THE RELIGIOUS OUTLOOK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 5 June 1937, Page 4

THE RELIGIOUS OUTLOOK

AT THE CROSS-ROADS (Contributed.) Three months have passed since the Archbishop of Canterbury broadcast his "Recall to Religion.” As a nation we are at the cross-roads. It may be useful, therefore, if we glance backwards and try to learn the lessons which God is longing to Leaeli us before we press forward under the direction of the Holy Spirit to the crest of the hill. Are there any signs of a harvest as the result of the Primate’s sowings? Ur did the seed fall among thorns to be. come choked as soon as it began to germinate? These arc questions which are being rightly asked, not by way of criticism but from an honest desire to find, uut. why the dynamic of the Church is not more potent than it is. No one who lias eyes to see can fail to be aware of the outward and visible signs of the inward working of the Spirit all around us. There is a good deal to hearten and encourage. But we believe God is calling us to examine otn'selves individually, and measure our growth by the standard set up by our l ord. When we have passed through this test wc are commissioned to do our part in bringing others to God and thus share in the divine process of creating a new world.

For our encouragement let us first examine the credit side. The responsible British Press, which is always sensitive and alert to the movements of public opinion—not only in the political sphere, but in the moral and spiritual realm—recognised at once the importance of the Archbishop’s appeal. Did not our hearts burn within us when it became known that Members of tiie House of Commons had invited the Archbishop and Free Church leaders to instruct them more perfectly in the way, and indicate how they could share in the Christian revolution by which alone Britain and every other nation under Heaven can be remade and thus carry out God’s purposes for the world? The statement signed by thirty M.P.’s, of every political party demonstrated the practical earnestness of these men and their determination to mobilise the Parliamentary forces for Christ. In declaring their support of the Primate’s appeal they decidea that the next step is to: “Apply it t-j ourselves before urging it upon those whom wc have been called upon to represent in Parliament ’ There is unquestionably hope lor a nation whose legislators speak with such evident conviction and hopeful humility. Let us now turn to some of the less cheering aspects. There is grave danger of our failing to buy up the God given opportunities because so often we ignore Ciilrist’s conditions of absolute surrender anil willing obedience. Our Lord insisted on the need for being reborn as the first essential. It was not to the open and notorious sinner that He laid down the uncompromising rule: "Except a man ne born from above he cannot see the Kingdbm of Heaven.” It was to a “master of Israel”—equivalent to tiie modern regu. llu communicant, the Churchwarden, the Church Councillor, the member of the Church Assembly 1 Jesus took no one for granted, lie knew that all hud sinned and conic, short of the glory of God, but through His triumph on Calvary He would open tiie way of reconciliation between man and God. The Cross was to become the gateway of life through which the world’s multitudes would be > idued with new life and new power to conquer in His name the hosts of evil.

THE FACT UF SIN Many of us are jiorribly afraid of being regarded as revolutionary or too demonstrative and enthusiastic. We are bidden not to talk too tnueii about “sin.” Certainly, it is an uncomfortable, ugly word bearing it sinister meaning. At the same time, the devastating fact of sin is obvious. The Church of Christ lias the remedy and yet through fear, or unbelief, or negligence or wrong diagnosis, the remedy is often withheld. Unly last week a man to whom a great task had been entrusted, a regular communicant, ail officer of tiie Church, and an outwardly respectable citizen, told the present writer that for years lie was “in hell’’ yet no one challenged him; no one realised his need; no one led him to Christ as his Saviour. Is there not here a warning to all who have been called to bo co-workers with God ? Unfortunately there is evidence that while sinners are more and more groaning under the burden and the horror of their sin the Church is not sufficiently worrying about the sinners. “The Times,” in a remarkable leading article on “The Return to the Cross,” said: “People who, to use an old-fashioned phrase, arc burdened in some degree of this sense of sin form a large section of mankind. Various types oi religion, including some presentments of 'Christianity, fail to bring relief. When, for example, a man is keenly aware of his own moral failure lie, is not much helped bv the suggestion that he should observe the nobility of our Lord’s ethical teachings .’. . They desire nut merely lofty ideals . . hut a strength enabling them in some degree to transform the ideal into the actual.” This should he the dominant note in all our churches. Uur preaching must recapture the challenging call to Repentance, Renunciation, Restitution, and Return to God. In our pastoral and personal work we must no longer bo silent about the good news that “God so loved the world that He gave 11 is only begotten Son.” Jf lire clergy and laity in every parish will conic face to face with God, and resurrender themselves to Him and then gc out together to witness to the transforming power of the Cross the whole nation will he changed. This is the one hope for the future, and God is calling u- to face the issue from His standpoint and in His power.—C. of E. Newspaper.