page 2 (actually first page of text in pamphlet)

       When we look at the state of our world, with International discord and fears of War, national instability with strikes and revolutions , and Social difficulties such as poverty in the midst of plenty: we have much cause to be dissatisfied and to seek and work for some solution,  I had often thought about these things and felt that nothing that l could do could have any effect on world troubles, but that the solution was in the hands of the people in power overseas... I felt that in theory at any rate, Christianity should provide the solution, and yet wandered why, with a fairly large part of the world calling itself Christian, the troubles still persisted; in spite of the fact that we we never have had such a high standard in education, scientific attainment, and international communication. There is a. quotation from G. K. Chesterton, that “it is not that Christianity has been tried and failed – it has been found too difficult and never tried." That brought home to me the most important fact, that Christianity is the carrying out the example and teachings of Christ, and that what we have been accustomed to call Christianity is a very poor Imitation of Christ's life and teaching. I am now convinced that there is a divine plan for this world and that it can only be carried out through our cooperation  

      A minister visited one of his parishioners on a farm which , hitherto a failure, was not by dint of tireless labor, being made a success. "So" said the minister. "God" and you are getting on very well here "  "Yes" said the farmer. "But you should have seen this place before .when God was trying to handle it alone." It is being what Saint Paul called a fellow worker with God that is the very essence of Christianity.

       Many people have asked me if there is an Omnipotent and Loving God, why why doesn't he stop wars and other troubles?? This is a common question, but if we  do stop and think about it, we must realize that we have been given free will and intelligence, and that, as Dr Russell Maltby puts it, "Christ in his saving work will do no violence to the natures He has given use and His help, infinite as it is must enter through the narrow door of our consent." In other words we have been given both the knowledge and power to solve these things ourselves. We do not find, however, when we go back in history, that the many occasions, when the need has been particularly great, there has been a fresh outpouring of the Spirit of God in the hearts of men and women. I believe that the Oxford Group Movement is a good example of this.

Let us think back to the year 1921. the war which was to end war had no sooner been terminated when nations started to prepare for another. In England there was a sense of disillusionment, the Churches seemed to lose the grip they had during the war, people were very anxious to do something towards peace

ut didn't quite k-now how !n t¿egin. The Universities were full of keen, mauve young men and women with gifts of leadci¿hip. but lackine adequate inspiration and direction. At this time there waa a small meeting in a study at Oi4ord to wbich Frank Bushman brou"hf, two men from Cambridge to trll what the practice of a Vitai Christianity had mr¿nt in stir experience. and the visior: of 'now Christianity cou!d ave the wo;!d if adequately applied to all departments of bfe. Since 1908, when a new vision had come to him, Frank Buchman had been working in various parle of tie world in pe¿nol evangeiism. He I:ed been led to see tl.a: w’..r.ettec-ive ministry i:a<i been due to t>an".'ers oi pride, .elt1stuiess and ill-vrill in hiiiiseJf. and that when he had been willing to face these barrier- and do sivay witt therh, tbe result ¿ra:. a tremendous increase in power and effectiveness. He had been gradually building up by experience, certain methods of evangeli-m, and in China, in 1918. for the flr4 time a meeting calJecf a House Party was held, at which he and others witnessed to the insults of a wholehearted attempt lo live the Christian life sr. Christ taught it.

Two Anglican Bishops in Cl;ina, seeing the results of Frank Buchman c work among the Missionaries. asked him to visit their sons ‘¿ Cnmbridge and this led to the meeting in O.¿<ard already referred io. Later, at the request at Peale in South Africa, who had bc' something oi the message tram South Atrican Rhodes Scholars returning f"om Oxford, u team was seat to South Atrica where the name Oxford Group was given it by a Sauth African newspaper, and for want sf a better name, that ane I:as persisted. The 51ovement is now spreading through 50 countries like the leaven in the laaL

Il.-The Admission of the Group Movement and Its Method.

¿Qke C;roup Mo:e.mr.nL has as its objective a eh;mged world
f!brougii rehang xi linc', or. a.¿ ‘:t ideas .”ecenti: described, first
REVIVAL or I,he c'a"nge in: per»n, th«n P.EVOI.UTTON, a
":".ange in the Sucial Orle.,;I.en RENAISSANCE. a .h"nge in he
Nation, rejected in its;vhole outlook in Art, Science. Music, Education.
Politics, Pr«, Social Order, Etc.
The Oxford Croup is a great company of people from 50
nations dna oi almost eve ry r mcrivable class and creed who.
from a living ei>erience. believe: tlat Gad has a plan for t.he world
and are prep-red to pul !'. into practice witimut eonsideeing the
consequent.¿ ',a '.hei.' rnvn live-. "They are he.Id together by na
organisation, ru1es or niembersiiip list, hut nnir by tt;r. spiritual
kwnd of a common self-surrender to Christ and a common determina-
tion to win the ivarld for His allegiance’ (1). They are takmg seriously
mme very old Christian principlrs which are being insistently
neglected by the average Christian to-day.

an a C.:hri-tea”.
f one a,rater Wtwt nekes ma
1n itive wards o¿ ' ¿ ¿„ie of certain .deas nor 'ni con-is neilher 1."v inteUeclual aev.eptanie o ee i
but his possession at a em in
ie.¿in vale,
i a:.erlain li e.' ie or
¿ur duty, but th« Cliiistia¿ ¿t:¿i¿.:.f

a passion lot other people's welfare. ¿ ¿¿e;v.i.¿
e tuai ch'llvnge to ose u

R Q ¿ ¿-"¿¿‘ th¿ ¿“¿l'¿¿ "f t !'.nd to the de ire in otl.ers to Iwssess

iles ..¿.:. ': el ' “ '¿e oi' ex¿mp!e. iv‘iil pave ibv
li."e Ll:¿t tie ha¿. Tl is. be.‘ the “orate o"

way d'or veal life chungking.
really co:.or.al proolems multiplied, -na
its ¿”‘.th the indi; idual.
the onion real solution will be or.r. that sue e”.
Consider tive of the most prosing world problems –
(a) The Social order (poverty In the mid;.1 of plenty);
lb> International Discord and lVar.
ll a reed ttist ttie remi causes of these problems
It is now genera > g
eed, ride, fear and di.\rust, ana
to '»e. found in e app ic ptisan i¿ ¿
Chrisi..A. ¿National Policy is (a'
fashior. of the teaching of Jesus hrisi.... • a ' ¿
racz) the policy of the maori y n e peo l
can re" lly deal properly iinth the-e
it follows that no country can re" v ea
il at least the majority ol ite peop e
a 1 aad) belli' ¿lf – i¿ ¿th¿¿ ¿;mds.
Gad's will (or the aenera
Th fi t;r till, tl:erefore, if this civi.lisation is
han ed. The rst essen i a! life-changirz on - coloseal scale,
uch an object.ivy
and as the problems are overwhelming y urgen s
demands the full wo-‘vng support of eatery man and woman.
h . dinary man and woman help in this great Spiri ural
olfen ice” There “re two things that every man and womo

give –
Ci::;: 1;:; ’.: ii.¿i;;:in i x: nupl¿:

':,km to:hinl. '.!:at e.en;.; .direct-sw..epe¿ c,".n teacll the A;¿h •

d'ye lan for I,he world. As was quote y or 'a '
tl ( <erring to the Oxford Croup): ‘SVhat
i, wanied i,. Gnd'Guid¿cd p¿er¿or¿al”,t¿i¿»ºtu rrake G,i<i Gu,6ed ...
Qlitles, la make a New \Vvrld.'
or the a lication of Christianity, therefore, we need firstly.

"t . • ld be -'lling tn surrender their livw men and women shou wi

dl, th 1 the C.hristian life should be rwintained,
to Gad's plan: seeon y . a

deepened, and directed; a»d thirdly, that every vital Christian should try to be usW by God to change other people's lives to God’s plan. The Oxford Group method deals with all these require-ments.

A.– SURRENDER.

The o»e msentiai before one can belong to the Group is
willingness to mvrender one’s life to God’s will, that is to regard
everything – time, taients, possessions. opportunities – as held in
Stewardship ta be used in the Service of God, rather than of self.
Christi repeatedly refermd to this:
“Seek ye erst the Kingdom of Gad"
“Not every one thai saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into
i".e kingdom of Heaven, 'out he that doeth the Will of my
Father."
"LE any m¿ ¿¿iI1 da the WiU of my Father he shall know the
doctrine.”
"My meat is to do the Will af Him that sent me."
"Not mv %Vill but Thine be done."
"Our Fath'..... Thy wiU be done.”
‘Ye cannot serve Gott and Marxnnon."

This word Surrender does not me.an a ¿ort of “white Sap’ as commonly unaer.re and" doesn't a¿¿arirv mean gpving un eve»thing, but 6'eing milling to put everything it thi;-impceal Q God an@ t¿ forego those t¿ that are not used in ID j¿. It can be illustrated by considering the ¿iobnist in an orchestra He brings to the orchestra his skill at playing the violin, the violin itself, his musical "soul" and perhaps some bad habits. If he used everything just for himself ho arnulf play his own tune, in his awn time, and if ev¿mone in the orchestra did t5at the result would be chaotic. If on !he other hand he surrenders all his talents to the master r.onduetor to bc used, he doesn’t lose his skill or his soul, they are p;obabiy !mprov<.d by the experie.”.r.r. He may ’ose few; bad i.abits tfiat do not eontribut to the generai good. It is 'iso important to remember that he does not sell or give away his vio.iin, as that would take away a&at opportunity for service. It is also his noh to keep his sk-!11 at its b¿at and even il he thinks (as the player of the bass i.:iol may we1.1 think) that his part in tha symphorty is not very musiral he remembers that when combined svith the other oatts under the direction of the master conductor., the who)e result is harmony which mouid be ¿peverished by leaving out his o»» or any other pail. Surrender, then, means Stewardship – putting everything at ti-e disposal of God. Instinr ts that He hag given us can be used and diverted to the Kingdom of God rather Gian repress' Dr used for Se.lQsh ends.

Surrender is noi a singl<; act but a daily act deepening as tim g¿ on – cloaking for more oi myself to give. and more of Christ to give it to>. lt is an attempt to make my will gradually become more and mote identicai with God's %Vill, If this is not the case there will be conflicts in the ivill. When my mill has gtegm to

approach God’s Will, surrender will become even more than a daily act – an attitude of mind; and I become "unconsciously conscious of God*' as a. child is of ita mother. Con5ic4 is then replaced by a real peace. and the power that it used up is now releasea.

B. MALYiTERAi%CE AND DEEPENING OF SPIRITUAL LlFE

The problem of maintenance and deepening of the surrendered life v¿ a ."col one with human people, and the Oxford Group ha gradually developed, a method which has been found helpful in this regard. None of it is new or unscriptural, and it is stronglv advised because it has been faunif, in ihe experience of people the whole world over. to be essential for the maintenance and deepening of the real spiritual life. Everybody will naturally >aye a diKereni personal approach, and spirit rather than ra’' wag taught by Christ, so that while emphasizing the essential principles we must be guarded agaiosi very rigid uniformity.

(i) – THE ABSOLUTE STANDARDS.
The erst part of this method v naturally a STANDARD to
live up to. Christ's own Life and Teaching is the only standard
possible, but many people who are anxious to surrender their
lives need some simple expression of that standsrd to guide their
childish steps until they have learnt more about the life and teaching
of Christ. It has been found by experience that a convenient method
is to take the four A.bsolute Standards of Christ’s Life: Absolute
Henesty, Purity, Unse'l5shness and Love, and use these as a basis
for stocktaking. Many peogie, myself included, have witnessed
to the fact that they had thought themselves to be good Christians
(presumably on the general Standard of Christ’s teaching) until
they put their lives up against the four absolute standards.
(al Absolute Honeys@ means not qnly honesty in the smallest
details of money, but also honesty iif the use of our time, talents,
possessions and opportunities. It includes absolute Truthfulness,
giving no wrong reasons for our actions even to ourselves.

(bj Absolute Parity means Purity in thought, word and deed.
The question “could my thoughts be projected upon a screen for
all to see?” will give a good taC of the degree of purity to which one
has developed.
(e) Absolute UnseUishn«ss means puiting self last. Selfishness
is not the same as the natural self respect that comcw with service
to one’s fellow men, vrhieh is psychologically a deQnite necessity
in the development of personality. Selfishness means the desire
for developmen;;;a tne expense oX others, and includes the sins
oi yves. pride and resentment of cribs.ism. The sin of Selfishness
can easily creep in disguised as Christian Virtue, in Spiritual Pride,
Exclusiveness and Sigatry, and even in Over-seriousness and Group
Egoism.
(d) Absolute Love really includes all the others and is definitely
g.'ven to am both in the example of Christ's Life and in His ten
great Commandments. In 1st Corinthians: chapter 13, St. Paul


gives us a vision of what the quality of Love includes. and the often quoted suggestion of Henry Drummond to put one's own name in place of the word Love in that chapter, and to read it in that way regular, will do much to "how where we are slipping away. It is easy to love those who are kind to us but Christ's teaching (and example) is to love our enemies as well Absolute Love means a passion for other people's welfare, but we must not forget that it also means the deep love of God m we know Him through Christ that makes us give ourselves fully to His allegiance.
(ii) – SIN.
The definition of Sin as any barrier at a11 between us and God (breaking of the first great Commandment), or between us and any other person (breaking of the second great Commandment), has also brought many people to the point of seeing themselves as they are for the first time. How many of our confessed Christians can say that they have no resentments to anybody”.
(a) Restitution.– With regard to our method of dealing with
Sin the teaching of Christ is very clear: "It when thou bringest thy
Gift to the altar, thou rememberest that thy brother has aught against
thee, first go and be reconciled to thy 'brother.' This injunction
to make RESTITUT1ON seems to have been given less prominence
than it deserves in our Church teaching, and the Group is laying
very great stress upon it. Even if somebody else has deliberated
wronged me I am still wrong in bearing him ill-will, end the
direction of Christ is to put that wrong right by gong to that
other person and asking for forgiveness for the ill-will, unconditionally
and with no reference to what the other person did wrongly. In
the experience of the Group this uncompromising challenge has
produced the most amazing results, bringing about reconciliation's
that had appeared quite hopeless and frequently bringing about a
state o! affairs that has led to other surrendered Lives. When Peter
asked Christ 'What about him. Lord?” (referring to the writer
of the 4th Gospel), Christ's reply was startlingly frank: “What is
that to thee’. Follow thou me." My first responsibility is to see
that my own moral standard is the. very highest. "First cast out
the beam out of thine own eye.”
It is important that Restitution should be done under the Guidance of the Holy Spirit, and that where there is any doubt regarding the wisdom of a particular act of Restitution further guidance can often be found in talking it over with a trusted, surrendered friend.
(4) Sharing for Confession.– After Restitution has been made we must confess our Sins to God and ask His forgiveness, and we believe that if we do really repent and confess we can regard the slate as wiped clean through the Death at Christ on the Cross for our Redemption. “The Blood of Jesus Christ Cleanseth us from Sin." There are, however, many people who have prayed repeatedly for forgiveness and have not (through lack of faith) dwelt a real sense of release. When they have gone to some surrendered person whom they van trust and bared their troubled souls once, after which the forgive
ness of God was asked for by both and the whole thing buried once and for all, there was, as a result of this willingness on the part of the sinner to face his sin openly and humbly with a surrendered person (thereby doing away with the sin of pride), a tremendous sense of release and a new spiritual vitality. The effects of this SHARING FOR CONFESSION can be attested to by every Doctor and every Minister. I have had the experience of several people ending the way to the new life and a wonderful sense of release (together in some cases with a rapid improvement in physic" I health) through sharing, It has also been found that the willingness to share has made the changed life more vital and better maintained. Many people who had looked on the idea with misgivings or even horror have become convinced of its efficacy when they have tried it. In yy own case I found a most remarkable sense of relief and a new energy through sharing, and The privilege of "talking over” difficulties with trusted friends has been of the greatest help. That mask that we have been accustomed to keep between ourselves and our fellow men can be a great hindrance to spiritual and social effectiveness .

Any surrendered Christian is ready to share deeply, as he is guided to do so, any part of his own experience to help someone else to the point of surrender. This sharing for private witness is discussed later under the heading of "Life Changing."

Sharing for Public witness is only in general terms, and does not go into detailed description of particular sins. It is rather a sharing of general experience of victory, and is discussed later.

(iii) – GUIDANCE.

The next essential on the method of maintaining and deepening the surrendered life is to find out what God's Will is, and I believe that we were net put here with free wills just to stray blindly, but that God has given us definite GUIDANCE in the journey of life. We see this standing out right through both the Old Testament and the New, and right up through history. I believe that everybody can be guided but that the more completely WE are surrendered and willing to act on our guidance the more sensitive we are to that knowledge of God's plan for us. We can be guided both in a general way and in particular things.

Life can be compared to a complicated journey. and the first thing we need is the Willingness to make it A stationary object can't be guided. and unless we have a desire to be guided by God. we are putting barriers in the way.

Having decided that we want to be guided, the next necessity
is a Guide Book. The Bible is packed with help from cover to
cover, and includes the account of the one perfect life. In many
Group discussions about some difficult problem, the reading of
part of the Bible has shown the solution so clearly as to render
subsequent discussion superfluous. For centuries the Bible has been
the most illuminating guide to Christian people.

barrier between -aces. and replacing them by bridges of love and understandmg." <1) The Oxferd Group has a definite, posit::i'e plan to beat war. and Statesmen and Leaders of all races have definitely siated thai, in their opinion, this type of Vital Christianity is the only hope for the world. 3-Iceungs of surrendered pwpl' for Fellow:-hip are ar’anged as the need is manifest in;axious dist"iets, and generally mclude Bible study, prayer, discu-ion of experience, probiems and methods and the making of pinna fm future eaux:tie.- together with general sharing und Fellowahip. ,¿ave found in !.is Fella.a:ship a quality of fri¿*r.d.hip an:i mu:i;”1 help that 1 haa never previously experienced. Far those who are or b' ve been lonely. and who are wi!!is. to give themselve: to Christ, and to help and be h'loed, the Feilowsiiip wiii mean the commencement of ¿ new life. The fact that this fellowship is veo-id-wide, and that it includes men and women of all creeds. colour and strata of soeietY. must make it more like the true Christian Fellowship than ¿iy othe.. vrl "ni,“;vs as i;xiii in .'5tev; rds'nip.; one is wiiling to help its i@liow ruea i ' doe not .:ait long fv.”. opportuniues The lnct that uxh -ervic¿ is olten carried out with very Christian steat!: n:ay !wv. meant '.1.a! the Group !ice been 'riticbed. for not advocadng it enough, but having no organisation of its own there are, a1 present, no organised Oxford Group Soeia! activities. 3itegbets not only have their own private opportunities, but da a great. deal ¿s they feel they should in:he existing social organisations (e.g., slum abolition, e'¿.>. xiii) – LIFE CHAi¿iGINC. E:ery:eai Chr:s'.iui:iiouid 'vc a life -iiangc.. Life cnanging is desperately neecied on a colossal scale, and Uiere is far too much for the leaders in the spiritual army alone. the rank and Qle or the laity trave a vei¿ definite part to play. If every Christian can become a tocus of Life-i.hanging activity in whatever position er sphere of

life he map be, and. if those wham he its been used by God to chaoge, go on in their turn ctree@ others, it is obvious that Christ's illustration of the leaven in the loaf may become ver real. There is a diferent method of apprwcli for every person, but certain conirr.on no.“at; in methud rn-y be discussed under- Dr. Buchman's ftve headings: Confidence. C'unfc.mi.on, Conviction Conversion, Cayuse»ation. <2), (4). (a) CeaEdeace.– Lt is in Mowing lave other than in talkinr, it that w,e Sist make snyov.e co¿sc'nus of the new thing in our lif«. Make !; icttrls iz’if!a Lh!'. petzon you are anxiou.':n win, go the secona m;le with iiim, i>;.vina patinir e and waiting for the .ight opportunity. ib) Confession.– Wnen the oppot¿r;it:,.rises witness to him o¿ the c!iange in your life, relating mme at his problems wnich you may liave diapered in friendship to aroblems of similar natw- over which ynu have had victory. boost prooiems cd be reduced to the common factor of Pride and Selhshness. Tell stories of others irido I:ave victory over similar sins. is is ."r)ilo.wed i;:>i>e.”. disci' ion. lt i.i ia)p¿¿.ri;i.':S Ul.v.' lb‘s t":."¿'iiw iver: pai'ulii witness is quite dilleren; from Q;eprivate sharing fur cunfessiore in that one’s c merience is d«cribed In very general terms and ie a witness .a victory @vcr sin. and problems which are not giver. in detail. It is not exhibitionism. Wifness is not at all enmqulcoti nor even is it urge! on people, bv.t even thee al:o, at first are mosi deiinitely sure that they could never iviiness, frequents find ."col desire to du so. The public meeting realli only acts as u it;:mu!ant ’u, and ¿ lumpier.g utY pl“r:e for, pe.'sanal ev ngelism. and is npt by any means the mos1 frequent Group activity, There are certain common features in the experience of changed lives. There is first of alf a ..ense of dissatisfaction whi.ch may t»- a feeling of ineffective'.s and inability tn !lie up to ideals, witt>

doubts, at times. as to what ".l.ese id.ala siiou1d be. It max & that there is a:e;oRnition that certain i¿rong L! oughts and actions iiav*. become h.".bitual. or pc.rhaps a sense of separ;>tiara fram God, whirl. is often manifested in religious uncertainly:nd somet:mes in U.e profev¿ion of agr.ostici:re and atl.ei.;m. Then t.her.. comes, generally through seeing or hearing of the eh;in«e Ch.-i:t. i> "s .<ma;i'*t,t !i'. "vrneone el'<..;; wit.:i.'.one's to @i. a up tl.e fruitless Wurt to mal e their own lives right, and instear'., i.a give themseli:«s .;nd iheir prabletw to Ci:rist in sur.ender. T1.;e re.adult:err;<.s oflenn as a pre-1 surprw., ¿' gabe taibiLua! . in, or the wrong 4" hit of !i:ought or action. is now easy to give up, ": count,le.-" number l".;;ve witnes=ed. Manr intellect al p abler. .email. trot they can ix faced squarely with -1' backgrounci o." faith and with tlute loving help of other surrenaered people in the fellowship. Ttie difference in these pensile is often very apparent to thai. fri

There are usual'v, ben, three stages in Conversion: Seeing, Doing, and Knowing. The ecmid of theme is n venture of faitti, a joumes into a suan' new caunM. It is important 1o note that the Knowing comes after the Doing. It is a nadual reshsation t,‘mt in dning Carl's \Vill, God can be ."ound. It is not only at the beginr.ing of the reiigiour life that we are called upon to make uch surrender. Aa¿in and again new insights a."e driven us and new decisions made, continually brir¿ging ebout spiritual growt!i and development. tv) – RELATION TO THE CHRlSTIAN CHURCH. T!:e G”oupp d. ¿i. "g to:.i:o. k;: ithi.”. liiv Ch:z".:he ¿nevorne a nc.i ci'r:r>rn.:. tier: u::ie . !isa C:::.;;“i.l'.es:ior.ci alooi aim e*.he:, wh.<.t:: .-¿'.c.¿.s:::¿ile compos.;ingle. 'T'"”.c:l:nnged. sur-ende,"ea person goes bar';. to ."¿ own Ch'." h iviii the desire !o gi;e avti:c- iieip. ':.'i;c .=nit ni C!iuu:i!. n":.-nbe i!:at eve."a:lergyni:.n pp.ays for. !le –:w h;.- !!i::. '.;<:n! "'i'.efve i le th«1 it Sn prayed for for years. The a;:erase per-on h arl:ing d'or help in his own Persona! pmblems, and the present C'nurci> organisation has proved quite unable to meet !he iired. "The clergyman can now have with him not simply a Church committee ready te handle the finances, but a band of men and women who meet together regularly in intimate fellowshty anc prayer, men and women of varied beekgrounds who, between them, have close contact with all the dilTerent groups sf people in the parish an4 who realise their obligation to be witnesses in life and wore4 as God guide them,-to the men and women around them, of the Christ who has transformed their lives and Slick them with new radiance and power. The prime task of Christians is seen once again as the missionary task of winning others, a task iust as much the privilege an6 joy of the laity as it is of the clergy. The dream of a town or suburb reaUy won to Christ, its people united in Christian Worship and Service, seems no lenger an impracticable vision as the band of witnessing Christians grows steadily larger, and at times in response to an invitation from other places a team mav be sent out to. witness turther afield to what Christ has done for them indivielually and in their common 11Y85." (1). Within the parish, groups of two or three families can be encouraged to meet in each ether's houses in various parts of the parish to discuss problems aul relate Christianity to them, one or more of the central team attached to the Church being preseni to leak the meeting. This will most assurecUy bring the Church to the people far more, and rn'ust inevitably bring more people to the Church. In addition, there are bread problems affecting the whole community, such as.War, Money, and the Social Order, Slums, etc., in which the Church should be very interested and able to take a reliable and practical lead. A;ital group of surrendered people can do much to bring the relevant facts to the people so that the Christian Church can speak with a certain voi.ee as it should. and it must come again to take the lead in all large problems .se greatly atfecting human welfare. Removal of injustices must come when a sufficient preportion sf the people of a country are willing ta live practical Christian lives. The Socialist Lord Mayor of Newcastle (Eng.) said recently that he believe@ that Social Regenera- tion would come more quickly through a programme of changed lives than bx any of the schemes that he had been working at for

IB.– WHY OXFORD GROUP F4ETICUL!lRLY?

Why not just be a vital Christian an@ try to be used to change lives? The answer to this is that for any Spiritual Offensive to have the maximum power against the organised forces of evil, there must be co-ordination of effort. Ask yourself the question, "Can I continue in the thin trickle of my own isolated Christian work and neglect the gathering force of a worl4-wide movement with a vision for nothing less than a new social order, new lives, new homes, new Chutches, new politics, new supradenominationelism, new supranationalism." (2). What you and I think about the Oxford Group Movement doesn’t matter nearly as much as what you and I are going to do towards remaking the world on Christ’s

   Plan and bringing in the Kingdom of God NOW. The challenge is urgent and pressing. The world is sick and needs the real help at ordinary men and women as never before. As was said recently at the Royal Albert Hall, "We are either part of the disease or part of the cure." Can anyone with any vision of the urgent need go on living a self-centered life, realizing that the world is a poorer place, and civilization nearer to destruction, because of his failure to adept the challenge?

    When the challenge of God, through the Oxford Group, showed me that I had a definite part to play (small as it is) in the remaking of the world according to Gael's plan, I could not stand aside. What about You."

     I believe that it will be the destiny of the Oxford Group to bind together all Christian fellowships which are limited by Country, Class, Creel, or Sex. To do this the Oxford Group must be be enough in its outlook, broad enough in its principles, and humble enough In its approach, to be able to be used by Gad to bring about a United Spiritual Front in the World. To my knowledge it is the only Christian fellowship with no limitations of Creed, Class. Country, Color, or Sex, where all one in Christ.

     Most people only need the vision of a real objective that is worth making sacrifices for, and a conviction of reality in the method at approaching that objective, and they will give their lives, if need be, for the cause, and set out enthusiastically in the great adventure. 

In the words of Garibaldi:

 "It is the big demand that makes the heroic spirit; 
It is the untamed Jungle that makes the pioneer;
It is the untraversed perilous Journey that makes the explorer: 
lt is the big task that makes the big soul."

                           References

1.  Why I Believe in the Oxford Group by jack Winslow
2. What I have Found through the Oxford Group By Hubert Trenaman
3. Our Response to God (Quakers Swarthmore Lecture 1935) W. E Wilson
4. Soul Surgery by H.A. Walter
5. Quakerism: A Plain Simple Statement  By H.W. H Theobald

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