STATE EDUCATION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16219, 23 May 1918, Page 8

STATE EDUCATION.

to Tin-; rcniTOi*. or "tiie phem." 1 Sir, —Our friend Mr Peter Trolovo is wont to Ijo flippant v.'lion Jio ventures into your columns in combat with soma of your correspondents. Ono can enjoy the brccziness of his complaisant rtv inarks as from "a fitter 011 the rail," lnit really tliero is moro truth sometimes in that which ho so lightly roviews than apparently is pereoived by nun. Ho suggests that tlio nim of my letter to you is somewhat futile, because. we are not yet agreed as to oor definitions of I>ivmo truth. In lii) opinion "we have no standard" ©f the truth, and tlio Gornians bcliovo in God as we do. 13ut surely it must ho plain to our friend that the German war party Ims unmistakably thrown osido the moral teachings of Christ, and substituted therefor n purely human-animal ronccption -of right and citizenship. Thiib js their standard, us is evidenced

by tho writings of Germnu' professor! and tortcliors, and by tho actions of those holding tho reins of government in tho inauguration nnd. conduct of the war. Christianity ns mado ITI Gormanv by the leading men of t'mt, n-ffon >'s unquestionably not tho Christian religion of ilu> Now Testaiupnt. Is tin's not_ manifest in the combination of the Allies to overthrow it? We hnvo ft standard of truth for tho individual andl nation alike : nnd that is the Gospel of Christ fttul tho tpnohin# of His apostles. : On this standard wo aro all agreed, so far as concerns its essential element'. I lie need not quibhlo, in this view of | tho position, over minor points that do ! not affect tlio primary truths of Chris- ; tmnit.y. Tho purooso of God declared throughout the Bible, and to which nil history is slowly lo;ul ; »m un +v« <■«. tafchsliment on earth of a perfect human society. cn!lr>:] the Kingdom of n. Ifs principles nro +Wo <vtlv ' Gospel of Christ. What aro wo fighting for in this world-war? The chief statesmen of the four greatest and most onlishtenod peonies of th« Wostern world; —France, Itnlv, England, aid America—havo told us plainly, in sr>eech r s_ and declarations Gcttincr forth tho Christ : nn principles on wl-fch tlio life of mankind ought to be organised— upholding the Christian idonl of righteousness ns the only admissible basis of national life and commonwealth. This ideal is being forced ittoh tho world tndav aa the ontcomo of its own exporienco. Tho I»~ ' ' wake up to a fuller realisation of thfl n*'ed for Christian pri--r't-|i!.< ;i'. i v r»:i!v basis of real iiml i■>rr P :,•••••. Henco they are rising in arms in defence of prin"ipl- s, ns enemy's anim-'I and material conceptions of lifn. They nre rewluto in thoir determination lift hitfan society shall be righteous and fro" with t'-o righteousness and freedom of Christ's Gosocl. Thus, then, Mr Peter'Trolove should have no diffi'-uHv in pr-rce'V'n/r thnt real'y havo a standard. And on that standard we mint base tho lives of tha generations to come. —Yours etc., HERBERT EAST. Tho Vicarage, Lcithfield.