The Religion For Today

The Religion For Today
THE RELIGION FOR TODAY.
BY F. L. ROWE. Our secular papers have been very prompt in telling us, now that the war is over, what must be the religion of the future. They base their declaration on the demand that they say the boys, who have been in the trenches, are making, whereby will be brought about a harmonizing of the religious differences that have existed since colonial days.

It is really wonderful how much profound wisdom (or remarkable ignorance) these city papers possess regarding the purpose of God, the mission of his Son, and the divine plan of salvation as revealed to us in the teaching of his Son. To listen to these editors today we are told, from the standpoint of the boys who have been thrown in contact with all forms of religion, of no religion, and of open hostility to all religion, that the future basis for church activity must be established on morality, uprighteousness and a square deal. These boys tell us that the army chaplain, the camp pastor and religious workers, as such, were not regarded with favor; but that these individuals were treated like any of the rest of the boys if they made themselves one of the boys. In other words, that the boys in the trenches did not have much use for any doctrinal teaching, or any religion that set itself up as opposed to any other form of religion. It has been valuable information, however, to learn through these religious workers, that the boys in the trenches were most studious in reading their little pocket testaments in what little seclusion they could obtain; and that the word of God had not lost its power when the boys found time to enjoy it as a source of information or for individual comfort. We can rejoice, therefore, in knowing that the word of God, or the Gospel, is still the power of God, whether that power is exerted in the churches, in the quiet of the country home, or in the trench on the firing line.

Another thing that has been revealed by these boys in their reading, is their admiration for a character like Paul. Those who have been with them say that as a result of their reading Paul has become their embodiment of all that is noble and manly. They admire him because they say he was so much a man that when he found he was mistaken he was not ashamed to admit it. Let us lie comforted, there­fore, in feeing that the present war has aided the cause of our Master by bringing these boys in direct and personal touch with the Gospel. Let us do our part in helping them, now that they are coming home, to better understand the meaning of the Scriptures and assist them to properly grasp it and to appropriate it to their own needs. If this result of the war should lead to the salvation of thousands of souls, we can feel relieved that the war, after all, was for some spiritual purpose, as well as for some great international up­lift through human agencies.

Paul's work, as an individual and through his writings, was wholly constructive. He sought not his own elevation, but rather to lift Christ up in the hearts and minds of the people. Our own nation, as a party to this terrible war, had no selfish purpose to advance, but assisted from a purely humanitarian motive that others may be blessed through the sacrifices that our noble boys have made.

Paul as an individual is not known to have been person­ally attractive, nor possessed of eloquent speech; and doubt­less when he entered the city of Athens the people looked at him derisively and wondered who he was and what his pur­pose. Paul also quickly sized them up and soon perceived that they were idle talkers, always wanting to hear some new thing. Their interest in him was concentrated in the cynical query, "What will this babbler say?" What he said then has come on down through the ages, even to the present time, and we still hear him with wide-open mouth and eager ears, and drink in of his spiritual wisdom that we may conform more and more to the divine likeness. The religion of Paul has not changed from the time Paul spoke to the Athenians or addressed himself to Agrippa. The same eternal truths stand out as fundamental to our continuance as individual Christians and as collective organizations. Men, through their so-called wisdom, have changed much truth into de­liberate lies, so that good men are misled, confused and lost. The fault is not in the truth, but in the failure of men to honestly present that truth; and in the inability, or unwill­ingness, of men to investigate to know the truth, which is able to make them free. The quiet study of the Scriptures by the boys in the trenches is bringing the boys to a knowledge of the truth in a way that they will be quick to defend it when they hear it perverted by those who claim to be leaders of the people. The word of the Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Gospel that was needed at the time of Christ is the Gospel for today. In spite of what the newspapers tell us, there is nothing that we can change and there is nothing that needs changing, except that men's minds must become more susceptible to the truth and evince a willing­ness, yea eagerness, to receive the truth.

Personally, I regard our so-called "modern critics" as far more dangerous than all the books written by Voltaire, or other infidels. Modern criticism is a miserable camouflage that has made wreck of thousands of precious souls. Vol­taire as an infidel came out four-square in his opposition to the Bible, and we know exactly his position and expect no admissions or concessions or apologies from him. While we, therefore, admire his frankness as contrasted with the in­sincerity and infidelity of modern critics, we are neverthe­less made to smile as we recall the total failure of the prophesies made by Voltaire and others. His name even would be forgotten today if our pulpit speakers did not constantly refer to him. Other infidels, who have lived and profited by so much per night from the gullibility of de­luded people, who wanted comfort for their perverted lives, would also be relegated to the rear and be long ago forgot­ten if we did not bring them back to point out the results of their misdirected energy. Voltaire was bold to say, that within one hundred years from the time he wrote, the Bible would be a forgotten book. Over against that rash proph­esy he tried to calculate the influence of the life and death of our Lord, whose words are read daily in six hundred and fifty distinct languages in every portion of the globe. Verily the earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

It has been calculated by Bible publishers that nearly seven hundred million volumes of the word of God, in whole or in part, have been circulated since the art of printing was invented. The British Bible House today contains records of editions of the Scriptures in about seven hundred and twenty-five languages and dialects. This total includes the complete Bible in one hundred and forty different forms of speech. During the past ten years the Scriptures have appeared in a new language on an average of one every six weeks. During the period of the war four million copies of the New Testament have been given to the boys in the service. During the first four years of the war the British and American Bible Societies issued the Scriptures in eighty-five languages or dialects, which means that that many tongues have been involved in this present world war.

Now that the period of reconstruction and readjustment is upon us, what must be the religion for today? I have already told you that the big newspapers tell us that we must shape it to meet the changed views of the boys coming home; but if I can read between the lines, I cannot see that the boys are asking us to change the word of God. It may be that they will demand that we preach the Gospel the way it is written, and I believe they will, because the boys have had lessons through their terrible experiences over seas that will cause them to think seriously of every­thing for the rest of their days. They will look upon life in a way that life had never before impressed itself. They see new responsibilities that they did not know they would have to assume. They recognize, in a degree never before considered, the importance of nobility in life, the value of truth, as well as the highest in personal character. Their serious consideration of everything will make them equally serious in matters spiritual—in their defense of God's word that it may be properly and honestly presented. In this way the boys are going to be a powerful incentive for more intense preaching than we have ever heard. Are we going to take advantage of our opportunity to use these boys to the glory of God while they are in this serious mood? The . church has a great work before it; a work that should be impressed upon the church in a way that the church has never realized it before.

These boys in your own homes, in your own towns, in your own audiences, are not the only ones to reach, but they are the ones that we should work especially hard for, because of the great value they will be to the church when we once enlist their efforts under the Captain of our Sal­vation. Accordingly the duty of the church must be im­pressed and the churches stirred up to greatest activity. I am glad to find that our semi-religious and even secular papers are urging the importance of this agitation. I want you to hear what the Sentinel of Toronto has recently said along this line: "Any church will not do. Christianity is an appeal to the individual conscience. 'Let ..-very man be fully per­suaded in his own mind,' says the Scriptures. If any be­liever will give the Bible a reasonable examination he will certainly arrive at definite conclusions. Truth is eternal and worthy of the most diligent search. Protestantism appeals to each individual to search until he finds it. Those .who teach that it is not necessary to have any definite ideas will naturally drift toward Romanism, where laymen are not expected to exercise their God-given intelligence in re­ligious matters. The Reformation did not produce a new religion. It was a return to the primitive truth. True Protestants believe that Protestanism is the purest form of Christianity, and the nearest approach to what is taught in the word of God. It has stood the test of time. If the war has shown anything it has proven the value of, and emphasized the self-sacrificing spirit of, Protestantism. Why attempt to alter, or abolish that which has stood the test? Those who would abolish definite beliefs are no friends of Protestantism, and their propaganda will be re­sented by every true Protestant. It is still right to 'prove all things, hold fast that which is good.' Christianity is the sum and substance of all truth, and cannot be improved upon. It is foolish to strike at the foundation of Protest­antism until something else more closely approaching Christianity is discovered."

I also want you to hear what one of our English church papers (the Bible Advocate) has said along the same line: "We are all rejoicing that the war is over. A great many questions, however, yet remain to be settled. The nation and the church must make earnest preparation for the coming days of peace. We want a new world. The church of the living God exists to make known the Divine will, to bring to the world the treasures of grace and truth of which it has the stewardship: and this it can do by preaching Christ and Him crucified.

"Now, therefore, is the hour of the church of Christ. Before her stands open a door of opportunity which no man can shut. Let her enter with the message of hope and brotherhood. God is the Creator of the new world, not man; man shall be the laborer. It has been well said that if there were no God we should have to invent one; for if man is the highest thing in the world, the world is insane. But God has revealed Himself to us in the person of His Son. Have we seen that Divine vision? If so, then the former things shall not be remembered, nor come into mind; we shall labor to get the Spirit of the Christ into all human life.

"Three things must be clearly seen by us in all our work. (1) The Cross of Christ reveals the terrible earnest­ness of the Divine government in dealing with transgres­sors; it shows that the ends of goodness are impossible if the demands of justice are not satisfied. (2) Christ is the Exemplar of moral heroism; He:ame to do the will of His Father, and He was faithful to that unto death. (3) A personal conscious acceptance of the Saviour is everywhere taught in the New Testament as being the condition of sal­vation. And there must be the individual regeneration before there can be the collective newness in our day."

I also want you to hear one of the tersest statements I ever read and one that to my mind shows more of the real heart in it than any similar document I ever saw. This is sent out by the Publication Committee of our churches in England, and is an appeal to the boys from the churches as they return from the firing line to engage in the more enduring and satisfying service if fighting for the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. Listen and weigh every word of this wonderful appeal to these British soldiers:

"OPEN LETTER TO DEMOBILIZED CHURCH MEMBERS.
"Brothers all, "Thank God you are giving up the stern, sad duties of war. You have been brought safely through severe peril by land and sea. The gates of a new life have now been opened to you by the. Father of all mercies.
"Your restoration lo us is not only a matter of unspeak­able joy, but one of immense importance. We missed you from our churches when you went out. We have prayed without ceasing for your safe return. Our prayers are answered —we believe with a purpose. The churches unite in declaring their welcome home to you all. An increasing desire for a great forward movement is in the atmosphere. Tn that victorious advance we need every man of you. Like you, we are dissatisfied at the meagre results of so many years. We want to share not only the idea, but the power and reality, of a reconstructed Britain.
"Call it by what name we will, we are. quite certain the best and most enduring of all regenerative forces is New Testament Christianity. To advocate the claims of Christ and to spread the truths preached by His Apostles is our joint aim.
" Your choice of occupation may not yet be decided. The call of Christ and the need of this country for preach­ers of a full-orbed salvation admits of no denial, and allows of no delay. Why not make your mind up to this, the most honorable of all callings? You feel your own limitations! There is no work for you unless you do! Christ cannot use men, who are self-sufficient. Your sense of inadequacy is not any reason why you should hold back from this exalted Crusade. Today this is more than ever true. Many of you have become what you are by training —not by in­clination. Once you were raw and reluctant recruits, per­haps. Now you are inferior to none in your fitness as soldiers.
"We have to remind you that you will have an oppor­tunity of training for the glorious campaign to which the Saviour-Captain calls. A Training College is in formation. Here everything likely to make you acceptable and fit as preachers will be at your disposal. The arrangements are almost complete.
"The peoples of this land, already safe from the peril of foes that are seen, ran only be saved from spiritual disaster if men, real men, will take them Christ's redemptive message. We in the churches are determined to help you all we can. We want to see not 16,000 only, but thousands more set for the propagation of a simple but sufficient gospel.
"Lend your ears to this call —dedicate your lives to this sublime end. Make this Homeland a veritable Habitation of God, to the blessing of the generations for whom so many of you have fought and so many of your comrades have fallen. May your thoughts be directed from above in this momentous day of opportunity!
With heartiest greetings,
THE GENERAL EVANGELIST COMMITTEE.” Not only must the church throughout the world be awake to these splendid opportunities, but we must also have faithful men in every congregation who know the truth and can defend it. One of the great reasons for our weakness in some sections has been the lack of spiritually - minded men, who are sufficiently impressed with the truth to realize their great responsibility to the God of Heaven. Too many times our elders are officials and nothing else. Often we will find that the deacons are incompetent and without much local prestige. We must bring to the front and keep at the front our strongest and brainiest men — men who have been tested and found capable and ready. We must have leaders who can act as generals in directing the activities of the home work. It they can act as. over­seers and simply direct the activities and act as watchmen on the tower, all well and good, but we must have men protecting every inch of ground if we expect to hold that ground and to advance into new territory. We must have men so thoroughly consecrated that they are willing and ready to lay down their lives for the truth. We read about such things in Paul's experience, but we don't often see it where we happen to live. We must have men who are able and ready to spring to the front and defend the banner of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps I can illustrate my meaning by this illustration, which is an experience I had some years ago, I took a trip through the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River. That year had been an unusually dry one through­out the north and even the Great Lakes were reported to be a foot lower. There are three series of rapids through the St. Lawrence, the third being the most dangerous. They are known as the Lachine Rapids. The boat we were on was a pleasure craft operated for sightseers and was es­pecially built for the narrow channel. Of course, there were great masses of rock in the course of the river, some of which was not visible, but every rock was known to the pilot. As we entered the rapids I could notice the terrific speed at which we were going by observing objects on the shore. We were dashing through the water with almost the speed of an express train. The average passenger was ignorant of any particular danger, but as I recalled the fact that the river was lower than common, I was made to realize that we were in real danger, and T regarded it as almost foolhardy to have taken such a risk. I glanced once at the pilot house and saw the faithful pilot with his eye fixed on the course and holding the little boat under control, but a moment or two later our boat gave a sudden lurch with such force as to throw nearly every passenger to his knees. My first thought was, "We are gone." In­voluntarily I looked to the pilot house again and there, instead of one man at the wheel, were five men and a sixth one stood by for emergency. These men sprang to the wheel at just the right time. The current of the river was such that the one man could not have held the vessel in the narrow channel and avoided the rocks. The other men were there when needed. A second or two later all would have been lost. This illustration drives home the responsibility of the standard-bearers in the Church of Jesus Christ. We must have men today who are equal to any emergency that may develop; men who can stand by and see the ship of Zion sailing peacefully in still waters or where the current is not dangerous, but men who are ready when the call for help is heard to spring to the front and take their hand at the wheel and help guide the old craft through the danger­ous rapids and bring it safely again into the calm waters below.