RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3222, 9 January 1917, Page 7

RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Several things of great importance have taken place quite recently and it would be futile to say they have nothing to do with the religious aspect vi things. 1 tie referendum in Australi.i and the Presidential Election in America shew that we are living in a democratic age. Yet there is a good denl of the individualistic element in it all. People will not longer be led by the nose. They desire an opportunity ol thinking and acting for themselves and for the individuals good in the State. It remains now to be seen whether voluntaryism can do as much : «

Military compulsion. Possibly we may soo that ono voluntary fighter is as good as two forced ones. Wo nco 1 not despond. There is a big reserve in the coloured races of our Empir? should we need them. Bue education must go on in a much broader sen* > than hitherto, amongst all classes of people. We are suffering from the defective education of the past in man; ways. The man at the top is quite ignorant of what the man below may oe thinking about. It may be his intolerance, violence and egoism is all against the uplift of the people, and he has a lot to learn as to ways and means of making a prosperous and happy community. While there are the masses ptill without that higher ideal of citizenship by way of community of action, thoughtfulness for the good of others, a broader knowledge of cause iind effect, of love and ordor, and the handling of those great unseen forces n r . our command, a little moral persuasion from common-senso fathers and mothers often works miracles in certain places. Why not adopt it in matters of greater importance; it wo nil often save a panic, rather save the situation. The higher and nobler ideals «.f Christianity, are comparatively little known and understood by many who want to mould national thought. Man is composed of body, soul, and spirit and each part must lie considered. If we would have a happy and prosperous people, they must be taught the root principles of happiness and' prosperity and where can you find them in such concise forms, as in that sacred book. ]t will be to the national advantage, ic see that these pnnciple« are taught to the rising generation. It is character that counts, and it may be that thus is obtained in the hours of sleep. There the sub-conscious mind works, it it has its proper directions given to it before, going to sleep. These directions must he given in the home, in the school, and in he books that are road. Tho Mind need', to be lilted up on to that higher plane of existence—the nobility of living a life to the glory of its Maker, and for the good of its felio\ mail. ineiv may oe a good deal of piasiinisni iu the air, but we arc marching on. 'lo my mind there is nothing more kvoudei't'ia'tnan the work of the I.M. (J.A. during the last two years. It u world wide. It whs ready when the war broke out in Europe. There was not a single individual m Kitchener .- army of recruits who had not the opportunity of coming under its benign mllueiKv's and comforts. A speciality was made to conduct Evangelistic services in the huts put up in camps -o prepare the men for eventualities. Our casiunty lists have been large, but it lias been the comfort of sorrowing hearts in multitudes of cases to kuo.v that the heroes of our country's good were well prepared to die for her. Wo might very well say that there- is a heavenly host, who owe their Eternal happiness to tlioc simple principles : tlio Christian religion as taught by those servants of tjlod working in connection with the Y.M.CA. Hundreds of huts with an average cost of £2OO have been put up in the various places where the camps have been pitched, whether at home or abroad. The British Weekly alouc raised over £4,000 for this purpose. It would lxMinpossible to recount all the good that has come through this one channel alone. We know wliat its value has bevn to our men in Egypt. And we have from our own Dominion quite a numbor of agents of our Y.M.CA. centres working among our forces at the front. Just recentlv a large convention was held ir. Sydnev, X.S.W., in connection wicn the Y.M.CA. work, and we believe it will tell in the future. I note FieldMarshal I/ml French who opened a Y.M.CA. centre in Dublin the other dav has borne testimony to the immense value which the Association has liecn to the troops in France. Ho spoke of the extraordinary change that has come over the army, and he could traco tho change to no other cause than to the influence, of such institutions as the Young Mens' Christian Association. I have before me also a note from Kansas, City, America, r.Billv Sunday. "The Billy Sunday ; seven weeks' meetings promise to eclipse all religious efforts in the city * history. Tho first Sabbath, even wit 1 an all dav pouring rain, the tahernacle was crowded at each service, and tue interest was maintained throughout the first three weeks. Over 000,000, it is estimated, composed the three weeks' attendance; and 6,500 have pledged themselves to Christ. The greatest meetings have boon the men s meetings, at each of which 20,000 were present, over 500 confessing conversion. At the meeting for high school and college students of greater Kansas City, witli 18,000 present, 703 professed their acceptance of Jesus Christ. Ihe response of the Pastors and Christians of the City to Mr. Sunday has been remarkable.' There seems to have been little opposition, and oven that has turned into positive enthusiasm. Nearly 1.000 cottage prayer meetings are held on Tuesday and Friday evenings each week, and 250 business men meet overv morning at the Y.M.C.A. °r prayer and plans for personal work. Whatever may be our prejudice to Hilly Sunday's method of work, and the opposition he has raised ill such centres as Brooklyn, we must admit that these praver meetings must be :i real vital force Oh that we ling it have the same in our midst. Cl\l>.