OUTLOOK FOR RELIGION

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 10, 12 January 1929, Page 6

OUTLOOK FOR RELIGION

" BETTER TIMES AHEAD "

TREND FROM MATERIALISM

Some. reasons for talcing a confident, and hopeful outlook upon the future of religion wefo set out by Canon James in a Now Year sermon " delivered on Sunday evening in St. Mary's Cathedral, Auckland. ..: ..'

f The preacher's message for the season (reports the "Herald"), was that there were better-times coming. This, he said, had no referenco to the predictions of an access of, material 1 prosperity in the .Dominion in ,1929. "These predictions appear ■ to be based, not only on a survey of world conditions, or the prices obtained; for our exports," he said, "but also, in some cases, on a less respectable, airy anticipation that the financial. wizardry : of the, new Government is-going to give us all 'something -for nothing.' This seems, to. me nothing better than tho. gambling spirit. Sooner, or-later wo must all learn that we seli!;.;in or never get 'somothmg for nothing';' that' the essential conditions of lasting prosperity in the- Dominion are harder work and greater thrift all round." ..■ . , , ...

There was. no doubt that the years since the war had brought disappointment and disillusionment to many a religious mind.. • Many churchpcople were suffering from what psychologists might call the "fear complex." They feared that the Gospel was powerless against the hostile influences of the dajr, ' and that the Church was 'playing 'a losing game. Until they, freed ..' themselves from this paralysing mood of "defeatism^' the Church would be unable to'useize her . present opportunities. There'were signs to encourage religious people with the hops that-better times wore coming. . . ' ; . .

- BJAGNIjTISM OF RELIGION. The most formidable " modern' foci of religion—a menace not only to 'Christianity but; also^ the religions of the Bast—Hinduism and Islam—was the seeularistie spirit, the Godless materialism, which was sweeping over the face of the earth. But to' set against this there were .evident signs of. a craving for something which materialism could not give. The thought of the clay was seeking a spiritual . rather than a mechanical - explanation of phenomena, and.among all classes there■ was a halfconscious striving for the recovery of a lost roality. ■ This " was found.. even among those outside organised religion and indifferent or hostile to it. As the Archbishop of Canterbury had said, "Even where the Church .repels, religion attracts." This could be. seen from the newspapers. i "All over the English-speaking world more space is devoted in the public Press than ever, before'to the discussion of every phase of religion, '.' said, the canon. ■ "'This is not due to any rej markable change of heart in the cdiI tors. My observation indicates that they,are not. of the type which is susceptible: to sudden ednversion.". But it is their business to keep a finger- on 'the public pulse:, they know what is , interesting the public. And they know that multitudes outside the Church.are being attracted to the person of Jesus Christ and to the ethics of His Gospel," ' Another happy • sign , was '•' the in.crease in the. number' of young/ men offering themselves ■- for 'the ministry of the_ ehureli.' ■'The ■ serious;'•' shortage of ordination candidates ; for many years before.the war had.been causing greater concern since tho war. But there was a marked change for the ••. better. It had been noted in England; and in New Zealand there "was' such, a notable increase of yotiilg !ttien: with good qualifications who : were seeking to. enteivthe ministry that the resources of St. John's College sesmed: likely to'be- severely taxed. ■ ■ .'■'•' ■■■ ' ' : ...'■•

: THE KELLOGG; PEACE PACT. In_the field of international and industrial'relations the preacher.. found signs of "Better-times coming.?? JTor my part I-am-junable '.to . accept- the superlative estimate which .■■some have firmed of the value of the multilateral Peace.Pact of last year," he said.. "It would have been a much greater feat of constructive statesmanship if Mr. Kellogg ancl hit! American \ friends had persuaded their own country to enter the League of Nations,,,which .America took a chief share in.: creating^' only to, stand, aloof from it in self-regarding isolation. But the Pact is one' among many signs that . men of . goodwill in every nation under Heaven atii going to work to end war in the only way it can be ended, by extirpating ita removing the causes, that make war—international, jealousies, rivalries,. hatreds, and, above all, fears'. There is a growing desire, to bring into . international relations, if.it can be done, the best ideals that govern.. ...relations, between individuals—brotherhood instead of hostility, ; mutual' understanding . -and trust i instead of fear. . ■ "We see a similar desire in industrial ■relations.-. ■/It'is easy to. say that the conferences between employers: and employed in -England,' Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere havo achieved little or nothing. But they have disclosed a new spirit of goodwill, which they have also increased. Men. are.seeing that, neither our international nor industrial problems will be solved.until they are. approached in a. new spirit. Not a. few of them-' are realising-'.that what is needed, is the. Christian". spirit.. Here is the.call<arid the-opportunity of the Church. : It •is her proper business to make more 'Christians': and; better. Christians. . On that we beiieve the.true progress of the world has depended and will depend.'• Christians who are inclined to be pessimistic, have in realityabundant cause to thank God arid, talced courage. The next ten years are likely to be momentous in the history of the Christian Church." '■ •'.■'■'•: