A Change of Heart
As a survey of the ideas which are struggling for the mastery of the world this little book could not be bettered. Nor is there any topic better worth the attention of open and active minds. It is hard to tell, as one looks out over the restless ocean of humanity, whether we are in for a period of selfish narrow Nationalism, or for efforts everywhere to establish distatorships of the proletariat, or for a fresh development of authentic civilisation rooted in good will and tolerant, generous comradeship. Sometimes one feels the wind blows this way, sometimes that ; or that the clouds in the international sky must break in storm before the upward march can be resumed once more. Many, of cousse, deny that what most of us consider the upward way is anything but a cul-de-sac. It is part of the value of Mr. Mathews' survey that he does not question their sincerity and even pays tribute to their enthusiasm. But, equally, of course, his own face is steadfastly set in the direction of Christianity as the solvent of our troubles.
Not on the Christianity of the Churches. He shares the opinion of Dean Sheppard about that. " If we use ' Christian' in its full sense, then neither as individuals nor as churcheF, still less as peoples, can the West claim to be Christian." And what may be his " full sense " of the term ? He tells us in single penetrating phrases. " If we are to create a world order based on justice and love, those values must reign in our own lives. The world crisis can only be met by a change in the heart of each one of us. But that renewed heart must express itself in daily action, and must be related to the life of the whole world. We can do this as individuals—in all our human Contacts, in the family, in our business or profession, as citizens-of our home town or suburb, our nation and of the world."
That seems a large demand, yet there are in the world to-day more people than ever before who are making, or who would make if their imaginations were awakened, the effort toward this ideal. It must be an ideal. We can never wholly live up to it. What matters, howeVer, is the effort, the, state of mind, the sympathetic instead of the hostile or indifferent attitude. If we are convinced that civilization in the past has meant the widening of human groups, the extension of mutual protection and 'community of interests from the family to the tribe, from the tribe to the , nation, from the nation to groups of nations ; and if we acknowledge that the time is at hand for a further develop- ment, leading eventually to a World Commonwealth, then we are on Mr. Mathews' side ; and if we do our best to translate that belief into action, then we shall be doing in our small way what he has done in so large a measure by his work at Geneva, as editor of Outward Bound and now again in London, to bring about the " consummation devoutly to be wished," to hasten which he has written this book. May his faith and sincerity have their reward !
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