The Dominion. SATURDAY, DECEMBER .23, 1916. A CHRISTMAS HOPE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2959, 23 December 1916, Page 8

The Dominion. SATURDAY, DECEMBER .23, 1916. A CHRISTMAS HOPE

The. Christmas .Message .of Peace on Earth, may-, seem out of place in a world distracted by the greatest war humanity has ever' witnessed, yet there . is comfort to .. be found ■in-thft-greatr-hope it holds out to\ mankind.. -Many, people are finding difficulty..:in<, reconciling the. idea that the .world- is ruled and guided by a. 'just and benevolent Power with the jtiwful character of the unparalleled struggle in which our Empire is now engaged.' But there -is, after all, light to brighten the gloom, and features which give promise for the future. It may be true that as far, as the British-Em-pire is concerned there is no clcar evidence of that great and dramatic religious awakening which has been foretold, but many competent observers contend that tho'tone of the spiritual'life of the nation has been raised. In 'the course of a very fine war sermon recently delivered in Westminster Chapel, De. Campbell Morgan, a distinguished Congregationalism declared that the war has • corrected those who. feared that humanity was degenerate. • The moral madness of .Germany stands out by itself. It has shocked the moral sense of the civilised world. It is something abnormal and horrifying. Germany's .reversion to barbarism cannot fairly be regarded as a-p-r-oof that -the world is going [•to tho- devil. ,- -The;.Bribish peoplesrare • far.;;from:■ perfect;:.' Then - sins ■ and- shortcomings.' are many -and great, and tho war has thrown a lurid light upon the Stains on our -national character. But it has-.also proved that our race still possesses a vast store of moral strength. The nation-.is not spiritually dead—far from -it,. ■ De-. Campbell Morgan asks-those who fear that: humanity is degenerate to "think of the marvellous response to a high, call ringing out of the spiritual realm which has characterised the going forth of our. , sons." .During the past two ■ years we have- seen humanity enduring the utmost conceivable strain, ■ and Dr. Campbell Moegan tells us that when he thinks about this tragic conflict ho feels "more than ever that Christ's estimate of humanity is right. It is worth dying for, however, much it may U bruised and weakened by the way," Similar- views have been expressed by that.- inspiring - - Presbyterian leader, 'Sir George - Adam - Smith Principal of Aberdeen University' who has _ recently been gazetted as a chaplain in -the Army. Tho -fact that at-this Christmas time the minds of thousands of men and women are seething with -moral, problems is in-itself an encouraging' sign. People are in the mood to-giye serious thought to matters- of . fundamental importance, ihey are being shaken' out of that 'T i ," and , lntcll ectual lethargy which has been so frequently deplored by those who desire to see a constant improvement in the spiritual character of the nation. The existence of evil in the world is not a ir Ifc is °ne of the oldest difficulties which tho human mind has had-to grapple with. The war has served-to focus attention upon -it- once more. ■ Every aee has endeavoured,- more or less successfully _to reconcile a world darkened and disfigured by pain and evil with its own moral standards. Peace has its tragedies as well as war, but they are not so glaring and dramatic. Battlo is only one of tho evils from which mankind has continually fayed for deliverance. These everpresent, or cver-possiblo, misfortunes are set out in the Litany as plague, pcstilenco, famine, battle, murder, and sudden death. The prevalence of some of these evils has been greatly lessened among civilised people in modern times, and the enormous sacrifice of life .which is

now going on has given a sharp moral'shock to a generation which has' enjoyed an exceptionally large measure of security and physical comfort. i

Tho problem of evil has occupied the attention of some of the acutes't minds of ancient and .- modern times. Hundreds of volumes have been written on the subject. It ■would be futile in - the---extreme to attempt in a newspaper article to give even the barest outline of the theories which have been put forward to account "for-'existence of evil or 'to describe the part which it plays iri .the scheme of : things. Some-people may feel that the existence of evil is not consistent with the prevailing"spiritual interpret-a- ---' tion of the Universe. But the materialistic interpretation does not make the evil in-the-world any the less real. ;It only makes'it less intelligible. If' we eliminate'' mind and purpose from the governance of the universe, we endanger the rational basis-of-our moral standards. We may not be able to understand why tragedy should play such a •prominent iprt,in ..human history, but it has,-as-a matter of -fafet, undoubtedly _ donevmore- to deepen 'spiritual insight,.vand to 'strengthen and enrich character, '• than'- peace and plenty; ease and luxury. Pain and sacrifice become tolerable if there is _reason .to believe that they are serving Eome good purpose. But •what if there is no purpose in the world at all i What if there ;is no "far : off divine event to which the whole creation moves"? In such a wild world moral would |' be paralysod and.'self-sacrifice would bt folly or there would be no worthy object, for it. There would be 110 such thing as progress, for progress implies movement, towards some definite and desirable goal. If the universe is governed on rational principles it is impossible to believe I that there, is no further use for the thousands .of . bravo, men. who have laid dowp their lives for the cause of justice and- freedom, and to save the. world from the horror of Ge'r-' manisation. Death cannot be the end of tho chapter for them. Both instinct and reason revolt at the idea that nothing remains but to write "finis" opposite', their names, or' thaj> "the conflict in which they fell is nothing more,than,a,"trouble of : ants ,;in, the'flight .of a million million suns."/-We refuse to .believe that our moral intuitions are blind guides; that 'distinctions between right and wrong have no permanent validity; that it does not matter in the long run whether Germany wins this war or- whether Britain and her Allies are victorious. We -may find it -difficult to:understand the part which Providence*, is playing in tMV world-shaking upheaval. • ■ But we know that our intellectual and moral vision is very restricted. We are compelled to choose'between an intelligently governed, purposeful universe and a wild world without meaning or purpose. It is sometimes hard to see the why and wherefore of things, but there is comfort to be found in the co.rha.i nt.v of the ..ultimate triumph of good over evil. Although clouded with the horrors of the war still raging in .Europe, and saddened by the loss of so many of our brave,sons,-thik Christmastide brings its message'of -hope afld of promise. There is "inspira= tion to be found, in the noble sacri-: Ices made by our gallant.' soldiers-; we should strive to emulate their covrage and fortitude, and bear oii'r burdens with the same brave steadfastness which they,- have shown lincter the supreme:-test-:throughi whioK 1 they 'have passed;--' - Christmas has' cpa» round agadn without ; the peace that we all hoped for, the peace that would guarantee- security for the future, but the clouds are breaking. The New' Year! that .lies '"ahead holds out brighter promise than" the. dark' days ,we are leaving behind.