Dean Matthews Emphasizes Faith in God as World's Most Important Duty

Defining faith as a belief and a trust--a belief in God as the only real being, and a willingness to trust our daily living to His guidance--the Very Reverend Walter R. Matthews, Dean of St. Paul's London, opened a series of addresses last night in Memorial Chapel. For the first time in the history of the William Beldon Noble Foundation, on which they are being given, the addresses are intended primarily for university students.

"To have faith in God is the most important thing in the world," Dean Matthews emphatically declared. "God is not only real, He is the real being; the core and basis of the world is spiritual. To realize the supreme claim of truth and righteousness is to be in harmony with the purpose of the world, and this constitutes faith in God."

Rationalists Subject to Laws

Speaking in a soft, expressive voice, and gesticulating freely but not dramatically, small, white-haired Dean Matthews went on to explain away rationalism. Predicating his remarks with a defense of free thought, he declared that even the rationalist, who would place all faith on his own reason, was subject to the laws of probability, for human reason may not lead to truth,--may be based on false hypotheses. Moreover, some attitude must be taken toward life, for we must live; and of the several alternatives religious faith is by far the most satisfying.

"Is the clue to existence to be found in matter? Or in the ceaseless movement to no end, as of living organisms depending on instinct? Or is it rather to be found in personal adherence to an ideal, as expressed in the life of a great and good person--a sage, a pioneer, a saint? It we choose the latter, then we are not like a machine, or a bundle of instincts, but are useful, intelligent, humane individuals."

Dean Matthews is a modernist, and has been president of the Modern Churchmen's Conference. During the past two weeks he has been at Princeton and at Yale, conducting the University services and delivering special addresses there; and for the rest of this week he will not only continue his evening lectures, but will also conduct morning chapel.