CHURCH AND WAR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2552, 28 August 1915, Page 13

CHURCH AND WAR

RELIGIOUS AWAKENING IN . * FRANCE "A CREAT MOVEMENT OF SOULS." I. - ' ' . . •-. . -i_ . : .. >. A most interesting article oii "Tho . Religious 'and' Catholic Awakening in : France" appears in .tlie. July number of ■ the . "Constructive Quarterly" (Oxford University Press). -The writer is Jean i Riviere, Professor iii- the_Grand Seminaire, Albi, The following extracts will give somo idea of;the change that has ' been' going oh since the beginning ,of the war:— . ' ' "Everywhere the days of public supplication.' repeatedly , ordered by our bishops have aroused, a considerable outpouring of_ enthiisiasln; priests everywhere testify that the regular attendance at Mass and the frequentation. of the Holy Table have shown a marked increase. There is no centre, however slight its importance, wliere a special service of- prayer does not .bring "together every day a numerous assemblage of the faithful. .; '.' "Thq. soldiers, on . their side, do not neglect 'tho weapons supplied from oil high. • In.tho feveriEih days which preceded their setting out one saw an. incalculable number of them besieging the churches, and accosting the first priest who came.to listen to, their confessions. They ail eagerly, accepted crucifixes, or,-other pious objects; many of: their own., accord took care to. furnishthemselves with these. , ',5..-. "This;; first movement has' only' .in-* creased in'the bitterness of .battles."or. the monotony of long periods of waiting. Masses are. said in the open air or in half-ruined churches: on every occasion numbers of soldiers make it tlieir duty to assist. - The great Christian' anniversaries receive special attention, and we are told of bodies of artillerymen!. who of their own accord set out in questof a to- celebrate the Feast' of Christmas at" their.'solitary post. ■■ "When _ the hour of. supreme danger comes, faith redoubles and bursts into full daylight. M. Rene. Bazin, a laic writer, -tells, us: 'You read letters" from the front; published by the papers' You receive them, as I myself receive them: is it. not true that they bear witness that/from end to end of the immense line of fire, our soldiers pray to GodP .. .- . What a school, . the face of death! What rapid teaching! .Andhow naturally. French hearts return to the Faith!. . . , A young officer,'wounded, was telling me that, at the beginning of the action, when his men were skirmishing, seekingshelter' behind hedges, walls, embankments, almost all of thenij and always as a perfectly natural tlung, and as if it had been in the drill book, made the sign of the cross." It may be said that nono of our armies for _ the last century has paid so much individual homage to God.' "If such are tho dispositions of the combatants, thoso of the wounded, are 'easy, to. foresee."'-. Many, of their own accord',, solicit the-, assistance- .of the priest;- hardly, any refuse it. An ambulance chaplain assured me lately that, among about 3000' soldiers whom he had been able .to visit, he .had met with only one refusal. Many persons have com-municated-to the papers similar - im» pressioris. . The temporary hospitals afford the same testimony ■' "This religious movement is distinguished by a, threefold character of universality, . spontaneity; sincerity. It is similarly marked everywhere and among the most various kinds '■of men. 'The Spirit hloweth where it listeth'; not only does its all-powerful strength act upon believers, to lift them to a new fervour,but it shocks the indifferent and takes hold'-bf the _ incredulous upon occasion. Some pen ,with a delicate touch will one day \ doubtless write the story of the 'conyerts of the war. TJiey will certainly be legion, and, if we are to judge .of tjiem by the confessions alrdady published: by the newspapers,.' Christian apologetics will be enriched with some fair pages, simple'and profound like the life of the souls they express. "Some of our adversaries limited vision cannot go beyond the low horizons of politics, have even suggested that ..this, return to .religion-was due to the secret manoeuvres of the clergy. The answer to this foolish pretension has been'- furnished .by, a noble patriot, whose "heart, unfortunately,, has not yet been touched by faith,! '■: M. ' Maurice 1 Bafres. " " 'The churohes are overorowded with people, ',and prayers 'come back to lips which but yesterday were still mocking. : . . . . It is the effect of a vague undercurrent, of. a great movement of souls. A ;war always produces a, religious awakening, above all a war which concerns the raco itself and appeals to the sublime powers in every man. . . . . Do not lay it only to. the.; anguish of hearts, tho need to hope, to accept and to render thanks; seek jiot the cause anywhere but in tho secret depths of consciences and in eternal humanity.'. "it is/ says M. Paul Bourget, in .his turn, 'the combination of all the devotions starved for hope, of all the distresses thirsting for consolation.' .-■' "Such, in fact, is the explanation .which imposes itself. The sentiment of God, always latent at the bottom of the human.heart, sometimes beoomes feeble under the pressure of worldly affairs or the . attraction of pleasure. But as soon as trial conies,: to break the illusion of' t'hese fugitive goods, the_ soul is again opened to the sense of higher-realities. God was only forgotten; Ho appears dgain, like the sun after a momentary eclipse. It is the well-known law of 'good suffering.'" The othev articles in the July number of the "Constructive Quarterly" deal with • a variety ■ of subjects which are.at present-occupying the,attention of tlie f religious-world. The contributors include; Dr. W. P. Du Bose (United States),Ai'chbishoj) S'oderblom (Sweden), the Rev.- H. K. Archdall (Dean Designate of .Newcastle, N.S.W.), Dr. Newman .Sniytli (United States), Mr. F. Herbert Stead (Warden of- tho Robert Browning Settlement), and' Mr. T. 11. Glover (Cambridge).; ,- , : •, j METHODISM.AND THE COUfITRY'S CALL. . I 80,000 SERVING WITH THE FORC3S A Wesleyan of the "Manchester Guardian'' writes as follows The Wesleyan Methodist Cliurch is always well organised for work among soldiers and sailors. It has a complete staff engaged in this work, with a ministerial secretary at its head, and chaplains are set apart- for the work. In all the great garrison towns and naval ports it fulfils a manifold ministry. It has .38 homes for soldiers and sailors, valued at £153,550, and containing 1064 beds, which have been'used by no fewer than 172,295 men during tho past year; There are ' few churches, even in the smallest villages, which havo not. made some contribution -to the forces, and it is computed that tho total number of AVesleyans now serving •with the colours is 80,000. More than 100 are serving as non-commissioned chaplains, to the' troops. _ About -twentyof these are in large military centres in England, managing soldiers' homes and ministering 'to "the needs of the men. Eighty are actually "with .the troops, the greater portion of them being cither in Flanders or at the- Dardanelles, 'l'wenty-five ministers have voluntarily enlisted as soldiers in the\ranks, and 44 students from tho training oolleges liavo also enlisted. ; •• Six-hundred'and eighty-five Wosloyan ministers aro now officially recoguisod ■ by tho military authorities.'- They give part of their time, to, -their ■ ordinary.,

churoh work, and tlio other part to the needs of soldiers ivlio are billeted in their towns or neighbourhoods. One hundred and sixty-five ministers are similarly recognised in tho various hospitals throughout the country where wounded soldiers are being cared for. In addition, the Wesleyan Church is providing a great many lints sol- . aicrs, in camp. ' It has placed schoolrooms in town and country _at the disposal of troops during week evenings and made other provision for recrea- : tion. • From the Manchester and Salford Mission alone about 1200 men have enlisted, aiid recruits are still coming in. ' Every effort is made—as in a]l the churches of the country —to keep in touch with these eoldiors and sailors after enlistment. The roll of honour includes 100'pasualtiesi PRAYER. God grant mo fellowship with those who . P ra >"> , • With needy hearts encompassed about, To turn infmy own need the self-same way, And in this hallowed dark, wherein we grope, ' Touch other, haoids stretched out ■ In the same hope. : ' . With men who 1 toil for men set me my task; . ■ Unto my failing hands, the strength : afford . Thou givest to the least of those who ■ ask, . And though ill done my; task and eft forgot, Yet from Thy service, Lord, Dismiss'me not. ■ < - Set me where I may hear the song and tread . 1 Of fellow pilgrims on acquest divine, And to tho gracious feast which Thou hast spread For men of humble heart and for the poor,- -c Upon my face, even filing, r Close not 1 the door. —J.K.L., in the "Westminster Ga> zette."