RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 231, 1 December 1916, Page 7 (Supplement)

RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Sever.il tilings of great importance have taken place quite recently and n would lie tutile to say they have nothing to do with the .religious aspect - f things. Tiie referendum in Australia and the Presidential Election in America shew that we are living in a democratic age. Yet there is a good deol of the individualistic element in it all. People will not longer bo led by the nose. They desire an opportunity ot thinking and acting for themselves and for the individuals good in the 6tat<». It remains now to lie sren whether voluntaryism can do as much r-s

Military compulsion. Possibly we may see tint one voluntary fighter is as good as two forced ones. We nre 1 not despond. There is a big reserve in the coloured races of our Empire should we need them. Bue education must go on in a much broader sensi than hitherto, amongst all classes of people. We are suffering from the defective education of the past in ways. The man at the top is quite ignorant of what the man below may o-e thinking about. It may be his intolerance, violence and egoism is all against the uplift of the people, and he has a lot to learn as to ways and means of making a prosperous and happy community. While there are the masses still without that higher ideal of citizenship by way of community of action, thoughtfulness for the good of others, a broader knowledge of cause .ind effect. of iove and order, and the handling of those groat unseen forces a r . our command, a little moral persuasion front common-sense fathers and mothers often works miracles in certain places. Why not adopt it in matters of greater importance; it woulj often save a panic, rather save the situation. The higher and nobler ideals i f Christianity, are comparatively little known and understood by many who want to mould national thought. Mail is composed of body, soul, and spirit and each part must be considered, ff we would have a happy and prosperous people, they must be taught the root principles of happiness and prosperity and where can you find them in such concise forms, as m that sacred book. It will be to the national advantage, to see that these principles are taught to the rising generation. It is character that counts, and it may bo that this is obtained in the hours of sleep. There the sub-conscious mind works, if it has its proper directions given to it before going to sleep. These'directions must be given in the home, in the school, and m he books that are read. The Mind needs to be luted up on to that higher plane of existence —the nobility ot living a life to the glory of its *Maker, and' for the good of its fello \ tlll.. i-

there may be a good deal of pissimism in the air, but we are marching on. lo my mind there is nothing more wonderful than the work of the Y.M. C.A. during the last two years. It is world wide. It wus ready when the war broke out 111 Europe. There was not a single individual in Kitchener s army of recruits who had not the opportunity of coming under its benign influences and comforts. A speciality was made to conduct Evangelistic services m the huts put up in oamps "0 prepare the men for eventualities. Our casualty lists have been large, but it lias been the comfort of sorrowing hearts in multitudes of cases to kno.v that the heroes of our country's good were well prepared to die for her. \\ e might very well say that there is a heavenly host, who owe their Eternal happiness to these simple principles t tba Christian religion as taught by these servants of God working 111 connection with the Y.M.C.A. Hundreds of huts with an average cost of £2OO have been put up in the various^ places where the camps have been pitches, whether at home or abroad. The British Weekly alone raised over £4,000 for this purpose. It would be_impossib!e to recount all the good that has come through this one channel alone. We know what its value lias betn to our men in Egypt. And we have from our own Dominion quite a number of agents of our Y.M.C.A. centres working among our forces at the- front. Just recently a large convention was held ir. Sydney, N.S.W., in connection wi;n the Y.M.C.A. work, and we believe it will tell in the future. I note FieldMarshal Lord French who opened a Y.M.C.A. centre in Dublin the other day has borne testimcny to the immense value which the Association has been to the troops in France. H? spoke of the extraordinary change that has come over the army, and he could traco th® change lo no other cause than to the influence of such institutions as the Young Mens' Christian Association. I have before me also a note from Kansas, City, America, r.; Billy Sunday. "The Billy Sunday s seven weeks' meetings promise to eclipse all religious efforts in the city's history. The first Sabbath, even wit : i an 'all*day pouring rain, the tabernacle was crowded at each service, and tne interest was maintained throughout the first three weeks. Over 600,000, it is estimated, composed the three weeks' attendance; and 6,500 have pledged themselves to Christ. The greatest meetings have been the men's meetings, at each of which 20,000 were present, over -100 confessing conversion. At the meeting for high school and college students of greater Kansas City, with IS,OOO present, 703 professed their acceptance of Jesus Chrisf. lhe response of the Pastors and Christians of the City to Mr. Sunday has been remarkable. There seems to have been little opposition, and uven that has turned into positive enthusiasm. Nearly 1.000 cottage prayer meetings are hehl en Tuesday and Friday evenings 0:1-h week, and L'-IO business men meet ever;, morning at the \.M.C'.A. 'or I \er and plans tor personal work." Wintever may be our prejudice to lii'lv Sunday's method of work, and the opposition he has raised in such centres as Brooklyn, we must admit that these prayer meetings must be a real vital force Oh that we mig it have the same in our midst. CIV IS. (II IF FOR INSANITY. ISC.U'FO I.I'NA ! it' BETTER FOR SIX MONTHS IN THE TRENCHES I: Oa-i.mau, at pre-eut in charge el (',:k Lunatic Asylum. in which t];;■ e a.e over Ii'HNI patients made a sorja-Mng statement rcontly. In reI rtii.g the i's ap'- oi' lunatics, he said Ii ,s much more -liHieult now lO.n 11 p.ro-u ar day- to recapture 1 ap"d "at: tits. a- they often joined the Anny. and the next thing the officials knew ot them was thai they appeared 111 unitorni. One escaped patient turned up - t the asylum in khaki, and lie was better iiM'i-.-raily after Mix month's in the trendies than when lie escaped. Roumania is one <>f the richest partof Europe. After the United States and Russia it is the largest grain-grow-ing country 111 the world. It is ono of the world's chief oilfields. Its middle class is probably the richest to be found anvwiiere.