When the Church Shocked the World

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 50, 22 November 1930, Page 19

When the Church Shocked the World

£ — HE point I desire to emphasise is the grave responsibility of the B Churches in all the countries concerned. There are many inI centives to peace, political, economic, social, and it was supposed 1 by many before 1914 that they would be sufficient to prevent war. But it was not so,” writes Dr. Woods, Bishop of Winchester, in “Stockholm,” the organ of the famous Conference. _ “The fact is that there is only one motive-power which is both sufficient and permanent, and that is religion. And there lies the’ responsibility of the Church-and I use that word in its largest sense. It was a great shock to the world'when in 1914 it was seen that the Church was quite powerless to prevent war. People wondered whether Christianity had become a dead letter. For this failure, it may be, the Church has been forgiven. Like most people in most countries, she had hardly time to collect her thoughts before the first shots were fired. “But she learned, or we hope she learned, a salutary lesson. She discovered that her witness to the way of Christ as against the ordinary standards of selfishness and expediency had become feeble and futile, and she further learned that until she can reunite her separate groups and speak with a united voice she is not likely to command the attention which is her due. “Our Lord revised many of the moral forces of His day, but not least patriotism, one of the most potent passions that mankind has known.

It is time that those who name the name of Christ, and particularly the accredited teachers In His Church, should get back to the New Testament, should discover, or rediscover, what is involved in being.-a peacemaker, and should kindle thereby a new crusade for peace in every Christian land. Such a crusade is vital, for the future of civilisation depends upon it; it is more vital because it is the will of God, and is involved in our loyalty to the Kingship of Christ. “Will the Church' rise to its responsibility? Will the Roman Catholic Church lead the way in France, in Italy, in Spain? We know how keenly the Pope has advocated the cause of Peace. Will the Holy. Orthodox Church of the East take up this flaming torch? Will the Protestants of France accept it? Will it be passed on by the evangelical Churches of Germany and Scandinavia? What of the Anglican Communion and the Free Churches of Britain? The Churches of America have already done splendid service. Will they do still more? ' ' ’ “Broadly speaking, the Church is only half awake. Yet she is summoned in trumpet tones to the task. A new public opinion must be created. The Church in every land must be its nucleus and its leaven. That is precisely our business. • • “‘Ye are the salt of the earthl’ ‘Ye are the light of the World.’ | But are we?