of the great German Sanatorium (used during the World War as headquarters, first by the Germans and then by the British) abundantly served the needs of the Council. The members were housed in tents and rough board barracks specially erected for the purpose on the grounds. Between sessions the motion picture machine was busy capturing the variegated costumes of the delegates. Here and there, under the trees or in the corridors, little groups met for discussion or prayer. In the public meetings, though discussion was almost invariably in English, some twenty different languages were used in voicing united prayer. Evil economic and industrial conditions, due largely to the lust and greed of the non-missionary approaches of what we term "the West," constituted a major missionary problem for the delegates from China, Africa and South America. It was found to be the unanimous feeling of the Council that the church should have some very positive and definite message on this subject. Though in this economic relationship we find "the sensitive nerve of our civilization and the root of materialism," yet missionaries often go on fighting a losing battle because they ignore the fact that "this has been a positive hindrance perhaps the gravest of such hindrances -to the power and extension of the missionary enterprise." To guide the thought of the Council on this subject several experts were present, including Mr. Grimshaw of the International Labor Office in Geneva and Mr. Tawney, author of "The Acquisitive Society." Fearless pronouncements were adopted on forced labor, the imperialism of public loans, industrial conditions in factories, and the exploitation of the natural resources of undeveloped areas. In order to keep the missionary leadership in touch with the economic problems and the wisest approach to them, a permanent bureau in connection with the Council was devised. DR. JULIUS RICHTER OF GERMANY Europe's greatest and best-known student of missions, in most suitable setting Other topics not often thought of as missionary were given careful study first in committee and then in the Council as a whole. Dr. Butterfield, Vice-President of the American Board, was the professional expert on Rural Areas. In view of the unrealized opportunity in these areas all around the world, an urgent plea for more specific training of missionaries for this work was voiced by the Council. The delicate question of the relationship between the races was handled firmly, though the question of intermarriage between the races was definitely and consciously avoided. War was denounced in no uncertain terms and a careful statement was adopted disapproving military protection for missionaries. This was in the form of a declaration of principle rather than a request that governments should change their usual practice. Though somewhat reluctantly following the urgent lead of the medical missionaries present, the Council asserted that the ministry of healing should be regarded as "an essential part of the work of the church" rather than a mere agency. Under the expert guidance of Professor Weigle, now Dean of Yale, new responsibilities in Religious Education were accepted and a careful set of find ings adopted. The section on Religions and Governments required most delicate but fearless handling. Some mission schools closed by the government in and near Hamadan, Persia, and the closing of the American Board school in Brousa, both on religious issues, furnished living examples for careful study, while the prohibition by the British Government of Christian education in the schools of Northern Nigeria, where the religion of the people is Islam, provided further illustrative material. "It became the fundamental conviction of the Council that, in an astonishing and unexpected way, the stable and assured conclusions of the modern educational leadership coincide with both the Christian method and message." The Council was therefore called to follow the wonderful teaching methods of Jesus and "to recapture the vision of those ancient Fathers of the Church who saw the whole process of human history as the training of mankind by the tutelage of the educative Word of God." The committee which gave itself to the study of the "Home Base" was humorously called the "Base Board," and as such it received its due measure of kicks. There was no lack of criticism of the comfortable churches which have lost their vision of the urgency of the need for aggressive missionary work. "We are at the parting of the ways; either we must go forward abroad or we go backward at home." "It is the inescapable fact that the present spiritual life of the churches is not adequate for the task for which they exist." The Council agreed that "we are impelled by a sense of urgency, which can only be described as awful, to share with our churches at home and overseas the vision of need which God has made known to us in this holy place." A strong call was issued to intelligent and fervent prayer, and an appeal was extended to the ministry for larger and more understanding cooperation, especially in the matter of missionary education and the winning of youth to the great cause. Dr. Leavitt, Chairman of the Prudential Committee, contributed materially in this section, especially with an appeal to the younger churches in mission lands, to stimulate the devotion of the older churches by clearer and more compelling statements of what they conceive to be the immediate needs abroad. It was concluded that more givers are more important than more money, and that "the life must be given before there will be any real giving." "It is the duty of the church in all lands to educate its members in the principles of Christian Stewardship." The only adequate standard of giving is the complete dedication of life, with all its activities, to the service of the Kingdom of God. With such complete With such complete dedication there remains no uncertainty as to what the Christian should give; it is only as to what he must retain effectively to equip himself for the most perfect service. THE HIGHEST POINT REACHED IN THOUGHT The high-water mark of the Council was registered when the Bishop of Manchester read the findings on The Christian Message. This report points out that the sense of instability and uncertainty in the world is paralleled by "a tragically earnest quest for a new basis for life and thought." Especially among the youth of the world there is a great yearning "for the full and untrammelled expression of personality, for spiritual leadership and authority, for reality in religion, for social justice, for human brotherhood, for international peace." In answer to this yearning our message is Jesus Christ. In His cross and resurrection we find an inexhaustible source of power that makes us hope when there is no hope. Through Him "men and societies and nations that have lost their moral nerve will be quickened into life." "We believe that men are made for Christ and cannot really live apart from Him. Our fathers were impressed with the horror that men should die without Christ. We share that horror, but are impressed with a deeper one-the horror that men should live without Christ." Realizing that our present complacency and moderation are far from being sufficient to express the mind of Christ, the Church was called to seek a more heroic practice of the Gospel. Though the Council was ready to adopt at once this profound expression of the Christian message to the world, it was thought best to hold the vote over till the morning, that it might be earnestly considered by every member. It was then unanimously adopted by a rising vote and with earnest prayers of dedication to the great task involved. Before the Council adjourned plans were made for its future organization. The splendid contribution made by the nationals of China, India, Japan, Africa, and the other missionary areas, emphasized anew the necessity of securing from them a larger measure of help in international missionary planning. "The immense territory traversed between Edinburgh, 1910, and Jerusalem, 1928, was revealed nowhere more strikingly than in the discussions of the relation of the older and the younger churches. At Edinburgh there were barely twenty-six representatives of the younger churches in a membership of over twelve hundred. At Jerusalem the representation was almost fifty-fifty," and this prepared the way for the reorganization of the Council. It will be composed of the national missionary organizations and the National Christian Councils in some twenty-five different areas, east and west. It will be convened at the discretion of what is known as MEMORABLE SENTENCES FROM THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL You can't put Christianity into the non-Christian as you put water into a jug. You can only draw it out of him as you find the truth that corresponds to his experience and sense of values. -Canon Quick. Secular civilization is my civilization. It has been allowed by the church to pursue its independent way. The breach between Christ and this civilization is due to Christianity. -Mr. Grimshaw. Economics controls nine-tenths of the life of nine-tenths of the people, so it is a mighty important sphere of religion. -Mr. Tawney. The higher you go the wider the horizon. -Chinese proverb quoted by Mr. Yui. We must recover the note of urgency in our message not because it is a good talking point, but because it is not true that people are getting along fairly well without Christ. Mr. Stauffer. The desire to get the increment which is socially and not personally accrued is at the bottom of much of the evil around the world. -Bishop McConnell. Education and religion belong together. So close are they that when sundered they become either rivals or enemies. -Professor Weigle. Social evils exist not because anyone is so grossly wicked, but because there are so many people just as indifferent as ourselves. -Bishop Temple. The Committee of the Council, which acts for it in the interval between its general meetings. This committee was enlarged to include thirty-seven representatives from the national bodies or areas throughout the world. It will have larger powers than formerly, but it will be dependent for its authority and financial support on the specific action of the national groups thus represented. EASTER DAY THE EMOTIONAL CLIMAX The vivid memories of Holy Week thrilled the members as they trod the paths frequented by the Master. Easter Day was the climax of the Council. In tender fellowship which will never be forgotten the Communion was celebrated before breakfast, all denominations participating under the leadership of Bishop McConnell. The morning sermon was by Robert E. Speer. He showed how the resurrection was in fact central in the minds of the Apostles. C In it they found their basis for faith, their eternal hope and their source of power. At the close, with magnificent disregard of the present state of the church in their native land, this message of hope and power was brought home in song and liturgy by the robed choir of the Russian Cathedral! At the last session of the Council closing impressions were given by Stanley Jones, K. T. Paul, David Yui, John Hope, and others; and the final message was from the Lord Bishop of Salisbury. "He goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him." “We shall not see Him if we linger here on this Mount. It is there in the place of our daily tasks He awaits us.' Right there in the ordinary routine the Lord Jesus is waiting to give us the spiritual revival for which the Church is languishing. And so the great Council closed with an act of dedication to a fellowship around the world of confident and triumphant prayer. THE BLOOD COVENANT BY HENRY C. MCDOWELL A fine example of what it will mean when Christianity has been enriched by the contributions of all races of men is found in the following story told by a representative of the colored Congregational churches of America, whose work centers at Galangue, Angola, West Africa. HANCE conversations with native Christians often produce gems of wondrous worth. Some time ago I engaged one of the charter members of the church in conversation about the Holy Communion. In the course of our talk he said this about the phrase "in my blood": "During the old days we made lots of the blood covenant. Very often a young man, while in the initiation camps, would covenant with another, or certain ones starting on their first journey would covenant with each other. They would take a little of each one's blood, mix the two, and tie a cloth stained with the mixed blood on the spot where the blood was drawn. Very often, after having been separated for a long time, they would renew the covenant. On a long journey the one must befriend the other, come what might. If a wild animal attacks one the other cannot leave him behind; if one dies, the other must die. "In the Holy Communion I renew my blood covenant with Christ. I partake of his blood, as of the blood of a friend. I cannot leave him after having drunk his blood, and I am crucified with him in the sense that having taken the covenant, I must give my life for the same things that he gave his life for. I cannot leave him and he cannot leave me." I have every reason to believe that that man is perhaps in more vital touch with Truth than I. THE MASTER'S PRAYER H God, the Father of us all, living in that wonderful world of your power and your love which is round about us, we pray that you may be honored and loved and obeyed everywhere. May your Kingdom come true. May all men and nations accept Jesus as their King. May his way of life become the way of life for all the world. Give to us all, in every place, the food we need to keep our bodies and minds at their best. Forgive the wrong thoughts and words and deeds that have come into the lives of any of us, whether in America or Europe or Asia or Africa. Help us to forgive the wrongs and slights that have been done to us. Lead us not into temptation. But if temptation comes to any man or woman or child this day, deliver us from evil. For yours is the dominion, and the strength, and the credit for all that is good in human life, now and for ever. Amen. EDGAR L. HEERMANCE, New Haven, Conn. A A Story out of Donald Fraser's "The New Africa”1 WIDESPREAD movement towards Christianity of young men and women had entered the classes preparatory to baptism, and already thousands of others had been received into full membership. But the missionary observed with pain that few of the headmen, who were the fathers of the people, had left the old ways, though many old women had found new and joyous life in Christianity. So he called all the village elders near at hand to meet him one Sabbath morning, and about seventy responded. When they were seated he said, "In the olden days you were the leaders in worship. Why is it that you sit in the village today and leave the worship of God to the younger folk?" "We are too old to understand the new doctrines and the new God. There are strange customs which we cannot adopt, for we have had our customs that we received from our fathers." "But it is not a new God whom we worship," said the missionary. “And the new customs are but the way in which new life expresses itself. Would you like to understand what the teaching is?" "We cannot go to school. We are too old to learn to read. We have always been polygamists, and have drunk our beer." "Well," replied the missionary, "it is a long way we have to travel till we come to God. And you hear that there are broad rivers and seas to cross, and you have no canoes. You fear the crossing. But let us forget about the difficulties ahead. Will you try to see if you can make the first day's journey with me?" "Yes, let us try," they cried. So that day the missionary took as his text, "God is." When he had finished the old men spoke, delighted to have an opportunity of taking part, as they did in the village councils. They told how their fathers, too, named the Creator God, and they gave the evidence that confirmed their faith. producing evidence that this must be true. God had not left the world he made and the children to whom he had given life. But the fathers had not thought of this. When the discussion closed, the missionary said: "We have finished our second day's journey. Have you all arrived at this sleeping-stage?" "Yes," they cried, "we are all there." And they trooped into church again, and sat where the fathers of the people should be well forward before the congregation. On the third Sunday one or two were absent, but they sent apologies, sorry to miss the day's travel. Then the missionary's text was, "God is good." This was new doctrine. The old men had not thought of God as having righteousness. But when they had talked it out they all agreed that it must be so, and they assented that they were all together at the third stage, and had found the road not too hard. Next week the text was, "God loves." But this was difficult to believe. Why were there sickness and death in the world? They used to say, when he took their children from them, "He is cruel." That day the discussion was long and detailed. But when the end came they said they were all there at the end of the fourth stage. Then the missionary came to the most difficult text of all: "He that worships God must be good, too." They knew what worship was, but they had not associated worship with conduct. But as they talked it over they agreed that if God was good, he could not be content till those who reverenced him were like him. And in the end they at last assented to this doctrine, and they all said the journey had been made by them together. But there were searchings of heart that day. Their lives were being related to God. Now the missionary knew that no one understands what goodness means except as it is pictured in personality. So he began now to talk of Jesus, the When the conference was over, the missionary perfect example of goodness. And as the days went asked: "Do you believe that God is?" "Yes, we all believe," they assented. "Then we have finished our first day's journey together, and have arrived at the first sleeping-place. Next Sunday come and see whether we can travel another stage together." When the class broke up and the church bell rang for service, the old headmen were all there, with a new sense that this worship belonged to them, too. Next Sunday they were all present, and the missionary took as his text, "God is in the world today, not an absentee God, but living and working." When he had finished the headmen talked, slowly 'Published in America by the Missionary Education Movement, New York. Price, 60 cents. on, the old men gave assenting adoration to Christ. But there were hard things to believe. To these men the doctrine that Jesus taught forgiveness, even of enemies, was the hardest of all. It took some days to cross that high hill. When the broad rivers of monogamy and abstinence and other new customs were approached, there were some who found that the waters were not wild and dangerous, after all, and they crossed, for a new Companion had come into their lives. This little story of a real incident in evangelism is given to reveal two things. First, that there is a true relation between what we teach and what the heathen fathers believed. And second, that there is an approach not through the negations and prohibitions, but through the positive truths of our faith. |