SURVIVAL IS SURE

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19623, 20 May 1929, Page 8

SURVIVAL IS SURE

CHURCH AND WORLD UNREST. DEAN HARPER'S OPTIMISM. That the Church, having remained unshaken during the troublous times of the fifth and eighteenth centuries, will have a supreme victory over the world unrest of these times is the opinion of the Very Rev. Dean Harper. Preaching at St. Mary's Church, Addmgton, yesterday morning, he confessed to possessing little taith in the forecasts of propnets that another world catastrophe was at hand, and he outlined the progress made by the Church, together with the further eteps all peoples of the earth should take towards attaining the Kingdom of God. "There are signs to-day that the Church is not as strong as it should be," said the Dean. "One sees small congregations everywhere. There is an indifference to spiritual things, family life is feeble, and children are kicking over the traces. I am not like the ostrich which puts its head in the sand and refoses to see. I like to look at things to-day as they appear. In the fifth century European civilisation seemed to be on its deathbed. And now some people are telling you that another catastrophe is at hand —that another ghastly war is coming. But that is a dangerous thine to prophesy, and I -would not like to make such a forecast, for I find that prophets are usttallv wrong. Through all the stress of the fifth centnry the Church remained unshaken. Then in the eighteenth century the Church was troubled with what were called the fox-hunting parsons. I was very fond of hunting in my young days, by the way, but of course it can be carried too far. There were also the absentee Bishops who liked to act as courtiers round the Court Many of the clergy held three livings, and did precious little, paying curates £3O or £4O to do their work for theml The Bishops of those days did not like too much enthusiasm. In fact one of them used a word which we sometimes apply nowadays, and said: 'Let us hare none of this damned enthusiasm!'

"Then cam* Wesley, who did tremendous work. He inspired the Church and England with a better spirit. Another was the Earl of Shaftesbury, who did so much for the down-trodden classes. In opposition to the rich cotton-spinners ne brought in an Act limiting: the hours of work for children. The fact that the great majority of people to-day are living comfortable liTes is due to such men and the spirit of God working in them. The Work of Weslev, the Earl of Shaftesbury, El'sabeth Fry, and Wilberforce was all due to Christian influence. . . . The stories of the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan hare done more good than hare all the great thinker* of the world. "The world seems out of joint to-day. Capitalists are fighting against those who have little, employers and employees are in conflict, and the world is re-slly like a lot of quarrelsome dr'ldren who need the old-fashioned remedy—a good spanking! Yet in the midst of trouble we hare Rood cheer. In the storm and tempest we have the words of th* Great Pilot: 'lt is I; be not afraid.' "AHhonph T have lived some years over the allotted span. T »m atilT sure tW the great Word«r The Gates of Hell shall not nrevai! aeainst it,* are true," concluded the Dean.