'REDEEMING THE TIME'

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 16, 14 October 1918, Page 6

'REDEEMING THE TIME'

THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS

SERMON BY BISHOP SPKOTT

The movement in favour of the creation of'a League of Nations to enforce pence was referred to by the Anglican 13ishop of Wellington (Dr. Sprott) m the course of a sermon at St. lams Pro-Cathednil yesterday morning. JJj , . Sprott based his address upon Paul's words, "Redeeming the tuna (Ephesians v, 16). He said St. 1>»1 < lld not merely mean that we as individuals should make up for lost time m tuo past by greater efforts, to do good . m the future. He had a bigger idea than that in his mind. Ho was urging the people to whom he wrote to rescue tlieir .time, or age, or generation from its bondage to evil. St. Paul did not accept the evolutionary view of human history as a sure, steady, ami inevitable 'progress—a continual improvement. That was the generally accepted conception of history during tli© latter half of the nineteenth century. But it was founded on a. mistaken. interpretation of the theory of evolution. Associated with the philosophical doctrine of determinism it exercised a tafcU. influence. It" paralysed human elfort I by encouraging the idea that nothing that we could do could reaUValter the inevitable course of events. It lett no place for free will. It undermined our sense of responsibility for our actions, and tended to make self-discipline purposeless. St. Paul believed that men were responsible beings and not mere puppets, slid he called upon them to rescue or redeem the time m which they lived. And that is what wo are trying to do now. Ware trying to rescue the world from militarism, and it is being done at the price, of union precious blood. But when this task is accomplished other great tasks v/i I have to be undertaken. The world will have to be redeemed from other evils. St. Paul proclaimed a large and splendid ideal of unity — the unity of mankind in Christ. He advocated a breaking down of walls of partition, ot the barriers that divide the human race, and the bringing together ot mankind in one body.. These ideas or unity were written in black and white tw/thousand years ago, and to-day we are realising the need of applying the principles of unity laid down by ist. Paul in the sphere, of international relationships. The proposed League of I Nations is an endeavour to unite mankind. The establishment of such a league is a,very big and very difficult problem. • There is a danger that the League of Nations may become merely a fine-sounding phrase—like _ the. blessed word Mesopotamia —without the inspiration and determination necesear/'to ensure its realisation. A League of Nations would involve the renunciation by each member of a certain amount of its independence as regards its vital as well as'its secondary interests. The working out of the proposal will put the nations to a great test, and will show whether they are sufficiently moralised to establish a league on firm and just foundations. We°have a duty in this matter as individuals. We must not be content to drift, but must .think seriously,, »nd earnestly endeavour to ascertain the will of 'God in this matter. The vill of God means something more, than an abstract ideal-it means an ideal brought into the region of actual lite and made a living thing that must be done. We are not puppets, but coworkers with God. Only through the service of men can the will of boa be done on 4rth. There are no lnemediable evils—all evils might be ie-medie-d if man would co-operate witli God in freeing the world from them. Christianity holds w> a great social ideal, but it can only be realised by individual effort. Each one of us must do our part. There is dignity and inspiration in the thought that we are coworkers with God. "When wo pray, "Thy will be done," the question arises, By whom ie God's will to be done? By those who offer the prayer. They must do it. It is God's to will, ours to do.