Evening star., 1942-03-16
Scotland Moderator
Calls War Spiritual,
NOT Political, Clash
HitIerism Will Be Crushed
When Man Sees Gods
Saving Power, He Says

when mankind recognizes Gods re-
6enptive power, declared the Rev.
DR.. j. Hutchison Cockbrrn, moder-
ator of the Presbyterian Church Of
Scotland, in a sermon yesterday
morning at First Presby-
terian Church.
Asserting that materialistic philos-
ophies and liberal humanists caused
a portion of mankind to believe
they could do without God, Dr.
Cockburn said this type of thinking
and living sowed the seeds Of Axis
barbarity and sadism.
"The world war now raging" DR..
Cockburn emphasized, "is not pri-
marily a clash between two political
theories or two economic systems,
but first and foremost Is spiritual
clash; the Christian world and the
Christian church are challenged,
and they must restore decency, JUS
tice and love of God to all the peo-
Piles of the earth.
1--WE can become a Goddess world
and be the hewers Of wood and the
drawers of water for the Herronfolk,
who call themselves the 'aristocracy
of the human race or we can grid
on the armor Of righteousness, de-
feat the enemies of Gods church,
and bring peace to a suffering world.
God Must Be Rediscovered.
"By the word church I do not
mean merely the ,moderators and the
ministers: 7 mean all the people.
God must be rediscovered by the
sinful; God must be allowed to gov
ern our thoughts, our aspirations.
and our relationships with our fell
low men; we must think Of the
Divine Creator we know through
faith, prayer and clean living, and
not think Of Him as remote Sev1or
sitting In Heaven"
In another sermon at the Wash
ington Cathedral, sponsored by the
Washington Federation Of Churches,
DR.. Cockburn called for spiritual
counterattack" to meet the spread
of Hitlerls false religion"
DR.. Cockburn was introduced BY
the Right Rev. James e. Freeman.
Bishop of Washington. A prayer
was offered by the Very Rev. Ze
Barney T. Phillips, dean Of the
cathedral.
Attired In knee breeches, black
stockings, buckled shoes, frock coat,
high clerical collar, with white lace
flowing from cuffs and shirt front,
and wearing a scarlet hood about the
neck. DR.. Cockburn, 6 feet 4 inches
tall, was a majestic figure in the
elevated pulpit of the Covenant
First Presbyterian Church as he
preached to a congregation that
taxed the capacity Of the edifice.
Many worshippers were turned
away, unable to find room. The pas
tor, the Rev. DR.. Albert Joseph Nc
Cartney, presented DR.. CockSurn,
who as Moderator Of the Presby-
terian Church Of Scotland Is the
spiritual leader Of 1,25o, 900 Presoy-
terians.
"Not even Hitler" DR. Cockburn
said, could have managed the sue
cesses achieved by the goddess i the
soil had not been prepared for his
evil ways. The materialistic philoso-
ply, which came in about Is years
ago and ate deeply into the man IN
the street, held that God mo longer
was necessary to sustain the world
and direct its destinies. Then came
the liberal h,,nanists. who talked
about mans continued advance
along earthly paradise lines. They
forgot to read their Bible.
Fallen Deeper into Sin.
"Instead of a new paradise, the
world has been given a new hell.
Man, instead of advancing, has
fallen deeper into sin. The hu-
manists spoke of rights. as II man
had any right to justice, truth ana
reasonable liberties, unless man
acknowledged God as the Supreme
Creator.
"What right has man to any
rights? Are these rights gifts which
the states grant to citizens2 THESE
rights come from God, for GOD
made man free, and human en-
deayor is to give the utmost free
dom to men created in Gods own
image. Justice is administered by
the state. but God inspires con-
cepts of Justice, truth and decency.
"Hitler's triumph would destroy
our very lives. Hitler lies from day
to day, not because he likes TO Ne
but because he cannot conceive tnat
Gods truths are eternal"
"Barbarity and sadtsm Will crush
man unless man finds the cure" DR.
Cockburn added. These three
things man must learn If he Is to
emerge from darkness: l. God reigns
and nothing can destroy the pur-
poses of the Most High; the greatest
affirmations are not subject to proof |;
thew come by faith. q A little bit OF
truth about understanding God
illumines the whole, even II eternal
things are seen by man only through
peepholes. 3. God did not give man
the power of redemption, but re-
served it unto Himself.
Man Can't Lift Himself.
Man can no more lift himself
unaided to Heaven than he can lift
himself from the ground by pulling
on his shoe laces.
when the church begins to re-
gard itself as the eternal creation
of Gods love, 1t will speak and the
world will listen. The primary truth
about the church is that it Is the
church of God, enabling us to de-
velop our souls into Goodness. So
be of good cheer, take your place in
the church and help rebuild it. Only
the Christian church can do this"
DR.. Cockburn told how religious
leaders in Norway, Holland, France
and even In Germany are defying
Hitler's goddess state. Spiritual
energy is needed not only to win the
war but to build q better world, ne
said, adding that victory when it
comes will be largely shorn Of its
glory II the heart Of mankind spurns
Gods TEACHINGS"