Transcriber's Note: Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs= THE WAR AND THE GOSPEL THE WAR AND THE GOSPEL SERMONS AND ADDRESSES DURING THE PRESENT WAR By HENRY WACE, D.D., Dean of Canterbury, Hon. Fellow of Brasenose College, Oxford; Fellow of King’s College, London. London: CHAS. J. THYNNE, 28, Whitefriars Street, E.C. 1917. PREFACE. As is usual in Cathedrals, it is the duty of the Dean of Canterbury to preach on the chief Festivals of the Christian year; and most of the following Addresses have been delivered in the discharge of this office. My comfort in the performance of this duty, especially to an audience of soldiers, in these solemn days, has been the sense that I was commissioned to deliver the message of a Gospel which has “brought Life and Immortality to light,” and which proclaims the good news of the presence of a Saviour in all the circumstances Of life or death. I have simply endeavoured, therefore, to bring some of the light of this Gospel to bear on the distressing and perplexing experiences which this War has forced upon us all, and especially upon those who have borne its chief sacrifices. I am sure that, if only believed and realized, the message of this Gospel is sufficient to support and to strengthen us under all such trials and strains; and I hope I am not presumptuous in offering these slight contributions towards that purpose to a wider audience than my Cathedral congregations. H. WACE. CANTERBURY, January 1917. CONTENTS PAGE I. THE CHRISTMAS MESSAGE (preached in Canterbury Cathedral, Christmas Day, 1914) 1 II. CHRISTMAS AND THE WAR (preached in Canterbury Cathedral, Christmas Day, 1915) 16 III. THE THINGS SEEN AND THE THINGS NOT SEEN (preached in Canterbury Cathedral, Easter Day, 1915) 28 IV. THE EASTER MESSAGE (preached in Canterbury Cathedral, Easter Day, 1916) 40 V. THE NEED AND THE MEANS OF RIGHT JUDGMENT (preached in Canterbury Cathedral, Whit Sunday, 1915) 53 VI. THE ADVENT MESSAGE AND THE WAR (preached in Canterbury Cathedral, Advent Sunday, 1914) 67 VII. DIVINE JUDGMENT AND RENOVATION (preached in Canterbury Cathedral, October 11th, 1914) 82 VIII. RESISTANCE UNTO BLOOD (preached in Canterbury Cathedral, Good Friday, April 21st, 1916) 97