CHURCH OF CHRIST.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxix, Issue 7241, 29 July 1907, Page 2

CHURCH OF CHRIST.

MISSION HALL DEDICATION SERVICES. "

Dedication services were held in the new Mission Hall of the Church of Christ yesterday, when good congregations assembled both morning and evening, although the weather was rather unfavourable. , Evangelist Gebbie, of Christchurch, conducted the morning service, and chose for his text Jude, verse 3, ". . . Ye should earnestly'contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints"; and from Rev., 3-11, "Behold/ I come quickly; hold that 'fast .which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." The preacher said that day was ono of rejoicing for victories attained through the power of the Holy Spirit. The prayers of the few had been heard, and little by little power had been granted, success had followed success, until they were meeting that day in a place of worship, which would be pleasing in the sight of God, would extend their sphere of usefulness* contending for the faith, and defending the, crown " which they, had chosen to accept that no man-.might take from them. They were like John, who, imprisoned on the Island of Patmos, still continued to carry on good and great work, standing in defence of a priceless heritage—a heritage-of which no man need be ashamed. Christ on the Mount had proclaimed the groat commission to establish churches bearing His name. They accepted the New Testament as the great guide in precept and practice, and the Word of God as the chart. The New Theology meant scissor-clip-ping of the Divine Scripture. They should contend for the Book as a whole, it proclaimed a gospel worth defending to keep it intact. The highest authorities of Oxford a lid Edinburgh had decided for the Book as it stood to-day. Lord Kelvin, one of the greatest of pre-sent-day scientists, had declared that it was our greatest privilege to live by, and all the great reformers of the past had contended for the truth proclaimed therein. Those who had helped to bring the Church of Christ before the world in accordance with the revelations appearing to them had stood for liberty, throwing aside the shackels of denominationalism, ajid He said: Let no man rob them of the crown. They should not yield their greatest heritage; let there be charity in all things, but perfect, liberty in matters non-es-sential. There could be no broader platform. Archbishop Whitley had said that when a man found himself in error he should correct it, or he would become an unprofitable servant in the eyes of the church. It was man's right to think, and then to act, and having acted, to contend for the faith. It had been said that it did not matter what a man thought, so long as he did right. There were many men in Paris as good generals as Napoleon, but they did not tmnk_ right; Napoleon both thought an _ „ Trllc religion was thinkinp and doing right. Hide-bound traditions of the past must be rent asunder, if truth led in that direction. A man's actions would indicate the strength of his thoughts. Those "weak in the faith would falter, but the fire would surely burn if the" truth of the gospel wrs within them. They had chosen to wear the name of Christ, and the more they thought of Him, the greater" power they would become in the community in which they lived. It Was incumbent upon Ins hearers to feel right, for truth would make them free instead of slave,-; it was truth that made for success. Tho man that thought for success would get it, i ust as surely as the man who sought failure obtained it. They had opened the windows and let the sunshine in, and they should contend for their faith, hold fast, and let no man disinherit them St their crown. They had let the dawn of Christian light in; let them go °_ J,,-.* 11.6^ attained the full measure ot Christian manhood. They should walk the path of truth, and so get stronger in converts, and so.build and strengthen the church which bore tb^ name of Christ, to .whom—St.' Paul had said—every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess. In conclusion, the preacher hoped that all would work strenuously for the unification of God's people, for if.they were faithful it had been promised that a crown of life should be their heritage. In the evening, Evangelist W. J. Hastie, of Dunedin, delivered a powerful sermon traversing the grounds of the New Theology teachings, about which a stirring controversy- is being carried on in the United States just now. ■■. .- Appropriate hymns were rendered by the choir, under Mr Readhead, durin'otlie day, and the solo, "He Wipes the Tear from Every Eye," was sung by Miss Lilly Palmer during the eve"'»> service.