RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 227, 17 November 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

RELIGIOUS WORLD.

I find there lias been a good deal jf earnest thought and talk over the state of our fallen heroes in battle. The numbers have been so groat, are they all saved':' Does Patriotism merit Salvation, and should we pray for the dead ? These are great and burning questions, but we should not be afraid to face them. All through the ages there has be:n a subjective idea that there is merit in patriotism. When the handful of Spartans met the army cf the Medes and Persians at the pass of Thermopylae it is said that when Leotiidas their king ordered them to prepare for the last meal of their lives and to dine like men, who at night would sun with their fathers, they sent up a shout of joy, as if they had been invited to a banquet! There is much of the same spirit in the teachings of Mahomet. "The sword was the key to Paradise, ' and no doubt it helped to win many a bat to i:i the eariv days of Mohammedanism. We cannot then accept this theory of "Salvation by Patriotism," however much we may wish to do s-». But we know we are on safe ground, in saying that every Patriot should go into th:s fight fully believing and trusting in the perfect righteousness • f Him who gave Himself a ransom for man's salvation from death, and he.!, and to set up a kingdom of righteousness here on earth, sooner or later, free from all sin and all this, odious horror and pain of the battlefield. If we are shedding the nation's blood for tin cause of righteousness for the smaller nations of Europe, every soldier should rea-liso that they give of their best, for the establishment of that righteousness Jir.r? cn earth, that our Loid Jesus Christ died for. In other words, it should be faith in Jesus Christ as the great moral governor of this universe, who loved and gave Himself for the sn of the world. To every true patriot with this faith, we can say: "Whosoever believeth in Him hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condom nation, but is passed frcm death into life" (St. John V. '24, and VI. 47). _ It is in this written word of the Living God that we should trust, and not on our own merits to obtain salvation.

It will naturally follow that if w* believe that our dear departed ones r» safe, nnd have passed from death into life —that tho righteousness of Christ is imparted to them —that they are as the Angel of God, there is no need for the prayers for the dead. "They are with Christ which is fir better,"than m a place of purgatory. Yet a good deal is being said about reunion and unity among the Churches and it- is possible that some modifications will be. made in the attitude we take towards our loved ones who are in His safe keeping. There is much more need to pray 'o\ the i'-ving. In the "Outlook" of Oct. 10th, our attention is drawn to the " Neutril Nations" as China, and America. and the ne?d of prayer for these nations. The Americans may be blamed for hanging hack when they shoull have pushed forward, but one must admire the fine spirit of one who writes for the thus: —"Whatever the additional millions to be spent on so-called schemes of preparedness, we are under obligation to see to it that we, a Christian people, make pre-, pa ration for a time beyond that f\>" which guns and forts prepare, to see io it that whatever else bo going on m our land, the fostering of the spirit of Christ shall not be neglected. That spirit is fostered by intercourse with those who have it, and by diligent prayer on tho part of those woh realise its need . . . my duty must be performed if I would keep my soul dean • and that duty as of a Christian American, is preeminently to preserve my n.i tion from the wreck ot those that forget God, and by forgetting God, forget honour and righteousness aad brotho rly kindness." Something also along these linc» should be said for China _ and Japan What if those 400.000,000 Ohineso were armed, as the whole of Europe is armed to-day I—with no Christian principles to guide or contrail them? Sir Robert Hart of Shanghai fame, once said tin only thing to savo the west irom ihe east was to give the Chinese Christianity. Diplomacy often makes for war. Missionary effort should always mako for peace. If we would prevent nnotho Armageddon in the future, pray without ceasing for the conversion of the Chinese Empire. It should be noted that the American has been foremost among tho nations in sending missionaries to Chira, and we may hope tint eiv long we may have a Christianised Chinese Empire, adequate in its conceptions, and broad enough in its practice. to adapt itself to all its varying national traits.

But we come back to our own people and nation. We must feel it a binding duty to pr.:iy for our men, our King, our Admirals of the Fleet, our Generals of the Army and all who in any wav may have the con troll of our force s: til at they may he kept in touch uith that Divine wisdom by that wireless communication of prayer. Abraham Lincoln said three weeks before the battle of Gettysburg sonietliinL' that is very appropriate to us now. " 1 do not doubt, I never have doubted that our country will finally come through safe: but, do not misunderstand me—l do not know how it will he, I d;> not rely on the patriotism of my people, though no people have rallied hett t to a nation's cause; T do net t-t io the devotion of the. boys in :.!u \ th ugh God never gave to i prm. " or conqueror such an army as gave to me: I do not rely on th<* ski'! of our Generals, though I believ 1 wo have ih l b st Generals in the world i but 'lie God of our f;ithers who raised up the country to be the refuge an 1 asylum of the down-trodelen of all nations will rot let it perish now. I may not live to see it. T do not suppose ' shall but Cod will bring us throuch." CI VIS.