SAVIOURS OF SOCIETY.

Northern Advocate, 4 September 1919, Page 3

SAVIOURS OF SOCIETY.

LONDON MINISTER HITS OUT

TWO REQUISITES,

In the course of a lectur e on a Sunday evening at Hampstead, Dr R. F. Horton referred to Lord Leverhulme and Canon Barnett as men who had felt compelled to attempt the task of being saviours of society. Lord Leverhulme saw a vision of the salvation of society in a six hours' working day which would leave leisure for enjoyment and self-cultiva-tion, and in the "sharing by workers in the profits of industry. Canon Barnett set himself, on th c other hand, to elevate, purify and sweeten a single district—the parish of St. Jude, Whitechapel. But his dreams had a wider application. He saw the need of bringing the best culture into contact with the peopl e who were dispossessed of it by poverty and neglect. The seed h e sowed had fructified, and it had become a recog : nised principle that the salvation of society was not purely an economic question, but a moral and spiritual one as well. To be a saviour of society two things wer c necessary— a clear vision and a great opportunity. If we had not a present opportunity we must be prepared so as to be able to seize it when it occurred. The first thing to do was to find the true principle of human relationship. DELUSIONS THAT UNFIT. The notion that classes divided by insuperable barriers, th c idea that privileged classes could maintain thei r claim against the unprivileged, the thought that some were , made to command, and others to obey, these and such like delusions blinded our eyes and unfitted us for the task of life. All men stood on the same plane; all had equal rights. If any had advantages it was that they might share them with the rest. Each was called to sacrifice for th e good of all. Whoever got this clear in his mind and accepted it was in the way of saving society. The second thing to be done was to set about applying this principle. Example would tell considerably, but precept also had its place. Let them preach, teach a class lend books, converse, organise. Speak out bravely what you have thought truly. There was another thing which saviours of society often forgot. Nothing could be done for men without God. They must believe in him for help, recognis c Him in their relations with others, influence them through Him, or nothing would com c of it. If the world was ever to be one, a real unity, it must be in Christ. There was no othe r name, no compelling authority, that could draw together in one all races, nations, characters, and dispositions.