RECONSTRUCTION.

Southland Times, Issue 18077, 2 May 1919, Page 2

RECONSTRUCTION.

THE ABIDING PRINCIPLE OF LIFE. The following is the text of an address delivered by the Rev. Wesley Bratt on Sunday:— The master principle of the world set forth by Jesus underlies the words He uttered just before He went to Calvary: “ Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” The principle is of the greatest value to mankind to-day. It is of a necessity that a period of reconstruction should follow the tragic and valuable experience of the world-wide events of the last four years. The tottering foundations of civilisation are making us consider a new process of rebuilding. The corner stone of this reconstruction has surely been laid in the sacrifice and renunciation of the last four years. The seed sown on the shores of Gallipoli and the fair fields of France will reap a golden harvest. The passion in the depths of humanity has been indignant for justice. She has made a super-human effort, and now she stands gaining her breath, waiting another opportune moment to plunge forward from the old systems of darkness to the dawn-light. God is surely breathing into the soul of the world something of His own nature.

The need of the modern world is not politics, economics, or social philosophy, though all these are intensely necessary; what we want is an application of principle, a profound stirring in the soul of the world. The theological systems and creeds have been proved to be useless; there have been too many, they sicken the mind, and stifle the atmosphere. It is absolutely fatal to bring that which is spiritual and eternal to the limitations of a creed. The churches are called to face the questions of a ration.al world clamouring for' the solution of the problem of existence. Does God really guide human life? Is'jt true that death cannot touch us? Are there laws the mortal mind cannot know? Is it true that we must die to live? Tfyese, and other questions, are bringing the churches into unity, and whether they admit it or not they all manifest the same condition, sick, restless and dissatisfied. The loss of energy and vitality to be observed all over Christendom is appalling. Amid the influx of new life upon the world there comes the ciy for a new religion. But even that would not supply the demand. What we want is a new idea of Christianity. Hitherto our world has been content with creeds, forms, fashions; laws of life in every department from public holidays to medical prescriptions; with the changing seasons came the change of dress and fashion. Through it all we were the slaves of the creed of circumstances; and the churches have been guilty of this more than any other department of life. But to-day we have awakened. The old tattered tents of the past are no longer habitable. The old wine-skins cannot hold the new wine. No amount of life poured into an "old body will make it young again. No! We must awaken to a new idea of religjon. There is a great impulse at the heart of humanity to find this new' idea; this new system that will sweep away the crumbling habitations of this modem world, and open the door to a fuller life. Men and women are everywhere breaking the fetters that bind in tlicir efforts to find this new idea of life. They are realising it were better to have no religion than the w'ashed-out creeds of the past. With faith they have the old paths, and knowing that they who seek shall find, they seek the true pathway of life. /

The amazing thing about this modern world is that the churches claim to have the secret that supplies the universal demand. In the face of things this claim is almost audacious. If they have it then in the name of God and humanity why not supply it ? A hungry world would jump to grasp the faintest morsel, as n hungry soul grasps for food. The bitter cry, rising from the starving soul of man, speaks of the opportune moment. But the churches cannot supply; they have collapsed in failure; they have deliberately dwelt in a world of their own imaginings. And their failure has brought about this terrible upheaval of mankind. The churches have blamed men and women for not accepting the food offered them by the churches, when the food has been unp.cceptablc. The public conscience is stung. “The fathers have eaten the sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” What we need is the master principle of the world revealed by Jesus. Things can only come right through principle. It is my firm conviction that the conflict upon the pages of history to-day is the principle of Life, Truth, and Love, as revealed by Jesus, seeking to conquer the world. If we cling to the faith of Jesus victory is sure. Humanity has sown the seed of a new day in blood and tears. The best of human blood has been shed. Mankind is ready to reap the golden grain, peace and goodwill over all the earth. Herein lies our only hope. For this Jesus died; for this the martyrs gladly went to the stake; for this the hot sands of (he shores of Gallipoli will be ever stained with the blood of sacrifice. The message comes to each and all to apply this Master Principle. Let it be said of you that you overcame and renounced the world, and, as Rupert Brooke says—- “ Then laid the world away; poured out the red Sweet wine of youth; gave up the years to be Of work and joy, and that unhoped serene ; That men call age; and those who would have been Their sons they gave—their immortality.