(To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."1 Sia,—A thousand thanks
for your " leader " upon the " Hereford Controversy." and for the sane, clear-sighted criticism of the " Life and Liberty " movement therein contained. Some weeks ago you referred to this movement as the endeavour of " young men in a hurry," if I am not mistaken.; and the phrase was keenly deprecated and resented by " Life and Liberty " supporters. It was looked upon as unkind, if not positively unjust. We are so apt to forget that " faithful are the wounds of a friend," and to overlook the fact that what our offended nature deems unkindness may be the truest form of kindness after all. Sin- cerity can say (and mean): " Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness . . . ." And surely resentment of this rod is its own condemnation? Have not the supporters of " Life and Liberty " narrowed down the true ideal, and become enamoured of a phrase? Are they not obsessed with zeal that makes for a very limited objective?
Tests always result in bondage, and " life" that is confined by rule and measure is soon seen to be spiritual death. Is not this movement tantamount to an attempt to usurp the prerogative and authority of the Holy Spirit? So at least it would appear to this layman, who would quote from a page of experience in his desire to throw light upon the matter. May he quote, for clearness' sake, in the first person?
I once knew a zealous man who, finding our Church too broad and catholic for the pursuit of his ideal, sacrificed his scholarship and living, and cut himself off from a general intercourse with " the human race." " Life and Liberty " were what he sought; and seeing that the Christ had said: " The words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life" (note the emphasis as understood by him), he imposed upon himself, as the essential test, the " terms of discipleship " of Christ. He enjoined upon all who sought him the selling of their goods, because Jesus Christ had said " Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath cannot be my disciple." So he became the inter- preter of the teaching of the Christ for those who, accepting his eldership, submitted to his teaching. As a result a state of utter slavery supervened in the sect over which he' exercised the authority of spiritual autocrat. On one occasion he was over- heard to say, concerning some who ignored him " They little know who I really am," spiritual pride having so completely usurped the place of Christ within his soul. In fact, he grew to look upon himself as a lone Elijah, testifying in the midst of a world of unheeding Baal-worshippers.
May this layman call to the attention of those strong, earnest men (as he knows them to be) who identify themselves with the "Life and Liberty " movement the words of the great Apostle : " The word of the Lord standeth sure, having this seal—The Lord knoweth them that are His (obverse); and, Let every man that nameth the Name of Christ depart from iniquity (reverse) " ? "Life and Liberty " do not exist by the establishment of laws and tests, which can only " gender to bondage." They are the fruits of one only tree, the teaching of the Christ and the disciplining of the Holy Spirit. The " words" which breathed into the heart by God are truly "Spirit and Life " when imposed as a " test" by zealous men become barrenness and death.—I am,
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