THE RECONSTRUCTION OF CHURCH LIFE AFTER THE WAR.

By Miss G. M. BEVAN.
When we set ourselves to consider the reconstruction of
Church life after the war we recognize that the Church is entering
on a new phase of her history, that Church life as we have known
it hitherto is no longer sufficient for the great needs of to-day
and the great tasks of to-morrow, and that far-reaching changes
are necessary. We all desire that out of the overwhelming
catastrophe which has befallen us our Church life should be built
up into something stronger, purer, more spiritual than before.
But if we are to take our part worthily in that great work we
must keep clearly before our eyes what it is that we should aim
at, where our Church life is defective, and what are the changes
which we should endeavour to bring about.
Some of us may have dreamed a year ago that the Church’s
task was to bring in an era of peaceful progress, in which all men
would be united in a universal brotherhood which should remove
all inequalities, and, as far as possible, eliminate trouble and pain
from human life. The war has shattered that and many another
illusion, and since last August disappointment has been very
freely expressed that the Church which seemed to have achieved
so much has proved powerless to avert the war, or to mitigate the
ferocity with which it is being waged. And some are asking in
perplexity : ‘ Has Christianity proved a failure ?”” The question
implies that Christianity has failed to carry out the purpose for
which it came into the world, and has held out expectations
which it has not fulfilled. We should then do well to ask:
* What was Christianity expected to accomplish ?”' It is no new
thing to hear of “the failure ” of the Church, and if indeed the
Church ought to have succeeded in making the whole world
Christian in heart and in life, then truly she has failed. But if
we look at the New Testament we can see no ground for any
such expectation. There the Church is regarded as the salt of
the earth, the wheat growing among tares, the light shining in
darkness. And whilst we recognize the paramount duty to carry
out to the utmost of our power the command: ‘Preach the
Gospel to every creature,” we dare not forget that He Who
gave the command also said: “ Many are called, but few are
chosen.”
But those who speak of the failure of Christianity would
perhaps say that they are referring to the failure of the Church
to impress her principles upon the world. * The Church exists to
be a living witness to other-worldliness, to self-sacrifice, to