A Problem of Persons

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 81, 29 December 1934, Page 16

A Problem of Persons

4 4 - HE first work of the Church is the same in every age , . ~” says I Dr. Carnegie Simpson. “The first and the constant work of the I Church is to make Christians. This is its. own work, both because ■ to it the Church was commissioned and also because no other association or agency in the world makes it any part of its function to make men Christian or even good. And it is, in the immediate sense, its only work, by which I mean that the Gospel, in itself, does not make a better world but rather makes men who—each in his own sphere—will then set about to make the better world wherein dwelleth righteousness. • “This personal work, moreover, is not only, from the Church's point of view, distinctive and primary, but is also, from the world’s point of view—if there is to be this more righteous world —indispensable. Nothing is clearer than that changes in government or laws, or even social conditions, will not of themselves make a moral, or even a happy society. As Alfred Noyes says: “ ‘That’s not done by sword or tongue or pen; There’s but one way: God make us better men.’ , “Social reform is important—even morally. Still, it remains true that what most matters in the end is personal character, without which men will take into new conditions their old selves, and these will soon find new ways of expressing themselves. “The world-problem is essentially and fundamentally, though not entirely, a problem of persons; and if there were enough Christians —not nominal Christians, but men and women ready to learn of Christ in all the ways of life—• then the problem of human society would be, if not solved, straight on the way to solution. - "The slogan, current in certain modern religious circles, ‘World-ehanging through life-changing,’ is not the whole of the matter, and it'rnay easily be but a facile cliche, but it has hold, not only of a true, but of a vitally important idea. Here, then, I say again, is the Church’s primary and constant work. And

thus must the Church of to-day, while not forgetting or shirking its responsibility as regards public problems, turn with new earnestness to this first business of the conversion of men and the promotion of peronal Christianity. No amount cf zeal and even no degree of success in other things, important m themselves, will compensate for a Church’s indifference or failure here . .. “This is an age,” says Dr. Carnegie Simpson, in a fine, forcible note, in which the public witness of the Church before the world is not very effective, and its influence not very strong—an age, indeed, in which what is called organised religion is at a discount. But I will say that it is an age in which the interest in personal religion is far keener and more widespread than our religious pessimists, who are often mere observers of the more external facts, rather than persons in actual touch with the more significant happenings n religion, realise. , ... . . . , „ “It is true that, to-day, there are sections of thought and life in which a definite anti-Christianity is visible and vocal. But I believe—and I say this uot because I wish it to be true, but with the support of a good deal of evidence—that this, as it has been promulgated in recent years by various brilliant writers who need not here be named, has come to something of a dead end. “It has not given the modern mind, and particularly the mind of modern vouth, either a philosophy of the world or even purpose and happiness in life It had disillusioned many about faith; but.many have to become disillusioned of that disillusionment. These ‘brief candles,’ if not ‘put out,’ are giving no certain light. And with this, there is unquestionably a new interest in the religion of personal Christianity to be found in various and often the most unexpected qUar ‘T l say therefore—and would say it with confidonce-that, however uncertain may be the future of much of organised religion, the prospects for religion itself are to-day far clearer’than they have been in many an age of the past, or than they were only yesterday.”