A MOBILIZATION OF THE CHURCH.
(TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTITOR.1
Strt,—The stirring article on the above subject by "A Student in Arms" in your last issue has a sterling ring about it which compels sympathy and admiration. There is only one point of the writer's to which one is moved to demur, and that is what seems to be a tacit assumption that, if the clergy are out of touch with the people, the whole fault must be laid at tho door of the former. I am afraid the Prophet Isaiah was consider- ably out of touch with the Jews of his time, and so was Jeremiah, and so was Ezekiel. So were they all. Some one who knew said on one occasion: "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted ?" And another who knew better still cried : " 0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that kille,st the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee." If the prophets were out of touch with the people, so much the worse for the people, as the event proved. After all, the main business of a prophet (or preacher) is not to get on with folks, but to tell them the truth. And there is no use disguising the fact that, for many a long year, great masses of our people have been breaking away from truths which cannot be classed among outworn contro- versies but are vital ; and have been acquiring views of life which are increasingly materialistic, and therefore increasingly false. The men who are obstinate enough to go on proclaiming those old truths may lay themselves out (as most of them nobly do) to be men among men and not mere ecclesiastics. They may set themselves the admittedly splendid task of touching the Jives of the people air every point. They may be thoroughly good fellows at home, and equally good comrades in the trenches. But when it is all over the estrangement somehow will be still there. The " touch " will have proved to be only superficial, while underneath, till at all events the faith of our fathers comes to its own, the cleavage will remain as deep as the grave.—
I am, Sir, &c., J. D. W. WORDEN, The Rectory, licinbworthy, N. Devon.
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