SUNDAY READING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16026, 18 September 1915, Page 8 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

| • , AN HOUR- OF PERID. . BT DR. G. CAMPBELL MORGAN". I want to spiafc onft -word of a national character of my people, and to any Christian people who may be gathered with us in this hour of worship. We are all this morning conscious of the critical nature of the hour in which we live. I personally thank God that events are compelling our own people to understand the real meaning of this hour in the history of the world, and in the interest of the Kingdom of God. My word this morning, a word that I cannot refrain from speaking, has to do with the new Government which has been formed. v I want to say concerning it that we do not understand some of the incidental reasons leading to his great change. Therefore, you will forgive me if I savin a blunt sentence what I might say at grater length: it- is well fof r.s all, that we do not pretend to understand these incidental inner meaning?. \Y»; have t-j. l'ac? the great fa< t to day, that in the Government of the hour there is a union of differing parties in this sreat State. The (Government now consists of a selection of tried and trusted men. Wo need to -emind ourselves—, tliat there lias taken place the creation of a Cabinet thai .leaves no alternative in principle, however it may he changed in personnel- That is to say. this Empire to-day is under the control. so far as human authority is concerned, of a Government that cannot be changed. We have no alternative. I hasten to say. I am not lamenting; I am rejoicing. I feel that we need to thank God for what has been done. Vu need to remind ourselves to-day that so .. t f ar as __ we are able, to .judge our fellowmen those who are now placed in charge of affairs are., men who are God-fearing, and men ywltof love ' righteousness. J ,■ : A Call to Intercession.

What, then is the Church's duty today? First aud foiemost, and ceaselessly, £ ii- is that of intercession 011 behalf of those in authority, that in all their % consultations they may be so guided by that Divine t wisdom that they cannot err, that things, of minor importance may be overwhelmed and forgotten, as they stand together- with a - full sense of - their responsibility^ hi. the., presence of this crisis 4a the ' national life. 1 say, our first dfitv mast .bp -thai of intercession. It the. Chm.ch &f- T :Gt,«l—and v I use the • phrase? as f use it, a true t. Catholic senses-should, at this moment, bit become -in ,4t>ur own country and throughout our 'Empire, the institute *, ox intercession", which it- is intended t<j be, then .we .can strengthen the hands of our rulers, and their hearts and minds, i- in ways we hardly dream of. .We need, .-however. not onlv to be £ people of intercession, but people exerting £« influence ---upon. tlie nation. If for a

i " moment there dries seem to be something i ?►. a:-Jittie-controversial in my next sentence,- j ■W you will bear vitb -it. I have long be-, -iv lieved. • and do believe, -that the State '0- cannot establish the .Church ; but I , be- < lieve it is the business" of the Church to je" establish the State. Our -work at- this ** moment ms-. to > stand iin the midst • •»£ the |j*» - national: life, for unity, for discipline, and j£ for full and", strenuous effort in -t every X wsy 1 on behalf of■ the great- things "of . V righteousness. " ~ . - ■ - s " Confronting Unveiled Iniqnity. " , >% * ,l>r Why should - I say that- here 5 this" morning? I reach but a, very few. I say it ~ r only that I may lay upon every . Christian ' soul, man, woman, youth, maiden, their personal 'individual respon- I ~ sibflity. We must live to-day, in the Church and in .* the home, in oui; places '■'•iof ibusiness, and in all our conversation with men, as-those who will refuse to > recognise or to discuss differences, either within the Government, or anywhere 'else, in the' hoar "of our natioal/peril and opportunity. vWe must stand for discip- •• line, and -I make appeal to you this morning, my brothers and sisters in the faith, that the only true attitude of the * • hour is that of placing implicit confidence in those men "who are noyr in authority ; ' and that we - at * least; of the Christian Church should be done with all critcism which asks for information which cannot be given -that levels at any man or nnm- : ' ber of men attacks which are unworthy g ;"because they cannot be replied to. ■t.p Having faith in God and His Govern- ' §. ment, we by our faith in these men, who " '-** are appointed to office, and by our loyalty v and devotion, and above all by our intercession, must strengthen their hands. \ * Surely it is. too late iu the day to enter - into argument on. ybatever may be the- ■ > minor rßasons'." of our present conflict. J TV e are confronting; .unveiled iniquity. It v is. far more than a national matter to-day. .K% It is a matter of ,the world, and of the v •' ideals of ? life - for which our ' Master stood * % and only as we:'stand together in prayer, ■ unity, • discipline, strength, 4 confidence, - | and courage, can we hope for victory. : For that we do hope; for that we pray; V and more, 'we are • assured ;it will come. ■ - May God keep -us .free' from panic, and " k ;; from * all - that. is unworthy in - this hour. * ?-" t v'• \ - * -wS tit AfeSyZfc?*}' —p——— — f ", _ — ■ . - ... .. *- . WAR SCARES AND BOGEYS. ■ -v # . C*-.u l! ■: ' 'F- "rjt." - £ -r' % ,• • - Wl are told, says-ibe Spectator, that the 'f Germans are going' to break through on | the western '"front and seize Calais. Our - answer is that they " tried to do tips very j i thing in October, when both we and the ; 'French were far less strong than we are i- r. now, and they failed. If they had then ; ■ * pierced our line there was nothing behind ,Jv| to stop them. Now not only is their offen- ./£ i sive weaker and our defensive very much 3- i stronger, but behind our first line both we s * '* and the French have powerful reserves ? '* s occupying strong positions which could • | deal without difficulty with any. German * % advance. j The line will hold. *' Even if w6"a'ssume that the Germans Jean, and will"break through to Calais the bogey remains a bogey. The Germans 'would rio more have the mastery over sßritain if they held Calais than had Napoieon when he held every inch of the coast from Brest to tlie Texel. Calais is not half such a danger spot for us as is Antwerp, and the occupation of Antwerp has not ruined us. We shall be told, of course, that we are forgetting modern artillery. Huge German v "gone mounted at Calais will be able to drop shells on Dover or upon ships passing up and down the Channel, and so ♦ki-c People who argue like this forget that if we come under fire in this war the Germans will also come under our nie , and that the tire of big guns from ™hl* tV* or '' eshi I« is far more formidWil w the fire * rom « shore batall i We , are much more likely to be tEv I !""! ° ~ , t tLc (!e ™an guns than they are to knock out ours. The invasion bogey which is beginning to appear aaain s quite as little calculated to frighten sensible people. Assuming for the sake of argument, that the Germans will throw fhin l.i c.°° pS uon , our coast, two In tE'fiSt Spectator adtfs, will happen. will hn " r st^place their sea communications wilL be cut'within a very few hours. Next I find *£ ei i r advance inland barred ■ y r the new ambulatory form of fortress— . a line of trenches.-. They will be met bv A' : i them my wh,cll dig itself in all round # them— an> operation again of comparative be Se i , ik^ n6 v hat t,U! raider « Will not LJnllV "? ber now tllan sixtv or wHhoS .u OU T d ' a " d that thev- will be . 4SS ±, ferSs; 5 ' ** a "i 3E "uSr m h3S t " f '£'""'4™ taught to' rely. ln *antry have been V' v ' •'