SHOULD CHRISTIANS PRAY FOR VICTORY?

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 169, 28 April 1916, Page 2 (Supplement)

SHOULD CHRISTIANS PRAY FOR VICTORY?

A i TRIKIXG ARTICLE WHICH AXSWEJ » A MUCH HISCI'SSEI. QUESTION. By the REV. A. J. WALDROX. "There arc many people who argue that the God of the Christians cannot be asked to h e lp in the cause of war, but such a conception is utterly opposed to the liiblc." "In this war we are fighting for the freedom of small nations, for the honour cf our pledged word, and we are justified by conscience and by the Scriptures in asking God to help us."

How is it that the little seashcll io so marvellously shaped and so beautifully coloured!' V\;:at is behind u allP And as the eye looks out right over the horizon, where the sea touches the great n.known, you say, What is out there ?

And '..ken the stars twinkle overhead you w'll ask, as even the children ask, What is up there:-' What is behind iv all? And as you ask yourself that questi :>n, you feel that there must be an answer.

The .' un.an mind could never rest in simply asking, What is behind it all? There arc only two answers, as Lord Kelvin said. One is that at the back of the shell, back of the little flower, back of the stars, back of man, back of the universe, is God. That is one answer. The other answer is that this flower, thus shell, this immensity of stars, is the outcome of a "fortuitous concourse of atoms," which is, after all, only a learned way of saying that it is all "chance." OTHERWISE ONLY ATHEISM IS LEFT.

And you cannot prove the one answer ayn more than you tan prove the other. But the human mind is bound to take jvhat is more probable, and the trend of ai! thinking is on the side of the opening verse or the Bible: "In the beginning God." That is the Christian's view of tlie universe. That is his philosophy m one word —God.

Believing this, we can pray and ask the Go dwho is almighty to help, and pray for victory. This does not mean that we believe that the bullets will not kill, but that some power which makes for righteousness is on our s:u. if our cause is a righteous one. In this war we are united in the conviction that we are fighting for freedom, truth, and right; that being so, we honestly believe that if there lie Go dat ail it is our bounden duty to communicate with that God through the -avenue of prayer, otherwise J her3 is only atheism left to us. Of course there are many people who argue that God, tiie God of the Christians, cannot be asked to help is the cause of war; but surely such a conception i* utterly opposed to the ! The most casual reading of the liible ought to lie enough to convince us mat the Jews believed in the God of battles, a God who was always ready and willing to a?sist right against wrong, sometimes to the extent of working miraeies. The Jewish history is one long line of eloquent testimony ol such assistance. Turnine to Nature, it is the story of the survival of the fittest, so much to that the poet his said, "Nature is red in tooth and in claw." I quite admit taht evolution cannot be accounted for except you add another factor besides the ceaseless struggle, viz., cooperative assistance in the production 01 the Slightest forms of exigence, as is instanced in the family, the tribe, and the nation. . H reference to the latter, this ;s what is happening to-day in the Alliance lvetweeu the different nations tor the ourpnse of opposing and crushing a Power which make, for the exaltation of might divorced from morality. : \!L RELIGIOUS HISTORY SIPPORTS cs.

V.l religious history supports the Christian view of tin- rightness <»i seeking* Divine assistance. Cod's will cannot be altered by od To represent prayer as a deure to change Cod's will, r.s though He. were ~' despot and we cringing supp'auvts, is totally to misrepresent and car, -attire the matter. . . . Cod's will is to give■good i l Mp ■>; them that ask Himjmt tor all that He will be inquired of. His wd. is that «e ask Hmi. Those who disbelieve in the efficacy of prayer sometimes speak a» though Cod had determined not to give s-„ something, and then alter our request, changed His mind. \\ c do not suppose that His will is changed by prayer. His will is that we ask or we bhaU not receive. . Thus, there is nothing unplulosophit in a believer in a personal Cod praying for spiritual giftat. But we need not tonhno our petition- altogether to entreaties of that spec's. Cod. as a person will, at our request, influence our i, M-soaalities to lead holier lives, or influence men s personality to be generous towards charitable instittutions. But following out the principle laid down, that God, as a person, influences men's personalities without inirmguig j.hvsical laws of Nature, we may go a stop further in our requests. hoi, tfliilo we could n:»t ask God to a.ter o-e want; (save, perhaps in -ome .meat calamity), yet there are many rases ,-, which the spiritual an dthe physical <.■„ , C n- of creation overlap, and intermingle, and here prayer is legitimate ;■■: I reasonable.

WE VHK FIGHTING KM! THr IUGHT.

f; ristians. slioliul pray '"■' , v( ', to, '-V not because they de-ire seme adv,,;tage, but because they ;,iv prepared t.'.'satrifice for some acknowledged and s"if-eiicleiit truth. Siirc'v in this war. wliere wo are iHitinc for the freedom ol -msill nntmns, for the honour, oi our ...edged word for the clestrii.-tin ol the hrutalitv which has murdered thousands. <»' ilino .., rit people, destroyed the ( iin t( ,,ples of worship, weai; nst.liod l,v mnsoience and h\ the fvrmtiirPS :' asking God to iio'p ie'' .

1 know we need hie, ban-ei-r and },., shins, but ha.'; of armies ,nd navj... bark of munitions, hack ol strategj is' personalitv. This always has been ~'„■ always must be the predominant f.etor. anditis,i,-tberew,,'.r.'l ; vmo ~,„ sf,n. e ought to he sought, and it „ the most valuable asset We can therefor.- confidently pray p, (;,,d to help us. hut we most fulfil 4.,,. renditions, viz.. "In Hi name" t; ~ 1,-,l's ad selfishness. It must make ~ willing to do what Christ taught. Tn t : ~ full'dhn- of this .eiidit.oii. nrayor ;, n „ t eas\ on tli- contrarv. it is the hardest tiling in the world. Prayer t! „, l/.omes not the askui" ol n rav- ,.,;,-, i,o, the positive Walking Ollt ol the Diviii" Command: not the sunp''- ~ ton for simple viet-rv. hot (he enrolment of soldier-; of -h" ■ :'"-" :1 ' le.lv crusade. Doing this and I. ! • v.r '. ve are Wind to win.