The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1917-10-18
STIRRING SERMON BY
REV. JOHN BARsTOW
delivered al Congregational Church
Manchester, Sunday Morning. oeso.
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Our wrestling ia not versus aesh
and blood but against the world.rulerS
Of this darkness, Eph. 6:i2' The
xeapors Of our warfare are not carnal
hu, spiritual 2 Cor. 1914.
There Is q literature growing out
Of this world-war that is certainly
unique--one tina, is likely to have
Transforming influence over countless
souls and that may change the whole
eurrB, Of mems thoughts in regard
70 wins, are really the deep. the gen.
nine. the abiding things Of life. and
thus viii Il radically charge the entire
life Of man.
This literature springc not from
men, however wide their reading or
broad their sympathics or pure their
motives, who live fer away from the
SCENES OF conflict aud who write in the
snug security Of their own homes, but
IL springs out Of the actual eNper-
fences Of men who have endured the
horrors Of modern warfare, who have
looked death unnnehingly in the face
who have seen men ar they really are
stripped OF all the veneer that some
times hides the real man, and they have
ehummed with them and have diseov-
cred wherein lies the true worth OF
the human soul.
And these writers are men who have
looked God in the face, who have
heard His voice end who caught a
vision bigger, grander, truer than the
average writer has ever seen.
Therefore modern prophets, though
they themselves would abiure the
name: and the very word Of God which
they speak, is perhaps as strongly
proclaimed in the differences one may
draw from their writings as il is in
the positive assertions they make.
Their words should have a wide cir
culation; they should be carefully pom
dered by all thinking men and the
questions they inevitably provoke
should hold our minds in a firm grip
until some Of them Mt least have been
satisfactorily answered.
II one says the questions raised are
as old as man himGelf, he must at
least acknowledge that they press
home upon the conscience Of every
lover of the human race, everyone
whose wishes are for his fellowmen
with persistency, with an intensity
such as no other age has shown.
want to bring TO you this morning
lust few sentences from the pen OF
one Of these modern prophets, ant
then make few comments thereon.
The young man graduated from Ok
ford with honors in history in 1905
and came to this country, entering
Union Theological Seminary in New
York. At the close of his junior yeal
he felt that his true life-work lay II
literature and he at once began to n
himself for that calling. He was fas
winning honors therein, after years OF
toilsome study, when the cruel an'
needless world wide war began, and HI
was left "face to face with solemn
spiritual exigency which admitted o
no equivocation."
He went to Ottawa and was offere'
a commission in the Canadian Fiel'
Artillery after completing his train
ing. He sailed for England July l6
1916, remaining there only four week
and then started for the front, an'
within two weeks of that time he wa
under fire, where he has remaine'
with only two brief respites, to tn
present time, if perchance he is livini
today.
The noble spirit, the high ideals o
the man in question is brought out !
a series OF lcttcfS NfIbtfi W iiiS Po'
ents, which his father has publishe
under the title Garry On His faith
er says: IL have come to feel that tn
spirit and temper of the writer Nigh
do something to strengthen and invia
orate those who like himself are Gale
on to make great sacrifices for hig
causes and solemn duties"
This temper and spirit are clearl
seen in the following quotations whlc
freely make. omitting all dates bu
following the chronological order.
Il am sailing from port unknow
with COCO troops, ] feel more tina
ever did that am setting out on
crusade from which il would haS
been impossible to withhold myse
with honor go quite gladly an
con;cntedly and pray in Gods goo
time / may come back again. yer
much hope | come back again. the'
are so many finer things that ! coul
do with the rest Of my days, bigg'
things But II by any chance | shou