RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 11, 12 January 1918, Page 14

RELIGIOUS WORLD.

IMPENITENT ROBBERS AND MURDERERS.

In an article which he entitles "Our Sons Have Shown Us God," which appeared in "The National Review," .Tohn S. Carroll flays German theologians and the whole broader notion of " lovin" one's enemies." He grapples with the naked elements, sin and punishment, finding that Germany is not meekly to be forgiven for the atrocities committed in thi s war—that genuine repentance and eondonement must, from a religious point of view, be demanded. He writes: "The plain truth is that it is time to demand that our theologians retrain the true Christian conscience in "the matter of sin and its punishment. One is struck by the way in which so many Christian teachers discuss the war ivithaut one word of burning indignation against the unspeakable sin and crime SSUeh as Christ spoke to the scribes and Pharisees. There is abroad anions our Teutomsed theologians a shoddy Christianity, a cheap and worthless 'charity which will not hear a word of a just retribution upon these brisfandg and murderers. They declare that to think of such a thing is nn-Christian and inhuman. Canon Robinson, indeed, asks for what we call • material guarantee' against the repetition of such crimes, when a man is caught who has been guilty of murder and robbery, with every accompaniment of atrocity within his power, society asks for the -'material guarantee' -of a rope and a sf flieient drop; and I do not suppose that any Canon of the Church would propose to forget it all because the murderer had -written a fine book, and to receive him into friendship and the hospitality of his home because the criminal 'saw it differently.'

"It is more than time the Christian teachers should recognise that there are three moral conditions of forgiveness human as well as divine. The" first is plain repentance of the sinner: even God. as Dante says, cannot forgive the unrepentant—it is a moral impossibility The second, is that the wrongdoer make atonement and reparation as far a« lies in his power. It is meagre reparation that Germany will ever be able to offer now. hut such as she can make must be m.ide in proof of the sincerity of her repentance, eke we have no moral right to offer her our pardon. The third" is punishment—the bearing of a. just retribution for hpr crimes against God-and man: punishment, not revensre. as so many seem to think all punishment must bo.

" These are the three moral conditions of forjriveness in Scripture, and they are the three conditions also of the natural conscience. The amazing and discouraging thing is that so many of our religious teachers seem to have lost the natural conscience, and seem to glory In their loss. No word of burning iiTi-rer and indignation for crimes and cruelties such as the world has never before spen. no demand for righteous retribution. Nothing but a spurious and unrighteous charity which is no charity, and thp old cry of Peace! Peace, when there is no peace f

" It will be intolerable if our students, the future teachers of religion, are to resume the old theological traffic with an unrepentant and unregenerate Germany, and learn their doctrine of God at the feet of important robbers and m-nrdereTfc. And. when *hose of pur sons who survive come home after showing us God by their nnWc self-sacrifice In love and righteousness, it is more than doubtful if they will listen to the preaching of men who are willinsr to draw their doctrine of God from fountains which have been poisoned with injustice and polluted with hate."

CHTXRCH NEWS AND NOTES. The Rev. J. K. McFarland. Vicar of All Saints' Church. Palmprston. is to take charge of the cure at Mangaweka. The Rev. G. Nelham Watson, of Te Karaka, Poverty Bay. has taken charge of the cure of Wairoa as from the first of thi s month. The Rev. C. W. Duncan, Baptist minister at Lower Ricearton. is also to have pastoral oversight of the Linwood The Rev. Joseph Nicholson, an expresident of the Methodist Conference of Victoria, is at present on a visit to '?"ew Zealand for reasons of health. Mr. Nicholson was superintendent of the Scripture Council, of Victoria. Mr. Arthur Henderson, who recently resigned from the British Cabinet, is a thoroughgoing Wesleyan. He was concerted when 16 years of age, became a "Sunday school teached, also a class leader, and is a lay representative of "the British Wesleyan Conference. For ~3~ years Mr. Henderson has not mksed "the watch-night service on New Year's Eve.

- The Rev. W. B. Scott has been notified ly the president of the .Methodist Conference that the Defence authorities intend to appoint six additional chaplains for transport duty to relieve chaplains at the front, who require a rest and a change. The Methodist Church is asked ■to nominate one of these chaplains, and the president has nominated tbe Rev. H. T. Peat, chaplain, of Featherston Camp. Mr. Scott will be required to take the place of Mr. Peat.

Dean Carrington has received advice that his fourth son, Lieutenant C. E. Carrington, has been awarded the Military Cross. Lieut. Carrington, who was educated at Christ'B College, was in England when war broke out. and enlisted with a Birmingham battalion, obtaining his commission with the York and Lancaster ixegiment in April. 1915. Afterwards he transferred to the sth Warwick's, and went to France at the Christmas of 1915. He has been at the front ever since, and went through the Somme offensive and subsequent fighting. Lieutenant Carrington is only 20 years old.

The Rev. D. G. Maepherson. M.A., who was recently appointed organising secretary of the Church of England Men's Society, at a stipend of £300 per annum, is 38 years of age, and unmarried. He was educated at Malvern College and Cains College. Cambridge. After taking his degree he went to Wells Theological College, and was ordained in 11103. In April, 1(115. he became chaplain to the Kith Reserve Infantry Brigade, and did two years' most successful work amongst the soldiers. In January lust he took charge of a Church army hut in France, and proved so efficient that he was soon promoted to be one of the five Church Army Commissioners there, having charge over all the huts in a large area. At the request of the Metropolitan of India, he will conduct a mission for men. and will assist the military and civilian members of the C.E.M.S. and churchmen generally m every diocese in that country, Ceylon, and in Australian ports. He expects to reach New Zealand next lOoay.