THE KING’S BUSINESS 197 ments of the officers in our regular army, upon the militia, and then think of how the officers and soldiers at Columbus were caught napping. ' It is to be hoped that intelligent people, and above all Christian people, will resist to the uttermost this attempt at universal training, with all its countless attendant evils.
When Mr. Moody was holding his first great mission in London, Canon Conway of Westminster invited him to meet a few friends at luncheon. Among these friends was Dean Stanley, one of the most command
The Need of the Hour.
ing men of his day in the Church of England. Dean Stanley and Mr. Moody had the largest share in the conversation. The subject that they discussed was how the church could best influence the masses. Dean Stanley stated his views very fully: he said that he was familiar with labor leaders and they told him, as Well as men of all classes, that the clergy and ministers failed to interest and attract the people in proportion as they neglected to preach about popular questions, such as The relations of Labor and Capital, Social Reform, and Science. He went on to say that if preachers would frankly handle these questions that people would be more ready to hear what they had to say about Religion and Morals. Mr. Moody is reported as saying in reply: “We tried your plan, Mr. Dean, for a whole year in Chicago. We got the best thinkers and speakers in America, and crowds came to hear them. But there was not a single conversion. Then we got what you might call a fool to preach Jesus Christ, and hundreds were converted in a very short time. Let me tell you, Sir, we mustNpreach a living Saviour for lost sinners; nothing else will do.” Mr. Moody’s experience of forty years ago, as thus stated, has been repeated time and time again. The people who are now advocating the “social uplift” movement as a substitute for the Gospel think they have discovered something new, but it is old, very old. The plan has been thoroughly tried out and failed. The plan of preaching the Gospel in the power of the Holy Ghost is also old, even older, and that has been tried out and succeeded every place where it has been tried out. cannot see many indications of it. The .English on their part/ as speaking through Lloyd George (and we think he represents the attitude of the English people as a whole in this matter), demand “complete restitution, full reparation and effectual guarantees.” The Germans on their part have no disposition to make “complete restitution” and “full reparation,” and if they had the disposi tion it is to be questioned whether they have it in their power to do it. The longer the war continues the less will they have it in their power to make “complete restitution” and “full reparation,” and if England and hei\ allies demand it to the end, then the war must go on until Germany is completely crushed, or else until the Central Powers gain a complete victory. There is no prospect that Germany and the Central Powers will be crushed within a short time. | On the whole they have had the best of this year’s fighting. The There are seemingly an increasing number who cherish the hope that peace between the warring nations of Europe is near at hand, right at our doors. We could desire with all our hearts that they were right, but we Is Peace at Hand?
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