THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 207, 8 September 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.

We have had many intimations o'. late of the way things are shaping in leference to the religious life and aspirations of the people. The Bishop of London says: "If I fail in my negotiations (co»erning certan London - music-hall promenades and lounges connected with them) I may call upon the whole Church in London to stand by me in facing this question as to whether we Christians .ire going to be masters in our own household. The Church, he said, had led in recruiting. It had not been a refuge for those who should be serving, and right royally had Us young men responded. The picture one really obtained from certain papers —even Church papers—was that the Church was .in old gentleman in a long coat with hands ii. his pockets, sitting ever r fire, and taking about two years to take his coat off, and another two years to take his hands from his pockets. "1 repudiate that with all the force in my power," hs declared. "The Church is an alert, mobile force, ready for action. The Church was meant to go anywhere and do anything. If the Church had nothing to say, then it would be better to go cut of business." God forbid that we should become Court chaplains to King Demos. We are not going to flatter the working man. I have often told them, they are just as selfish, just as comfort loving, and just as materialistic as the rich. Why is the Church of the Carpenter entirely disregarded by the carpenters of to-day? Is it the fault of the clergy? Are we ourselves a brotherhood—-£re we a living and harmonious brotherhood for the world to see. The Bishops followed by the clergy should spread dust and ashes on their heads, and be content with nothing less ttan a new nation, a ntw Church, ad last, a ne-v world."' Preaching from the text, "Behold, I make all things new," he says: "\Vas God about to start with this blcod-stained old earth, with all its awful toll of tragedv and wrong, now once again for the thousandth time soaked with the blcOd oi those who sought to conquer and oppress the world, and of those who gladly died to save, the right to live, ct the smaller nations? Was there to be a new nation? Was It possible to have a sober ration? Was there to be an end at last to the £190,000,000 spent annually on drink? Was there .0 be an end to the hideous disease which affected 10 per cent, or the population, and an end to the materialistic views cf life, which had for years undermined the religion of the people?" . . • From the Soldiers' Christian Assoclation at the Front, I read: "Titanic as is the death struggle in which we aro engaged on the Continent, the Church of Christ has a universal and more fierce conflict to wage against the 'rulers of the darkness of this world.' Recognising that scuh foes can be overcome only by spiritual power, our weapons for victory must be 'net carnal, but mighty through God.' There have lately been exhibited on our hoardings and blanK wails, placards with the representation of a large key, and above, the words 'The Key to the Situation—yen. Munitions, and Money!' All needful —nover more so, but alone f'ey are not the Key; something is missing, even the Master Hand, to tvrn all to abiding victory. In national as in personal service when the Master is not in all our thoughts, or relied en, victory is delayer.. As a nation and a people we lave too long been seeking to rout material and sp'rltual fees by an arm of flesh. Now one is glaS to record the fact that many are going to the Front to fight for Christ and country, saying, "V e re*t on Thee, and in Thy Name we go against this mnltitueV' Coming nearer home, the first Bishop of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand says in an Empire Day sermon "In spite of all its blemishes, the British Empire in the spirit of its comparatively recent laws and philanthropies, comes much nearer to reflecting the mind of Christ than it did .n earlier times; but we have yet far to go ere we reach the goa i— an y Empire—can become a Kingdom o" Christ only in so far as it uses its power and prestige, not for the purpose of selfish aggrandisement, but for the help, succour and protection of nations lower in the scale of prosperity than itself. Peace and war are your concern and mine &9 well as the concern of the statesman arM diplomat. God help me to deepen in your hearts a horror of war, so that you shall be ready to vow to heaven that every cf your Influence as citizens of the Empire will, once this conflict ends, be directed to making war for ever impossible. We often speak of the State as if it were an entity outside ot ourselves, but the truth is that the State is only the sum of all the citizens."

The one great failing of the masses in the past has been the thought that the Bishops and the parsons have been, and is, the Church! Let the new Light come in—the Bishop or the parson is no more the Church than the shepherd is the mob of sheep. Every citizen has a place in the Church, and should be there as his right, and do his part in its upbuilding, and extension; and also share its privileges and honour in subduing and destroying the evil in tht world, ana brlr.gfng in the reign of righteousness peace and prosperity. . CIVIS.