Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1919-08-15

with American church leaders and
attending several of the larger denomi-
national assemblies.
Speaking of the relations between
Switzerland and America, of the
League of Nations and of the effect
of the war on the religious life of
EurNpe, DR.. Keller said:
In spite of the distance between us,
and the fact that our national and
religious communications have been
hitherto undeveloped, there is no
doubt that not a few of your churches
feel q close connection with the ideas
and life forces which had their origin
in Zurich and Geneva. Thus many of
the American churches are together
with US, the wardens of the same
special heritage which was left US by
the Swiss Reformation.
Ties Strengthened by the War.
But the war and the new situation
which it has created, have brought
these ties into prominence and have
given US a new consciousness of the
great lCllSlOOS IdlAllN " NlIlNA W.
belong in a special fellowship and of
which the American churches form an
important part. This meant a real
discovery for us. Since the war your
country has modified spiritual forces
to an extent hereto unseen. With
Joy and gratitude have we listened to
the expression of these powers in the
declarations and the attitude of Presi-
lent Wilson. We feel bound to con-
slider them as the mightiest attempt,
ever made in modern history, to per-
meate the relations Of the peoples
with the spirit of justice and right
business, to dominate international
policy by clear moral principles and
to oppose them TO that other prin-
'ciple that might is right, which is so
deeply discredited today and which
has beer condemned from the out
break of the war, by the great
majority of our people.
1--WE were aware that America
defended the principles of liberty and
democracy on which u republic was
established six hundred years ago,
and shielded the rights of small peo-
pies as ourselves. But in the League
of Nations, a league based On mutual
respect and good will, so tremendously
advocated by President Wilson, we
saw a nobler endeavor to satisfy our
hopes for a closer communion between
nations on the lines laid down by the
Gospel.
League Not A cure-AIl.
"We are, howeve.. convinced that
the League of Nat;oAs as a mere polit.
ical organization will not fulfill all that
is necessary TO a V the peoples from
the abyss of wretchedness into which
they have fallen. This sick and
wounded world is in want of the heal
ing forces of the Spirit of God. Once
more the Gospel of our Lord has to be
announced, the divine message that
the Father God takes to His heart,
those who in repentance and be-
lief seek Him and that He gives them
by His boundless grace the spirit of
atnew life and of a new communion.
1.-The Swiss Christians being in close
touch with the b%elligerent peoples con-
sidered the needs of the present time
to be an immediate challenge to all
Christian churches to bring that mes
sage to all those who are willing 10
accept 1t and to make effective in the
nations the supernatural elements of
unity contained in the Gospel. These
facts constitute a real claim to support
our efforts in the coming tasks. We
are, however, aware that in this re-
gard much will depend on the attitude
TAKEN by the American churches"