The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-09-26
THE PEOPLES FORUM.
Religion al the Front.

NbAoh q thc AOht.
With some people this seems to pre-
vail, that the soldier who makes the
supreme sacrifice and lays down his life
for his country has insured his entrance
| into heaven. However much we might
wish this to be true, we must not de
ceiVe ourselves nor mislead the boys.
Indeed few if any of them can be found
who hold such a doctrine This would
be to reject the only way as it is re-
vealed IN the word of God and to reject
Jesus as the only Saviour All we need
to do then to inherit eternal life in
/ heaven would be to die in the service of
our country. There is no other name
given under heaven among men where
By we must be saved" This Is why
chaplains, Y. NJ. c. A workers and
religious instructors are provided at
such great cost for the boys This is
why prayer is continually going up to
God for them. They recognize their
need of salvation but do not rely upon
] NAINiA u" II " StCuiG H.
Do we think of them as a reckless lot
of men who rush thoughtlessly into bat
tie or face death without thought of
the future? Far from it. | have been
interested ina British chaplain descrip-.
ton of his soldiers, But what is true
of Tommy is rue also Of our own boys
They think of Christ more than we
may imagine. The soldier knows what
he Is UP against. he knows what trench
| life means, and going over the top may
be but his start on his journey west, as
he expresses it. He believes in Christ,
though he may not haye Christ in his
life as an experience. His idea of
Christ is exalted. If we may accept
the testimony of a successful chaplain
! they reverence the name of Christ and
there is no name that has such in
slant power over a group of soldiers as
! Christ.
They have profound respect for the
name of Christ. Nor will they tolerate
any thing said against Christ. But
they do not seem to have 80 much re-
gard for the church. This may be oc-
casioned by the lack of discrimination
between the true and professed church.
They have feeling that the church is
wanting. The church does not seem to
attract them. This is unfortunate-it
is a mistake on their part.
However, we can't close our eyes to
the fact that the church is not what she
ought to be. that she does not live up
to her profession. or to the full measure
of her responsibilities she must do
more ana have less dont's. 1t almost
seems now as If the church's concep-
ton of Christian is one who don t
swear, or gamble. or drink, or dance, or
waste his money. nor work on Sunday,
or associate with doubtful characters.
His motto seems to be don't instead of
do. The New Testament idea of
Christianity is hardly what we see ex-
emplified in the churches of the present.
Whether right or not, multitudes of
people, both in and out of the army be-
lieve it is not. If the churches would
but reflect the image of the Christ and
let the world see His white robes, those
who are longing to see Him, to know
Him, to be HIS, will follow Him into
the church. and under the conscious in
fluence of His Divine presence will go
out into the world to hold up His banner
and follow where He leads.
1t is up to the church of the present