CHURCH AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2612, 6 November 1915, Page 14

CHURCH AND WAR

CONFIRMATION SERVICE AT THE FRONT SOLDIER DESCRIBES THE SCENE. Sergeant F._Milton ; A.S.C., gives tho following interesting account of a Confirmation service behind tho firing lino: —"The Bishop of Khartoum has been busy of late in holding confirms tion services. A day or two ago I attended one at which he officiated. An erstwhile schoolroom, with dirtbegrimed walls and broken windows, did duty as a church, and the candidates for confirmation, numbering upwards of a hundred, wero tanned, hardy Tommies, belonging to various regiments. Most of them had come straight from the trenches, bringing with thorn theiT rifles, ammunition, equipment, smoke-helmets, and respirators. There was nothing spick or span about their clothes. The boots of tho lads who had come from the trenches were caked with mud, and their clothes were besmirched with dirt and grease. Tho sorvico was beautiful in its simplicity, but its impressiveness will long be stamped on the minds •of those present. "The hymns sung during the sorrico wero: 'Jesu, Lover of My Soul,' '0, Blessed Redeemer,' and 'O, Jesus, I Have Promised,' and to the pianoforte accompaniment these wero sung by .the leather-lunged Tommies with tho heartiness so characteristic of them. \ The Bishop, a. man of splendid physique, and of a genial disposition, gave a helpful and encouraging address to the Tommies, telling them bow glad and proud he was to bo able to come there and confirm so many brave young men who Wero ready to sacrifice their lives (or their country."

"WAR'S RED TOUCHSTONE." REVEALS DEEPER. MEANING IN THE BIBLE. An article entitled "War's Red Touchstone" in tho "British Weekly" of September -2, concludes as follows The war is teaching us to recognise fuller and deeper meaning in the Bible. Tho psalms, of David, for example, were written by, a soldier, out of the midst of bitter conflict and distress, and they have power to speak to us now as thoy never spoke to us before. Amid the agony of tho Indian Mutiny English officers wrote homo and confessed that they were beginning for the first time tn understand the psalms of imprecation. To-day, when England is saying to her young men, "Ho that loveth' father or mother more than mo is not worthy of mo; «nd he that loveth con or daughter more than nie is not worthy of me, we begin to understand why tho call of Jesus Christ Himself speaks in accents of such uncompromising severity. When a father and mother givo their only son, they enter into the mysterious truth that, whon God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, this Divine giving shattered the family circle of Heaven. Tlie Russians havo a. proverb which declares that tho man Who ha.3 never been a soldier had not learned how to.say his prayers. Assuredly to fight'for human rights and liberties when thoy aro trampled underfoot is to breathe an atmosphere in which tho New Testament and tho Psalter reveal their inner reality. Tlie last book in tho- Biblo might bo called the book of ..tho wars and the victories of tho Lord. Wlion wo lift- our eyes above tho smoke.and carnage which encompass tho rulers of this world, faith has vision of a groat white throne and of Him that sitteth on it, before Whoso face the earth and tho heaven flee away. An ancient 6word is presdrved in the Cabinet de Medailles'at Paris which bears on its blade this inscription: There is no conqueror but God. , THOSE GERMAN PROFESSORS! DR. SCOIT HOLLAND'S AMAZEMENT. In Professor Soott Holland's opinion tho distorting intellectual and moral influence of Gorman. "Kultur" is nowhere so signally illustrated as in tho amazing' aberrations of tho professors. He says, in "The Commonwealth," that the force of a national exclusiveness, the national arrogance, the national presumption of dominance, which violates every ethical standard of International Brotherhood, has so possessed the intellectual soul of tho people that tho "Intellectuals" themselves are shut out from tho rational uso of their intelligonoe. German professors put out formal and argued statements which read te us like the talk of ignorant children. They surrender themselves to every silly lie. They are the victims of inflated nonsense. They havo no measure of reality, no hold oil" facts, ju sanity of judgment. As for those against whom they are arguing, they cannot oven come within their intellectual or moral horizon. ; They produce reasons and allege motives which t'heir adversaries are unable even to recognise as sane. They • live in some world of their own, fantastically babyish, which seems to make them incapable of entering into the mind of those with whom they are dealing. Wo read and rub our eyes and read again to make sure. Can it be possible for intelligent men to be so vapid, so insolent, so silly, so vain? Can they really imagine that the world is what they say? Yet it is Professor Oncken one day. It is a dozen professors another. And here is Professor Flamm worße, if possible, than any. Incredible! And if thig is what they hold, what ground is left for International ethics? 'What possibility for a Brotherhood of friendly and peaceful nations, co-operating in a common welfare? Diplomacy becomes one prolonged intrigue. Peace is nsed as the vantage ground on which to prepare for war. It is tho opportunity for developing novel and secure armaments, and for perfecting, tho system of spies. Freo fusion of nation with nation is utilised for arranging advantageous outposts by commercial invaders. All open, intimate, friendly intercourse between the peoples is poisoned at the .source. AN HONOUR AND PRIVILECE. A i Cameron Highlander writes "Now I suppose we aro at last entering into this stupendous fight for righteousness, for_ Christianity, for the liberty of civilisation, and whatevor my fato I havo little or no control over it, and hence I don't worry about it. It is an honour and privilege toibe able to engage in such a fight. .We shall havo to face risks, hut mere materialistic tlfouglits have long since been displaced ,by higher, and nobler thoughts, and risks- lose some of their dread in consequence. With theso thoughts uppermost in my • mind I leave tho shores of England, and bid you goodbye." BGLCIUM. Flame-swept, shrapnel-torn, gun-riven— Tlie land of Belgium lies; But serried ranks are marching into Heaven, With triumph in their eyes. And soon, all, soon, tlie lovely land will blossom, And (lower and bloom again beneath the

sun, While carved in every tendril, every fibre Will b<; God's Words" "Well done/' What then will matter all tho desolation, Of fair Ixiuvain, the firo and the sword, When tlie whole land, in resnrrection

beauty— Shall stand a living temple to the Lord. —Euuico 'I', Holhrootc llucl, in tho /■'.Overseas. Daily, Mail.''