by our loyalty and devotion, and above all by our intercession, must strengthen their hands. It is far more than a national matter to-day. It is a matter of the world, Mid of the ideals of life for which our Master stood; and only as we' stand together in prayer,., unity, discipline, strength, confidence, and courage' can we hope for victory. For that we do hope; for that we pray; and more, we are assured.it will;come. May God keep us freo from' j>anio. 'and from all that IS unworthy m this hour."-

BISHOP WELLDON AND THE CALL OF DUTY. HOWi WAR HAS - CHANGED THE • v . NATION. '

_ Preaching at the Chapel Royal, St. James s,r London., the ])oan of Manchester (Bishop Welldon) said we were learning to-day lessons of which we little dreamed a year ago. Our life and our death were changing their significance We were turning as never before to.God and Christ. It was not the public school or the universities which had been found wanting in -the hour of-trial, but he thought if ho had to begin his life over again ,he would teach duty as he did not teach it in the days that were gone by. At all events, tlio splendid services of those who had so-much to lose in life, the lavish prodigality with winch they !had spent their lives in the country's cause, inust make a deep impression. ■ If he might speak of his own experience among the working classes of the North,' he could tell those present that they, looked upon the aristocracy with very different eyes to-day from those with which they looked upon them al year ago. A splendid opportunity had beeu splendidly . used, and the lesson would not be thrown away. Ho supposed the whole nation r.:ul become changed. Only a few days ago a privata soldier at the front, being asked if he and his friends prayed now, replied: "I should like to see the fellow who doesn't say his prayers." He (tho Dean) the other day received a letter from a soldier who thanked him for the remembrance of his own name in prayers, and sent the names of nine of his "pals,'' as he said, for whom he wished the praters of the Church to be asked as for himself. As the presences which we had cherished with the deepest'feelings passed into the invisible world we wero taken out of ourselves. Wa were coming to learn that life's true significance was not in the abundance of thing: which a man possessed. It was not wealth or rank, but the soul, which mattered. \Vo should live out the residue of our days . with a sadness, it was true, which was not ours before, for it would seem to many of us that causes in-which we had laboured most strenuously were apparently lost for all our natural lives. Yet we should live out our days with an unspeakable elevation as being nearer to those who were near to Christ. ITie memory of the friends whom the Master had conforted and. l whom He had called would! be for us an inspiration and a. consecration. • • '

HOW A RUSSIAN FACED DEATH. A PEASANT'S LAST THOUGHTS OP HIS WIFE. "One night," says a Russian army doctor, "in a wood, before tho roar of the guns had quite ceased, we started to bring in tho wounded. At a distance we saw a soldiej- raise himself slightly and beckon to us. Ho was wrapped in his big i cloak, which was drenched with blood. Ho coultl hardly speak. His face, as we looked: at him by the light of a smoky torch, was already that of a corpse. "Well, what do you want, little brother.

"If you would be so kind, write a letter for mo to my wife to tell her I am dead." . And ho dictated as follows: "My beloved wife Lukerya Petrowna, —I have to tell you that my last hour is come. God has not permitted that we should see olio another again. Take caro of Vasutka and Dunka. If you marry again, see that your now husband does not beat tlieni. Sell tho mare to Reno Ryzhoff, but not for less than 70 roublos. That is its price to-day. Havo tho house whitewashed, and accopt three roubles from Peter BezruchofF for_ tho oats. Old - uncle ;Vlass will whitewash the house for 20 kopeks. I. have been wounded in tho back, and the bullet has »ono clcan through me and como out through the breast. It was the will - of God. I think, Lukerya, that it would bo better to sell the calf and buy a colt of Gavriloff. Horses will continue to So ur> .in price. Forgiv» nw nil, for $g lovs nf Ohriet, , . "We wvpred l«s head," tho dos-

ing for us. He remained alone. Twenty minutes late we passed by again. Ho was dead. His hands were crossed over his breast. He had crossed thenv himself, waiting for death in full consciousnes, without a complaint, without a word. That is how our peasants die." "THIS GLORIOUS YEAR." Dr. Wallace Williamson, preaching in St. Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, spoko of "this glorious year in our country's history." He said: "Conscription or the voluntary system may be a matter of opinion, but to say that our lives do not belong to this dear land is to proclaim ourselves caitiffs and not worthy of the name of Scots men and women. ... I say this, I say it in all humility, I do feel that if we belong to God nothing need make us afraid."