Norwich bulletin., 1914-12-26


 programme Of Christmas music was. much enjoyed.
 Archdeacon Brown took his text
 from Isaiah g: 6. and his sermon fol- lows:
 We have long been accustomed to associate Christmas day in our minds with the spirit of peace and good will, with thoughts of generosity and broth erly love. For such thoughts naturally associate themselves with Him whose birth gives the day it's whole signif- canoe. It was foretold of Christ that He should be the Prince of Peace, that He should speak peace unto the na- tiens'' and that He should be the peace of His people" The last mes sage He himself gave His disciples was Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you.' And St. Paul assures us that in Him is our peace. Has, then, Christ vindieated or proved His title as Prince of Peace?
 Was Raising vexins Questions.
 The question is most important, for even among Christians the terrible catastrophe now taking place in the European world extending even into Asia and Africa has been raising yeX- ing questions and doubts, while those who are opposed to Christianity, or have been watching it with practical eyes, proclaim 1t a. failure because it has not prevented this awful tragedy.
 Conceptions of Peace.
 How, then, shall we answer the question I have raised? We'll, in the first place by reminding ourselves that much wider ground than simply peace among nations. It includes. as a main element, the individuals peace with God. For God was in Christ recon cling the world unto Himself" And in asking whether Christ has proved DV-fy Nf pnnN Nn Icf ask whether Christ in His doctrines of the fatherhood of God and the for gfveness of sin has not brought Q
 measure of peace to the individual which was unknown to man until Christ came. Is not the peace of the that of the ordinary heather, whether ancient or modern?
 The slightest owledge of history or of present condition among the heather will at once compel an answer in the affirmative. The same thing is true as regards mems atti Jude towards death and future and as re"ards mems attitudes towards one another. The Hhristian'S attitude toward death and the hereafter is ore of hope and faith, while the attitude of men who have never known Christ is one of doubt and despair.
 The Attitude of the Heathen.
 Is it necessary to ask which is the more peaceful attitude, that of the Christian or that of the heather? And is it not manifestiy true that the Christian attitude of brotherly love towards one's fellows is superior, vast ly, to that which regards every sIran- ger as an object of hate or suspicion. as was the case in the days of Cicero? It is sometimes necessary to remind ourselves of the fact that there was time when every man went armed. I,s Jfs-Ba% provoeation. It is not so very long ago that duels were a common form of settling disputes between individuals, whereas now the duel is almost obso- lete. and the only men who consider it necessary to carry guns are thugs and their like. All these considerations are to be taken into the account in answering the question whether Christ has vfndicated His title as Prince of Peace, not forgetting to put beside them the fnnumerable agencies of peace. good will and love created by the church and the disciples of Christ. Christianity Accepts Challenge.
 But let us leave these considerations to one side for the moment. For Christ was predicted as onewho should speak peace and make peace among the nations and to vindicate His title as Prince of Peace we must be able to show that His doctrines and example, as carried out by His church and disci- pies. have made and do make for inter- national peace.
 We'll, dear friends, Christ and Christianity do not hesitate to accept the challenge. For one thing, no one who remembered Christ's insistence on the doctrine of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man will be vors or leads to war. In all His teach ing and practice while on earth Christ ignored the great national and racial barriers which men have built up. He simply passed them by as though they did not exist. He spake the parable of the good Samaritan in order to show the Jews that God Is no respect CT of persons. He not only associated with the despised and outcaSt of His time, but reserved for them some of the choicest of His discourses, as in the case of Matthew, the publican, and the women of Samaria. Moreover, the disciples of Christ through the ages can point to the fact that, in propor- l ton as peoples and nations have ab- l sorbed the doctrines of Christ, there has been a decrease of war and an in- cfeasing desire for peace. Take, for example. the case of the savages of the South seas or the savages of Africa, 1 where only a few years ago these tribes were utterly uncivilized and in a state of perpetual warfare, they are | with one another.
 A Vision for the Masses.
 Or take the case of the cities of the | old world in the middle ages. They | were all armed camps and all in con- ] tinual war with one another. And the | same can be said of the small states I and petty kingdoms of the same peri 1 cd. But all this has passed away and l the cities and small states are now 1 living in comparative peace with one l another, being united in empires o1 l considerations. It is true that the for ] naer rivalFies and contentious Of the 1 cities and petty kingdoms have in a measure been transferred to the con- l fedeFatiohs or empires And it is true as in the present circumstances, thai 1 war between the larger states and em. 1 pires has not been abolished. But 1 nevertheless, the great masses of the ] people have seen g. light and caught z l vision. As the principles of Christ ant the gospel have permeated the civilized l peoples they have to a large eStent l embodied themselves in peace secie- l ties which have had a transforTnins | effect on reepie's attitude toward war | It is utterly false to say that thi: l war is in any sense a peoples war l Do you suppose for a moment that i
 the people Of any Of the nations now I involved had been asked whether they 1 desired war, they would have sait l Yes? Did the people want their homes 1 kE Il rT 1@ tA Aw