SUNDAY COLUMN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 290, 14 September 1940, Page 3

SUNDAY COLUMN

NEWS OF THE CHURCHES. DEVOTIONAL READING. ' (Conducted by the Asubukton Ministers’ Association) . THE GREATEST BOOK IN THE , WORLD. Out of the midst of at multitude of books available to- us to-day, each of us could choose our favourite hook. Probably no two choices would he the same. But if we were called to the task of choosing the greatest hook in the world, there could he no' debate. History and humanity agree at this point. Neither cries out against Bunvan s title —“The Best of Books.” In a* dozen ways the Book of Books has demonstrated its greatness. Its preservation down tliei ages against spinning and burning is the miracle of the years. It remains to-day the world’s best seller. Bible Society records speak of an annual sale of more than 11 million copies; 500 million copies in 135 years. It is published today in nearly 1000 languages. Yet its day cf persecution is not yet passed. In Germany, the land whose leader has made no. uncertain stand against it, it, outsold his “Mein Kampf” by 200,000 copies during 1939. The excursion of Germany and Russia into Poland seemed to iis to sound the death-knell of God’s Word in that land. Yet as Christians left their homes to be occupied by troops they placed cop res of the hook of life, in the Russian language', in obvious spots. A phenomenal demand for further issues followed the contact of these men with the Scriptures. God moves in a mysterious way to bring good from evil. Above all else., it ,reveals its greatness in its teaching. So simple that “the wayfaring man, tho’ a fool, need not err therein.” Yet, again and again, the great of this world —as Lord Kelvin, one of the notable scientists of last century —have expressed 'amazement at the deptli of its instruction in, the Way of Life. Whittier was right when he penned the lines “We find that all the sages saicl, is in the Book our mothers read.” Its grand conceptions of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of main eminently lit this sacired volume to lend, guiding principles to the everyday life and needs of this chaotic generation. There are underlying reasons why this Book has achieved this greatness. It is the only volume which gives a satisfactory answer to men’s questions: “Is there a God?”: “What is God like?” Besides rev'ealieng God —actually'in revealing Him —it reveals man. It shows clearly his place in the universe. Unafraid, it demonstrates that he; .remains an suited to fill that place while lie is'yet in his sin. It lays bare for all time the falsity of the philosophy that “Man is the measure of all things.” In spite of its caindour about the wilfulness of our sin, we are not as those without hope. To our humiliated gaze it presents the perfect picture of Jesus. Iu him we are amazed to he able to confess we< find no fault at all. He is tempted ill all pomes, yet without sin. He is the fulfilment of man’s true destiny—the image of God. As we dare to glance at Him, not once, but time and again,, we realise that here is a demonstration of crur iwn possibilities. Our glances become the gaze of adoration when we; discover that here is the Saviour of the world. More than this, He is our Saviour. This many-sicled revelation is undeniably the reason of the greatness of “The Book.”

"The important practical issue for ns is, “What will be our attitude to such undoubted grandeur?” It must he more than mere mental recognition of thcfact. Let us bend our whole energies to finding out, by hard study, its message for us. We shall not he long before we discover that the Word of God is sharper than any sword. To study it will be a costly process. We must prepare ourselves to be challenged and changed as we discover God’s will within God’s ivo(i’d. Yet the same volume- which stirs our indolence about our own sin, will stimulate us to boldness of faith. Most of all our day needs changed lives. How we all long for faith “to tread the, path Christ trod.” We shall find such a faith, if we are prepared to become men and women of the 800k —the Greatest Book in the World.

CHRISTIANS AND GAMBLING. !Dr. Irving Benson recently pointed out that the churches, in giving objection to the prevalence of gambling in the raising of patriotic funds, was far from narrow-minded. He says, “Only narrow-minded people could be guilty of the folly of increasing the facilities which are dealing such a fell blow at the simple Christian standards for which ive arei said to be fighting.” If, as Ave are so frequently told, avc are fighting to preserve Christianity, avc should he prepared to raise no uncertain voice: against the elevation of materialism by this subtle means. If avc fail in ibis, ive are on Tie higher moral plane than those we so blandly condemn. A PRAYER. Give unto us, l o‘God, the girdle, the helmet, the breastplate, the shield, the sandals, the SAVord —above all things, prayer. Grant unto us the poAver and opportunity of Avell-doing, that before the day of our departure: cometh, Ave may have wrought at least somewhat, whose good fruit may remain ; that avc may behold Thy Presence in righteousness, and be satisfied Avith Thy Glory'; for Christ’s sake>. Amen. —Bishop Andrewes.