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“ Gods W a y to a New Revival” DEAN JOHN M. MACINNIS
those means instead of decreasing the distance, serve only to accentuate It, The Holy Eucharist alone will unite these different classes.” This is a reviving of the old sacramental idea of the mass that was the basis of union in the Middle Ages, and a fair and frank reading of history warns us that it is hopeless to look for salvation from that quarter; on the contrary we find that in its working out it prostituted both Church and State and made possible some of the most scandalous pages that disgrace the records of human his tory. On the other hand, however, it is true that the hope of the world is in the Son of Man and His promise; but Jesus Christ saves the world not in a mere ritualistic or sacramental display, nor a mere social and bread program, but in a spiritual experience of Jesus Christ as a living reality in life. Like the little colony on the field of Verdun, we must have a fellowship of forgiveness and genuine bro therhood where the different interests of the individual nations are forgotten in the white passion for a scheme that is for the common good. The only thing that can save a man or a community of men is the thing that can trans form and change a selfish, self-seeking life and make it like “ Him who came not to be ministered unto but to min ister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” So far as we are able to learn from a careful Btudy of the human race, a living experience of God in Christ is the only thing that can do that. The very least that we can honestly say is that we know that it can do that thing more effectively than anything else known to human history; Whenever self or class or national interests are put before God, conflict, discord and destruction naturally follow. We must have a center of interest and control that is greater than the interests of any single life or class or nation. Jesus Christ supplies such a center. All life centered in Him and directed by Him is wholesome and constructive. All life contrary to Him and His ideals is in its very nature destructive and full of death to all that is highest and best in life. A living experience of Him as reigning Lord is the only genuine international on the horizon of human think ing today. To recognize this is God’s way of revival. When ever men have recognized it, history rdcorda a genuine awakening and a new life. God’s way of a new revival therefore must be a recognition of Jesus Christ and His immediate claim upon us. A mere social or ritualistic recog nition will not be enough. It must be an experimental recognition, and such a recognition would mean first of all a genuine repentance. No man can come experiencially face to face with Jesus Christ without recognizing that our lack of response to His challenge to us is the reason for the condition of things as they are today. In other words it is our sins that separate between us and God and have resulted in the failure, shame and sorrow that we see on ever; hand. • Until this conviction is burned into our very souls (Continued on page 494)
HIS Is the title of an arresting article in the April 28th issue of the “ Life of Faith." The people of God everywhere feel the need of a visitation from on high. It is seldom that we find in human his tory a more acute consciousness of failure than has been present in the minds of the most serious students of world affairs in the last ten years. It is recognized that commun ities and nations have been breaking down under the strain of a self-seeking civilization, the real nature of which has been brought to light by the awful realities of one of the greatest wars in the history of civilization. The above article tells of a visit that was made to the battlefield of Verdun where, it is estimated, not fewer than 400,000 men were killed. It gives a picture of the ground torn and cov ered with shrapnel and debris and calls attention to the fact that the French at first were discouraged and decided that nothing could be done with this theatre of horror and death. This is a picture of the world in miniature. The real world is a world that is torn and defaced by the strife and greed and selfishness of men. Around us are the graves of millions who have lost their lives and 'their souls in this warfare of sin. The question, What shall we do with this broken world? is ever forcing itself upon the minds of the thoughtful. Like the French in regard to the desolate field at Verdun, we are often tempted to say that nothing can be done for it and to decide to leave it alone, yet on the other hand the undying hope that burns within the human breast does not allow us to rest in this decision. Some way we believe that right must finally prevail, and so men are con stantly coming back with plans to save the scarred and broken world. Again referring to the above named article, we have a picture of a little colony of two Germans, one Hungarian, one Swiss, one Frenchman and one Englishman banded to gether to engineer a scheme for wiping out the effects of the war in the torn field of Verdun. This was a fellowship of forgiveness and a certain sense of brotherhood that was trying to work out a way of redemption on the field of death. Today we find groups of people everywhere meeting in a sense of common cause to plan out schemes to wipe out the effects of the conflicts of greed, selfishness and sin in the world about us. Some way men feel that there must be a way by which sin and selfishness may be overcome and a life in which men can live together as brethren made possible. In the Eucharistic celebration which ia attracting so much attention in the city of Chicago this year the old Roman Catholic Church is trying to make us believe that the hope of humanity is in getting back to the Church Interpretation of the Eucharist. One speaker, according to the public press, said: "The Holy Eucharist Is necessary to unite the different classes of society which even acts o f benevolence towards the poor and needy are not able to achieve, because
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