THE GREAT NEED.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19473, 7 May 1925, Page 10

THE GREAT NEED.

BACK TO CHRISTIANITY.

HOW PEACE MAY BE WON. Quoting Signer Mussolini's words: "Before we can reconcile man to man we must reconcile man to God," the Rev. Hubert L. Simpson, a distinguished minister of the. United Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, stated in an interview with a. Lyltelton 'limes reporter that before the peace of the world could be assured there must be a return to true Christianity. Mr Simpson, who i.s engaged on a world tour, arrived in New Zealand on April 21, and lie will sail for Fiji on May 23. At the conclusion of his tour he will take over for some time Dr IT. E. Fosdick's pulpit in New York. He is particularly interested in the union of the churches, and just before leaving the Old Country be preached in the church of St. Martins-in-the-Fields in London, with the full consent of the Bishop of London. "I think it is pretty clear," said Mr Simpson, "that nearly everyone is agreed that we do not appear to bo winning the peace. The League of Nations is a very gallant </!for(, but in the words of President Coolidge: 'There is just one way of gaining international peace, and that is through religion.' That view I have found is shared by Henry Van Dyke, who was American embassador to the Court of Holland during the war. He said: 'The man who is going to have the greatest influence in the next generation is the man who will make Jesus Christ a reality to his fellowmen.' My brother, Professor J. W. Simpson, of Edinburgh, who was at the Foregin Office during the war and who was entrusted with the duty of fixing the .boundaries between Latvia and Lithuania, also stated that after bis experience of diplomacy and statecraft he was more convinced than ever that we could get international peace only by working for the kingdom of God." CIVILISATION BANKRUPT. Mr Simpson added that one of the most remarkable things that had come under his notice Was that Signor Mussolini and Signor Gentile had reintroduced the teaching of the New Testament in all the scln. of Italy. Gentile was, just a philosopher, and he felt, that the people must get back to the New Testament teachings. In April of last year, said Mr Simpson, he had met personally Signors Giovanni Papini and ' Gabriel D'Annunzio, t'vro of the greatest men of letters in Italy. Papini was formerly an infidel, but he told Mr Simpson . that he had been so impressed with the bankruptcy of civilisation as evidenced by the war that for the first time in his life ne road carefully the four Gospels, with the result that he became a Christian, and wrote the story of the life of Christ, which had been translated into nearly every language. The change that had taken place in Italy was very remarkable because Italy had always been looked on as anti-Protestant. • MINISTERS AND ' POLITICS.

“It is a tremendous blunder for religious men to ally themselves with any political party,” said Mr Simpson. “I feel that the time is coming when the Church will afford the only common meeting ground for people of all shades of political opinion. At my own church in Glasgow—Westbourne Church--one of my elders is chairman of Kir Robert Horne's Parliamentary Committee. Another is Mr Rosslyn Mitchell, who was offered the Lord Advocateship of Scotland by Mr Ramsay MacDonald, and who afterwards defeated Mr Asquith at Paisley., Ho joined the Church after having boon dissociated from it for 10 years and just before he became farr.o.;« about five years ago ho joined my anarch. Another of the elders was a Liberal candidate, so you will see that the Church is a common meeting ground for Conser vatives. Liberals, and Labourites.

“A Christian minister is an ambassador of Christ, and if he allies himself with a particular party he is being untrue to his calling. I don’t think the world realises the power of a purely spiritual ministry. An uncle of mine, Dr Alexander White, of St. George’s. Edinburgh, during the war, preached a sermon on Nathan and David, and in referring to Nathan rebutting David for his wrongdoing. said ho wondered why Dr Dryandcr, the Court preacher at Berlin, did not rebuke (he Kaiser. Dryander has died since the war and in his published memoirs he says that he heard of the sermon by Dr While and wont, straight to the Kaiser and rebuked him. .The ox-Kaisor in his memoirs also refers to the same matter. It is sufficient to state that it is remarkable that a Presbyterian minister preaching in Edinburgh should have so much notice taken of his sermon and that (ho Kaiser should have taken to heart the preacher’s rebuke. 1 am satisfied that ministers who depart, from their own particular job are (inditing with inferior weapons.” Speaking of sport Mr Simpson said that at the Olympic Gamas, Eric Liddell, n young Scottish sprinter, refused to run in the 100yds race—his best distance —because the race was being run on a Sunday. There was some controversy about the mailer, but he said: “I may let down my country by not running, but I will not be untrue to my Christian convictions.” Later in the week, he ran in another race, not his best distance, and won it for Great Britain. On his return to Scotland he was speciallv honoured, not so much for winning that race, but on account of the strong'moral lead he had given, his action having. made a tremendous impression at Home.