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Show And Does BiUe Authority Also Shut Out from Paradise tile Millions of German Dead? British Official Photo. Conyrleht. A Soldiers Grave in Flanders. ness, stained by mortal sins of many feinds. It must be admitted that many brave soldiers, though a small proportion of the total number, have led sinful lives. Those who. 'take tQe view already stated that the American soldier's self-sacrifice is the supremely Christian act answer unhesitatingly un-hesitatingly that it washes away all previous pre-vious sins. In connection with this point it must be remembered that many theologians, from St. Augustine onward, have declared that one instant of sincere repentance overcomes over-comes the effect of a life of dreadful sin and makes it possible for the worst sinner to go to heaven. A reasonable development develop-ment of this doctrine is that the performance perform-ance of a supremely Christian act implies repentance without further act or declaration. decla-ration. How can the man who is willingly giving his life for humanity feel anything but repentance for any wicked or mean act he may have committed? The question whether the dying' British soldier has the same assurance of heaven as the American soldier has called forth more diversity of opinion. The Rev. Reginald Regi-nald J. Campbell, the most popular preacher preach-er in England, was one of the first to assert that the British soldier who gave dead American heroes. The International Association of Evangelists, an important body of Protestant preachers, passed this resolution : "Whereas, The statement has been made from the platform of Winona Bible Conference Con-ference and elsewhere that the' soldier dying in battle is assured at once the blessings of heaven; be it "Resolved, That the .International Association Asso-ciation of Evangelists takes exception to such a statement, and reaffirms the plain Bible teaching that salvation depends 6n one's personal relationship to Jesus Christ." The teaching referred to by these ministers min-isters is that a man must believe in the Saviour and truly repent of his sins in order to he saved. This is the clear teaching teach-ing of the Bible. It is thus stated in St. John, chapter iii., 16-18: ' "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever whoso-ever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The same language practically is repeated re-peated several times in the New Testament, Testa-ment, for in Acts, chapter xvi., 30-31, we read: "What must I do to be saved? "Believe on the Lord Jesus 1 ' - ' - "''t.": ,Y Y i Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Basing their position on these and similar texts, the strict evan-;elical evan-;elical preach- . ers argue that a man cannot be gaved ex- i" , - cept by belief yg ' ,n the Saviour- z&L. CTMBtirPWffjwtllWl Drawn by Laden .lonas for the Sphere, Lrcri- Coovrichted to toe ttUrn iHSyMBnl States by the Sew Setk Herald Ojaiptmy. , " V, "Jhe Spirit or Christ Hovering Over the Battlefieli'l "$9IIm A NoWe Work of the Artist Jon" Which Reflects she Deep PsLnodtst ' ' and Religion That Inspire the Self Sacrifice cf the French Sdfol A MOST interesting and vital religious discussion has arisen concerning the eternal future of the soldier killed in battle. "Does the soldier "who bravely dies in battle, fighting for the right cause, go to heaven, no matter what his past life may have been?" is a question widely asked. The answers so far made by ministers on this subject generally agree that the American soldier who dies in this way must certainly go to heaven, because he Is fighting purely for humanity without hope of gain, and because his very act is a perfect expression of Christian faith and sacrifice. This theological view is largely based on Christ's declaration "Greater love hath no man than this, that man lay down his life for his friend" Bt. John, Chapter XIII, 13. There are, however, many shades of opinion on the euDiect, and many subtle arguments from Scripture and theological authorities have been used. Now, while it is -widely agreed that the American soldier dying on the "battle-field certainly inherits eternal life, it is questioned ques-tioned by some whether the British soldier Is quite so surely promised this reward in the scriptures. And a still greater difference differ-ence of opinion arises as to whether the French soldier is as Burely to reach the heavenly abode as his American or English Eng-lish comrades. Why there should be any distinction made ajnong the Allies' soldiers by Bible students is explained later- on in this article. The Rev. William A. Smith, of Boston, has very eloquently stated in a sermon on the death of a young American soldier killed in France the reasons why an American Amer-ican hero must win heaven. "Jt is one thing to lay down one's life for one's friends; it is a far nobler, even a Godlike thing, to lay down one's life for people in distant lands and for the stranger within our gates. The people we serve are', few who could call any one of us by name, and all of our honored dead, and those who carry the all-but-fatal scars of battle, will be remembered and esteemed as unnamed heroes who reasoned happier life beyond to give one's life primarily for the sake of something largely abstract, and only secondarily sec-ondarily for home and friends and country, in utter ignorance of how the struggle will terminate, unreluctantly exchanging the known pleasures and delights of this present pres-ent life for the wholly unknown and at best only reasoned happier life beyond to give one's life in such a cause and under such conditions is indeed to make the supreme sacrifice, the sacrifice than which there is no greater in heaven or on earth. We only half comprehend as yet what true heroes these young men are. It is no cause for wonder that with our lips we cannot do Justice to those who have died, are dying or are ready to die in a great and chival. roue cause. ! "What a contrast the Germans! As we writer has pointed out: 'Invaders, dying on foreign soil,, an outlaw's dejj'.' The world has never known such sYtragedy; human beings like ourselves, prostituting their God-given instincts and powers in an 'insane desire for the uppermost seat at the feast of, life, to be greatest among all the kingdoms of the world! How utter their shame shall he, how bitter their consciousness conscious-ness of it, when finally they shall be brought to themselves and to a realization realiza-tion of the unprecedented enormity and multiplicity of their crimes! It is indeed tragic that we should lose so much of the flower of our American manhood, and our Allies so much of theirs; but It is unquestionably unques-tionably moTe tragic that so many other young men, equally endowed in potentiality, potential-ity, should have espoused so despicable and unworthy a cause. Let us rejoice that our boys have fought and are fighting in such a cause that the great Father in heaven need not be ashamed to be called their God. "Let none of us be concerned about the future of our soldier dead. From the housetops we may proclaim that never were human souls more deserving of or more certain to inherit eternal life, a future so Full of radiant prospects and happiest hap-piest promise, than those who have espoused es-poused so righteous and noble a cause as summoned these young men from their homes, and who give up their all to carry it on Let no one question which was the sect of thee heroes, or If. indeed, they were outside the fold of the church. Salvation Sal-vation worth having Is rnly such as character char-acter will bring." This view, however, as not been ac-cepted ac-cepted universally even with regard to the What must 1 do to be saved? . f . , t , "Believe on the Lord Jesus ---rnrznrr'- " 'V - . Christ, and thou shalt be saved, '" "V-- " , ' IP! and thy house." ' f ' ' , Basing their position on these ss ' - aj 'fbt'ij4 and nr "y,. ' ' :' ;.' ,'7 . -' ' admitted to heave Y 1 ' , ' spiritedlj declare ' ,"' I'ti' fL:fr 1 ' y Frenchmen have i ' "'PSP" ' ' uislJ a form of v "j. '' -' killed in battle, a stil Wf'v ' fs ' ' ' prevails. Authorities t5Slf S' V. ii iiihTfrtllll i - punishment can await id51' ' " ' ' assert that the divii SxPWtw--'. - . SUSm 'wLJraiilsH&' Drawn b.r F. Mtititnla for the utt Copyrighted ia the those who have sinnfi si'lG5P ' . VgM WrS. fulled States by the Xcit York Herald CoaputJ. u smnei dftfisBEtefr1- ' . "::., . !: ' nov admitted gP -' ' , . ' ' , Ilfc "lf YU Get Throu8h My Mother." of mankind that the IBEf .-. I?': S"X T1iis PicU'l-e i.-. n Fine Conception cf the Spirit in Which the civilization was the ffj Ordinary British and Allied Soldier Gives His Life for Humanity. In all hi3tory, and tha r ') battle ran assure , salvation. The Y ' ' . . ' . Frenchman's land was invaded, his l?5f-, t i home destroyed, his '.' I ! wife and children ig ill attacked in many W,.: I cases. No decent ' ;i..;iil Frenchman could M'i.-il have done au3''hing ; ii', j but fight to the death )mSl ln detence of his 'ml country. Therefore it , V;: ' h'I ,B argued that strict- wf iljfll Iy speaking the P . , Frenchman might be KlW reqnred to show other -proof of belief Wyy and repentance be- fjy sides his devotion in battle before being admitted to heaven. Others, however, , spiritedly declare that the bravery the Frenchmen have shown is in itself as high a form of virtue as a man can display. When we come to the German soldiers killed in battle, a still graver controversy prevails. Authorities are divided between those who assert that nothing but eternal punishment can await them and those who assert that the divine mercy will save those who have sinned in ignorance. It is now admitted by the vast majority of mankind that the German assault on civilization was the greatest crime but one in all history, and that no punishment cah be too great for those who planned it The inspired words of St. John in Revelation Revela-tion xxi., 27, concerning those who shall be shut out of heaven clearly apply to the German leaders: "And there shall in no wjs9 enter Into It anything that defileth, neither whatsoever whatso-ever worketh abomination, or maketh a He." Equally appropriate- to the Kaiser is this quotation: "He that kllleth with the sword shall be killed with the sword." (Relation x But wfia;. of the common German soldW who dies in battle? Can we aay thst X merely did his duty, that he went to because he had to, that he would hs" been shot if he had refused? There are in the Scriptures cerhi promises of forgiveness for those who s3 in ignorance. The Saviour said of tti underlings who took part in His Cr fixion: "Father, forgive them; for they in" not what they do." i St. Luke xxtv., 31) But can we say that the Germans ned in complete ignorance? Germany a country of universal education. Mi average German appears to have entirely cognizant of the Kaiser's plUK enslave the w orld. Moreover, in thousand of esses com mi-in Gt-:man soldiers 'Jt! taken part willingly and gleefully in murder am! robbe- of women. cMIe and civilians in the invaded countries. " such cases the personal moral su"tot:! German soldier Is beyond question. That it. is the duty of a Christian toL sist the orders of a wicked ruler. therefore of a German to resist the ordf of the Kaiser, seems to be imPlW ' these words of the Saviour: "And ye shall be brought before nors and kings for my sake." st thew x IS). In tha eighteenth verse of the chapter we read: "Fear not them which kill the body. are not able, to kill the soul: hut ''ear him whir), is aWt, to destroy v0tt and body In hell.'' The Old Testament in mM flft ''' i'!v dcin-UPi.v.. eienial punisllW"11,', I hose who fight for a wicked ruler 85. a good cause, and such pawns 'o apply to :he Germ.iii soldiers wh" T' for II,,. K.mer nu- prophet speaking 0f the Egyptian Pharsol attacked IsraeJ, sayS: "The strong anionc the ttiijhy '3 speak to him out of the midst of '1P 1 j) them that help n.rn." i v .-cklel dii the sum? subject the proph' w' riah declares: v(r "And this shn bo the plag $i with the 1 ord ;.nu!o .-)H Ih? f-'. that fought against ,ToruslW- 3 flesh shall ronsimif swsy wn' " stand upon their ifeet. and fhtv ,(C shall consume sw.-n In their tlpl"'tMu ihetr tonsuej. shall consume away w ' mouth '' (Znchtirlah xlv.. 13.) Drawn by F. Mnt.-inla for rhs Spher. London, and Copyrighted la tb United States by the New York Herald Company. "If You Get Through Tell My Mother." This Picture Ia a Fine Conception of the Spirit in Which the Ordinary British and Allied Soldier Gives His Life for Humanity. One of the First American Soldiers' Graves in France. his life in this war was sure of heaven. This distinguished degree carrying out a promise and a civic duty. Furthermore, it is pointed out that the German assault on civilization menaced men-aced the safety of the British Empire and, therefore, the British soldier is also to some degree, defending his own interests. Tt is therefore asserted by Eorne that the British soldier who dies in battle does not have the same assurance of heaven, regardless re-gardless of previous character, a.s the American, and that other proofs of Christian Chris-tian belief and repentance should be required re-quired besides the battlefield sacrifice. When we come to the French soldier, still more doubt is expressed by theologians theolo-gians whether the mere act of dying in Great Britain Bights Reservsd. nd that no act, however heroic, can assure as-sure salvation without this. But broader minds reason that the soldier who gives his life for humanity performs an act. so essentially Christlike that it makes all 3xpressions of belief or creed superfluous, ?nd gives him the highest assurance of salvation. The majority of ministers are apparently of this libera! opinion at the present time. Some pets:ons will wish to know how the self-sacrifice o! dying In battle win counter balance a previous life of wicked- clergyman based his assertion on the text, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down hi life for his friend." (St. John xflt, 13). This expression was widely quoted by British chaplains and recruiting officers and helped to stimulate patriotic feeling. It Is pointed out. however, with no disparagement, dispar-agement, to the brave British soldlnr. that England was bound by treaty to defend Belgium when attacked, and therefore the. Briton who serves in the army is to some . Copyright, 101S. by Star Company. |