THE BANKRUPTCY OF UNBELIEF.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 16302, 30 November 1918, Page 6

THE BANKRUPTCY OF UNBELIEF.

(Published by arrangement.) The celebrated French writer, Lorndan, whoso pen formerly had nothing but biting sarcasm and mocking for every religious; faith, now urges, in a public confession, his nation to return to the Faith as the only saving ground for their souls. All the papers in France, even the most radical, have respectfully printed it. It shows the signs of the times, and runs as follows in free translation:—

“1 laughed at faith and considered myself wise. Ino longer retain my .gaiety over this derision, as 1 see France bleeding and weeping. I stood by tiio roadside -and saw tile soldiers. They went on so joyfully to meet death. It made mo- ask tho question : What is making you so calm? and they began to pray; they isaid, ‘We believe in God!’ I counted our nation’s sacrifices. and saw how the people praying could curry them. Then I felt within mo that it was something consoling to know an eternal homeland which shines with love when tho earth is glowing with hatred. This knowledge is the knowledge of a little child, and I am no longer a child ; that is my poverty, and that causes mo to shiver. A nation must despair if it docs not believe that tho pain of earth can be exchanged for the joy of heaven.

“To hope when everything is sinking, who can do that without faith ? 1 stand by tho .streams of blood on French soil, and I soo tho rivers of tears; I doubt! But tho old woman from Brittany, whose sons have bled to deatli—she prays! How ashamed am I before this woman! How terrible and burning are tbo wounds of a people when there is not a drop of this wonderful One's blood ! This wonderful . . . Oh, I dare not name His name! He, .who was so good, and I . . . ! “What will become of Franco—of her children', if they do not believe? If its women do not pray? That nation will conquer in this war which has confidence in God as its foremost weapon. France was great in bygone days, but it was a Franco mixed with faith. How is it with France at this moment? It is in pressure and difficulties. It knows a France which no longer can believe. Shall its future bo better? By God’s good hand, yes! only through God’s good hand! “Behold a nation of dead covers tbo fields! How difficult to remain an atheist on this vast national cemetery! I cannot . 1 have betrayed'.myself and you—you who have read my books and sung my songs. It was a most raving, a most terrible dream! I sec Death, and I cry for Info! France! France! turn to faith ! to your beautiful days! To give up God is to bo lost for ever. I know not if 1 be alive to-morrow, but this I must toll my friends: I.orridan dare not die an atheist! Hell docs not trouble me, but this thought troubles me—a God lives, and I stand far from Him! My soul shall joy mightily if over I experience that moment when I, kneeling, can say, ‘I believe! I believe in God! I believe!’ These words are the vespers of humanity. For those who know them not it is night!” These are remarkable words, and they reveal that in the hour of stress the soul craves for a foundation upon which to rest.

Reader, upon what are you resting for eternity ? The delusive dream of unbelief affords no hope when death appears on all hands, as the stirring words of Lorridan dearly show. Never within the memory of any one living has the world been in such a state of upheaval. The groat nations of tho earth flung against each other in tho terrible shock of the most awful war which history has ever known. Thousands of men hurled into eternity in a moment, and - hardly any one in the earth escaping the effects of tho terrible conllict which is raging. No wonder that serious thoughts arc awakened! it is a real thing to die. and an awful thing to die without God. But there is no need to die without God, and it is this which I really have- upon my heart to say as I have taken up my pen to write. I believe God has allowed tho present terrible situation to appear, in His abundant mercy to men. to arouse them from the vanity in which they aro living. His desire is that all men should bp .-saved and come to tho knowledge of the truth. And whist is truth? Briefly it is this; all have sinned, and come short of tho. glory of God ; but wo arc “JUSTIFIED FREELY by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath sot forth to bo a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins . . . that ho might be just, and the justlfler of him which believeth in Jesus.” Here is the wonderful scheme of salvation. Men—all men—have sinned ; there, is no hope of recovery. Death has passed upon all, for that all have sinned. But God has given His Son. Ho has died and suffered-the full penalty of our sins, and in so doing has revealed on the one hand the holiness and righteousness of God; on theother the abounding grace and the greatness of the love of-God. Ob, ray reader, bo not afraid if awakened to a sense of guilt and sin. God is for us, and if God be for us. who can bo against us. He lingers in grace toward all, so that the gospel of His grace may bo preached.. Turn to God, I pray you, through the Lord Jesus Christ. He has proclaimed forgiveness to all nations underheaven, and' desires that you should believe Him. “To him that worketh not. but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Rom. iv., 5.) “Believe on the Loixl Jesus Christ, and thou -shall be saved and thy house.” (Acts xvi., 31.)