The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-12-28

as a pnllOSopny or LEe, Ine Iuture of the world rests with the believers, those who believe in God. in His Christ. in His kingdom of justice and brotherhood. AS Stanley Jones says, If God goes, then the basis of life goes, If you lose your sky you will lose your earth"
 Faith in God, God of justice, power. righteousness, love, is the foundation for our hopes of the better world of the future. Men and women everywhere are turning to religion. taking e new interest in personal religion. because they need foundations. The Church must make the most of this op- portunity, this need. We must not fail to give the hungry the bread of life. we must not fail to pro- vide the faith and integrity upon which the strength of a nation can be built. It rests with the Church to supply the insight, the generos. ity, the determined. resolute good will the intelligent broadminded magnanimity which alone can make the peace just and durable,
 This is good reason to hope that civilization may have new birth after this war is over. I say that in spite of the fact that we re- member all too well the bitter dis iilusionment that followed the first World War. But if our cruelty wounded and sadly diseased mod ern civilization is to have that re- birth it must be because the larger proportion of our leaders and some considerable minority of the com mon people of the world have won for themselves new faith in God and man. We must have Q faith that is vital. personal, practical to the point of being ready to make some real sacrifices for the common good. We can be saved but only by faith. faith that is warm, per. sonal, resolute, sacrificial.
 There is the responsibility that rests upon all of us to renew our faith. How can We expect to be saved except we are reSolute and determined? There is the story of the man who was condoning his mistakes and misfortunes by giving detailed description of the cir- cumstances which led to his down. fall. Just consider the circum- stances" he said. as if that ex- plain everything The man who was listening was not quite con viniced, But where was your cen- terpiece?" Another man explained everything in terms of outside pressure" "Yes." was the reply. .But where were your inside hraces?" We ought not to allow ourselves to be pushed this way and that by circumstances We have foundation upon which we can stand if we will. The pressure Of misfortune and even tragedy need not brea'- us down, not II we have braeed ourselves with faith.
 The final test of religious faith is what it does to us and with us. We can hold out if we hold on. It is true that life tests us and tries us but it is also true that the faith we hold can be attested by the lives we live. If we have faith 1t will save us-anG use us. Many years ago a somewhat careless medical student happened in on a revival meeting. He sat at the back. sit- ting more or less in the seat of the scornful so far as the purpose Of the meeting was concerned. Four seen years later he met for the first time face to face the man who brought the message that night. He told the man that his whole life had been changed, that he had found his faith in God at that meeting. That's good" said the preacher, 'but what are you doing about it?" T have been try ing to live the Christian life from the Bay of Biscay to Labrador" Ot course the preacher vas Mir. Moody and the convert was Dr. Grenfell. Would that we all might hold our faith as hravely as Dr. Grenfei held his, that we might be as con- fident in our hope, as happy in oui Christian service, as he had been If our faith does not hold. we shal. never hold cut. If our faith hold we can never fail to hold out Everything depends on faitt. every thing that matters in this world or the world to come.