CHURCH AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2938, 25 November 1916, Page 6

CHURCH AND WAR

THE HAND OF COD SERMON BY DR. CAMPBELL ' MORGAN A vigorous war sermon was preached by Dr. Campbell Morgan at Westminster Chapel on October I.' His text ivas Heb. xii., 27. his subject, "The Divine Shaking of the Earth in this War." Amonjj; iho things that ha'vo been sliaken ho named first our false conception of humanity. Men believed that humanity was self-sufficient.; they are learning its insufficiency. Wo are being taught that 'human cleverness is ■utterly at fault. Every plan made by the Control Empires with marvellous skill and comprehensiveness has boon brought to ruui. "And how have we bcon delivered? Why is it that fo-day wo see a gleam of light ou. the horizon, and feel in our hearts that victory is coming, though wo cannot fix its' date by the almanac? Has any Government done anything but blunder? I think not. Why were wo not swept off the map of Europe at Mons or the Marne? Why wero wo able after our failure at Gallipoli lo leave the Peninsula, without, loss of life? Wo are forced to recognise the hand of God. "Again, tho war has corrected those who feared that humanity was degenerate. Think of tho marvellous response to a. high call, ringing out of the spiritual realm, which has characterised tho going forth of our sons. We have seen humanity enduring in these two years the utmost conceivable'strain. As I think of this war, I feel more than ever that Christ's esti■inato of humanity is right. It is* worth dying for, howover -much it may be bruised and weakened by the way. "We have learned tp distrust the false methods of diplomacy, and a-falsa emphasis in religion. "Such expressions as tho 'inferior races' and 'the super-man' will hardly survive the war. By the shaking of God we have learned that we have no right to think of any race as inferior. We liHve, learned also to apply tho old words to international relationships, 'The lying lip is but for a. moment, but. the lip of truth shalli be established for ever." On the "shaking"'in religion Dr. J [organ said: "Wo have beon accustomed to dwell far too much on the media or channels by which grace comes to us, and this has meant the destruction of tho power of grace itself. The supreme matter is not the medium, but tho grace. "Are there any things," asked, the preacher, "that arc not boiug shaken? Oh, yes, the only things that matter. Thero is man's relationship to God and the impossibility of escape from Him. Nation after nation is appearing at the bar of God and is making its decision, I whether on a. basis of righteousness or of selfish diplomacy.

"Think of the victories -wliicli faith is ■\vinning._ 1 think these -words in Hebrews xi, 'Who by faith . waxed mighty in war.' That is what has happened. That is the story of this hour. Hott were these armies of Britain raised in the early stages of the war? Did our boys go out to fight that they might win more territory for Britain? Never. Pid they leave the school, the ■university, the office desk to assure the commercial supremacy of their country? No, they went out ,to fight for faith and freedom, for righteousness and truth—in a word, for God. The nation which builds on righteousness and truth can never be destroyed. AH other ground is sinking sand." CHRIST OR CHAOS. In a pastoral to his diocese the Bishop of Rochester wrote: — "There comes a moment in trench ■warfare when the order is given to advance. The bombardment of the enemy's lines has cleared the ground for the charge, and the sheltering trenches are Kfeserted, and the soldiers stream out to the hand-to-hand attack. AVo have now reached such a moment in the history of the Church's life. The preparation is finished, and Churchmen i,as a body must go out to win the world for Christ. Our _ religion has been too sheltered, too isolatedand, now in the fellowship of the Spirit we are called! to encourage and hearten one another,_ and by our witness to the Spirit that is in us convince the world that the only future for the world is a choice 'between Christ or chaos. It may well be that many of us will have to recast our ideas about religion altogether. The easy-going religion that made small claims on time" arid purse and servioe, and.that suited us, is very possibly not the religion that God) desires or designed. Whatever our shortcomings as Churchmen may be, the Church cannot fail. There are immense forces for good stored up which we have never put to the,proof,- and now the day has come when we must say with one unfaltering voice that in Christ alone and in His service, lie the home and the future of the world." A CURE-CORPORAL'S DEATH. The Abbe Louis Felix Nicolas Dusabattalion of chasseurs as chaplain; of Saint-Die, audi a corporal in the 51st Battalion of the Chasseurs Alpms, has fallen gloriously on the field ot honour. His official record is tiius set forth in dispatches:—, ■!' •! "He came at his own request in a battalion.iof chasseurs as chaplain; of high moral character, the calmest courage, and full of devotedness and kindliness.' By his, exhortations and ex-,' ample contributed to "maintain at a high level the moral of his battalion. iEver in the first line on the day of | the attack he went into the firing- line to tend and give the consolations of religion to an officer who was grievously woundedj and was killed in the performance of his duty." THE BENJAMIN OF NINE. ' Albert Segrin, % a sergeant in'the 153 rd French infantry, who has fallen on the field of honour, was the youngest of nine brothers all with.t'he Colours since the 'beginning of the war. The eldest, a Brother of the Christian Schools, returned) from exile on the declaration of war, to take his place in the army of Verdiun. Albert's official "mention" is as follows:— "An excellent non-commissioned officer; had bean at the front almost without a break since the beginning of the war. Showed splendid courage under a galling machine-gun fire' ou July 30, in an effort to remove a barbed wire system ; fell whilst bravely loading his scction to tho attack. In a' letter to ono of his brothers on the eve of his death, Albert Segrm wrote "1. am among those ordered. it> go out in tho first wave of attack; Goct guard mo; but I assure you 1 shall do my duty as hithorto, Rud iE I fail it > will be for God and for France. RELIGION WE CAN'T FOOL WITH. "Tho religion fhat is wanted," said tho Bishop of Stepney, preaching from tho stops of St. Mary Abchurcb, is a plain religion, a, strong religion a religion that will not play tho fool with us audi which we cannot, play the fool with—a religion that, a-sks «• Rood deal of a, man and a religion that will keep us together." SIR GEORGE ADAM SMITH. Sir Georgo Adam Smith, Principal of Aberdeen University, has beeii' gazetted as s, chaplain (first class) in the Army with the rank of colonel.