The Fellowship of Reconciliation
Maoriland Worker, Rōrahi 7, Putanga 304, 13 Hakihea 1916, Page 12
Mō tēnei niupepa
The Fellowship of Reconciliation
The sun Had Bet and from the distance came the rhythmic thud, of camels' feet, whilst huae forms, scarcely discernible, pitched their way, through the gathering darkness. It was the caravan of the .Wise Men. Exactly whouce they came, do one knew—only whither they were going. Each evening these Wise Men watched for the star that rose in the east, and followed its guidance westward in their quest for the King. Arrived at Jerusalem, they became bewildered, and ceased to icok for the star. Thoir inquinee in market-place and council-chamber for the Christ brought them to Herod, who also sought the Child, but that he might destroy Him. Herod sent them to Bethlehem and bade them return when they had found the "youug Cnild" that he might also go and worship. Then, lifting their eyes again, <thb Wise Men saw the star, vlnch guided them to a stable. They entered, and gave the Bab© their hearts' allegiance as they presented their symbols of His Divine authority. "With every spiritual and mental faculty quickened, they perceived that they must ndt inform Herod, so they returned not to him, but went home by another way. Then Herod, in wrath, slew every male child in the land, and their mothers mourned with no consolation, but the Christ-child had been taken to Egypt, and was hidden from the power of Horod. IUI6 A.D. Mankind is again searching for tho expression of the Divine in Humanity; and many errors of superstition, custom and prejudice havo been left in the past, until we have become satisfied with a negative form of civilisation. We have mistaken environment for power, and property has had a higher valuation than life; and so the search for Intuitive Guidance has been forsaken, and we have sought for now conditions instead of a new Inspiration of Life, which would create- new conditions. The vision has become obscured, because wo have accepted outworn methods of thought and life.
Our eyes havo been blinded by aime of material prosperity. Animosites and strategic methods have resulted in an appeal to a far more terrible destroyer than (the eastern monarch —to war, the Juggernaut of Mankind. What unspeakable disaster has resulted 1 Surely there was novor such mourning in Judea as now covers the earth I Like the Wise Men, we muet get our new concept of the Christ, and so doing, we ehall Snd that our destiny will not allow us to return to the old paths, the old ideals, policies and methods. Like tho Wise Men, with the open mind of a little child, ready to apply their former varied experiences in finding out new ways, we must needs leaven tho thinking of the whole of mankind by the development of a purified collective conscience and will. Aro we being allowed to drink so deeply of suffering resulting from the instruments prepared by our own hands that the experience can never bo forgotten? Shall we in a great agony of repentance look on the pierced and maimed and broken bodies of tho sons of men, and' see in them thei imago of Him Who was the Son of Man? His image in the dwarfed, sickly child, tho starved mother, the sweated employee, the drunken derelict, the unsatisfied rich? Ibis would mean the renaissance of Goodwill that would inspire mankind to a groat renewal of spiritualised energy ; a religious impulse which would employ every scientific power as its liandmaid in mental, eocial, and material reconstruction. Like the Wise Men, wo must pay our homage to worth in lowly guise, and like the Wise Men we must go forth on tho new way with a deep reverenco for childhood. How can we so open up these new paths that the children shall not look back and slip unconsciously into the old rut-worn ways? The young todny, as in timo of old, aro being destroyed by slaughter; the dearth of food and stinted educational resources will mean lack of physical and mental well-being; but more terrible than either .is the immoral effect of this world-horror on
HOME BY ANOTHER WAY
A Parable of Our Own Time
the plaßtio mind of a ohild. If olast or national hatreds are fostered in the minds of parents and children alike, how can the next generation b* expected to have any mearare of humane; tolerant and generous thought P If •yen the toys of the children minister to their destructive capacities, Instead of encouraging those of construction, the result will again be diaasttr, because of the perversion of God-given energies. Surely we must redirect the heroism of humanity into channele of helpfulness* and usefulness.' Shall we not teach the children to recognise brave deeds and cnduranoee in every sphere of life and in all lands, nnd strive to make their Uvea beautiful in thought, word and deedP Do we realise that the la>wa of a people are a reflection of its thought? That the children of to-day will be the law-mak&rs of to-morrow, and that eaner and wieer international relation* ships will result only from saner an£ wiser- methods of thinking? !Aro wo impressing the children ©f our time with the intenee conrfotion that nations must have quarrels, settled by a Judge just as Ihe quarrels of individuals now are? That duelling is no more righteous between nations than between persons P That sincerity evokes sincerityP But more than this is the permeation of the spirit of childhood with the spirit of Him Who set a little child in tho midst of His disciples that Hβ miclit teach them the leesone of humili+v fiiri teachableness — the spirit of Him "Who on tho Mount said: '"Blessed nre. tho pure in heart, for they shall see God"; "Blessed are the mwlc": '"Blessed aro the merciful"; "Blessed are the peacemakers"—the spirit, of Him Who Inid down His life, ' for His revilers. Into the keeping of ' a generation imbued with that spirit, Cfliimned with spiritual, nnd physical rectitude we may safely leave the new and better wars of the , future. G. P. OATO, Auckland Branch of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. Secretary: E. DOWSETT, P.O. Bos 922, Auckland.
