prevails from that which is recognized by those whose aims and
desires are bounded by this world? Would he perceive that the
things of life and of death are regarded in a different light, and
measured by a different standard? Would he, for example,
notice any marked difference in such matters as the scale of
luxury in their households, the care they bestow upon dress, the
amount of holidays which they take? Would he realize that
Christians are followers of Him Whose Kingdom is not of this
world, Who taught that the material conditions under which we
live are of small account, that comfortable circumstances even
constitute a peril to the true life, that they are most blessed who
hunger and mourn, who are reviled and persecuted ? Have not
even Christian philanthropists too often sought to heal the hurt
of their people by preaching the gospel of ease and comfort and
not the Gospel of the Cross, by appealing to the lower instincts
instead of to the spiritual nature, because they supposed that
only by such means could men ‘be attracted to listen to a higher
call? And during these past ten months we have been
witnessing the constant spectacle of men readily sacrificing all
that is most dear—the joys of home life, the prospects of
advancement, and wealth, and ease, and life itself—because they
could not fail to answer the call which bade them seek a yet
higher prize, a prize often to be won only through death. To
many of us life and death will henceforth wear a different aspect.
(6) Self-sacrifice.—The question is sometimes asked : ©‘ How
is it that so many who are brought up within the Church drift
away when they attain manhood and womanhood ? Where are
all those who as children received a Christian education in our
public schools, our elementary Church schools, our Sunday
schools?” May not one answer be: “The Church lost them
because she failed to demand enough of them.” The war has
given abundant proof that our people will respond if sufficiently
great demands are made. And many of these have heard for the
first time that call to sacrifice. They knew that the Church
expected them to attend some of her services, and perhaps to
give a fraction of their income to her funds, but had they been
taught that she demands their personal service, the complete
surrender of body, soul, and will? We may listen to many
sermons and never hear this call to personal service and sacrifice.
So much is provided for us, so little demanded of us. We
luxuriate in our wealth of religious privileges—our daily services,
the beautiful music of our paid choirs, our courses of sermons.
Do we ask ourselves at what a cost these are provided? Do we
reflect that the demand for frequent services necessitates the
employment of a large proportion of our none too numerous
clergy, that we are thereby maintaining a system which makes it
impossible in some parishes for the priest to carry out the work
of visiting his people, which keeps our clergy at home and