SOLDIERS' QUESTIONS
Sta,—The questions cited by Mr. Blofeld in your issue of June 301 differ very little in kind or in quality from those with which Chaplain to the Forces were familiar thirty years ago. As he points out, the moo distinctive feature common to them all is their superficiality. I shoulti however, like to comment briefly on one point of view which he ha encountered. It is not restricted to the Army.
"Little desire is shown for direction in matters of conduct.
is assumed that what is right and what is wrong is already kn
and that Christ's teaching on the matter does not need explanation. This assumption is approximately, if not entirely, true. If in some reset the Christian ethic is distinctive, no one need wish to dispute that broad outline the general principles of Right and Wrong have alwa been understood by the great majority of people. Christianity does offer the world a new system of morality so much as a new source moral power.
What mankind has always needed most, and always will, is someth to enable us to make a whole-hearted effort to live up to the hig moral ideal that we can see, and to renew our efforts with invinci optimism as often as we fail. The Christian religion professes to be a to supply this moral power, which Ovid seems to have been consci of lacking when he wrote: "Video meliora proboque, Deteriora sequor, by means of two distinctive doctrines, first, Belief in redemption throu a personal Saviour, second, Belief in an immanent Spirit. The ultimo truth and practical efficacy of both these beliefs are hardly open criticism ab extra, as they are unlikely to be understood by anyone who not endeavouring to order his own life by them.—I am, yours sincerely,
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