THE RELIGIOUS OUTLOOK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 20 June 1936, Page 11

THE RELIGIOUS OUTLOOK

j (Contributed.) Meditation —Elimination of Selfishness.! In providing for my personal needs, I will be always mindful of the needs of others, and do what I can to relieve the want and suffering of the world. I will remember that numbers of people are working to provide me with the necessaries and comforts of life, and I will be ever conscious of my indebtedness to them, and strive to contribute to the general good in every way possible, making use of the opportunities afforded me for practising generosity and courtesy in my daily life. I will guard my thoughts from being self-centred, that I may grow more sensitive to the consequences of my actions on others, and avoid anything which gives unnecessary trouble. Also. I will always accept His Guidance in my life, sacri-

ficing my own desires and inclinations when necessary, and thus learn something of the exquisite joy which comes from the renunciation of self in obedience to Kis Will—Gleaned by Alice Pearson.

God and Suffering' Can we say that God suffers with His world? Some theologians defend stoutly the impassibility of God and say that His transcendence is impaired if suffering enters into His life. Yet we can surely maintain that God suffers without in any way detracting from Plis absolute supremacy. Our minds arc unable to form a conception of God which, while maintaining His transcendence, at the same time emphasises His immanence. Our pain we cannot attribute to Him. yet the pain of sympathy is often the most acute. His is the timeless victory won in and through painful conflict. — Archdeacon Storr. The Power of the Gospel There is but one power which can reach into the heart of man and

change it—the power of Jesus Christ. There is but one place where men of different nations can really be brought to trust and love one another —the shadow of His Cross. There is but one reality' which can transmute fear into trust and hatred into .love —the blood that was shed on Calvary. There is but one fellowship where men of different races may find themselves as brothers—the fellowship of the Church of Christ. The only international unity that can endure is not the unity of force but of grace. The only bond of blood that can make us one is not the bond of racial blood but of Christ.—Rev. D. A. McGregor, Ph.D. The Hope of the World The Christian Church believes in Christ as the only hope of man. She reaches out into every nation with the Word and the Bread of Life. She changes the hearts of men by bringing them in humble and grateful penitence to the foot of the Cross. She dissolves the pride of man in the blood of the Son of God. She weaves these new-

born souls into a fellowship international and supernational, the fellowship of redeemed children of God. The Church is a new society, a new living temple of men and women reborn in Christ Jesus. This society, and this society alone, has the secret of abiding international unity. In Christ there is neither Greek nor Jew. barbarian, Scythian, bond or free. It is only in Christ that this is either true or possible.—“ The Spirit of Missions.”

Christianity—An Applied Religion Christianity, as Mr Shillito points out, has never been anything but an applied religion—“A student may choose between pure mathematics or applied; he cannot choose between “pure” Christianity and “applied.” Christianity spreads as it is interpreted in terms of power, and that power as centred in the living Christ. The Church has never found spiritual certitude in the way of abstract thought. As it faced new situations, daily problems of life, hidden foes of evil and impurity, it came to know more of a power adequate to every need. “The history of Christian thought is the history of a people constantly going out into new lands and always grappling with new foes. The Church thought as it moved.” As witnesses went forth they found the Lord was with them and they came to know Him better with every conflict and every suffering endured for His sake. —Preb W. W. Cash, D.D. Broadcasting to the Arctic The Bishop of the Arctic, the Rt. Rev. Archibald Fleming, whoso diocese extends from east to west of the Arctic circle, has used many means to minister to his vast diocese. He is one of the several leaders who now reghlarly use the aeroplane, eliminating distances and saving many weeks of valuable time. Now he has brought broadcasting into service. He recently, from Toronto, broadcast to the Eskimos in the Arctic circle a message of inspiration and goodwill. At the conclusion of his address he expressed his wishes for a good hunting season, and concluded by giving the blessing. Most of the Eskimos in his jurisdiction are nominally already Christians, thanks to the pioneer work of Peck, Stringer, Stewart and others. Human Immortality Our Lord emphasised the value of the individual soul in God’s eyes. He saw in every man a child of God, and taught the duty of respect for human personality as something very sacred. His name for God was “Father,” and He insisted that human lives were in the embrace of a divine love and providential care. Would divine love for a human being cease at death? Is it not more consonant with the nature of God, as Christ described Him, that there should be for His human children a home beyond death, where they may learn still more of their Father’s love? He, Who was the revelation of that love, said, “Because I live, ye shall live also.” —C. E. N.