REV. GEORGE GRUBB.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIII, Issue 118, 19 May 1892, Page 2

REV. GEORGE GRUBB.

EVANGELICAL MISSION SERVICES

The Rev. G. C. Grubb conducted the first of his evangelical mission services at tho City Hall last evening. Tho meeting was well attended, and almost every seat occupied. "After singing and prayer, Mr Grubb made a statement in regard to the manner in which the mission would be conducted, and the hours at which special services would be held during the present week.

Ephesiana 3rd and 19fcli was the subject of Mr Orubb's address, " And to know the lovo of Christ, which paasetli knowledge, that ye might bo tilled with the fulness of God.'1 This, ho said, was the object of his mission in Auckland, Ist, to toll Christians how to bo filled with all the fulness uf God, with joy unspeakable), and full of glory ; 2nd, to rostoro all backsliding Christiana into full fellowship and the glory of tho Holy Ghost ; 3r'l, to bring the sinner? in Aucklund to the feet of Jefius, that tho harlots, tho (ramblers, the drunkards, that all classes might be saved, that rospectablo moral Christians might be turned to God and receive new lifo in thoir hearts. A reporter asked him that day what were the objects of those services. If the reporter was present ho would now receive a full answer to the question. If that reporter wore nob saved, one of the objects of tho meeting was to get him saved. He prayed God to bless tho press of Auckland, and also tho reporters, as they had a most important part to play in the community. Returning to his text, Mr Grubb quoted the Scriptural command, " Thou ehalt love tho Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thyself," and he proceeded to give his reasons for not holding with those who said tho command surely was not to bo literally interpreted. Emptiness was one great characteristic of the Church of the nineteenth century. He did not mean head emptiness—they had a greab deal of head light, but the heart light of the century was very cold. Another object of the mission was to make the Christians of Auckland real boiling hot, that their hearts, their lives, their actions, their homos shduld be fired with the love of Christ. He believed God was going to do a great work during the next two days in Auckland. Love towards Christ was absolutely indispensable; they must go further than respect for Him to be saved. God would not ask to which Church they belonged. He (Mr Grubb) had given up dreaming of one united body of Christians on earth, but he Was looking for a unity of spirit, that the Holy Ghost would come in His power and unite them in their hearts. All denominations were invited to these meetings. The first thing they had to learn was God's redeeming lovo, to get their sins forgiven, and to know that these were forgiven. He asked all who knew that their sins were all forgiven to stand up, and there was a very general response. Thon he remarked that if only all the Christians who stood up knew tho power of God in their own souls, Auckland would bo shaken to-morrow. They must, he then urged, know the constraining love of Christ that would make all things easy. Duty was a very good thing, but there was something higher than duty. Next they required God's restoring love. He was greatly afraid there were some backsliders amongst those present. The backsliding Christian looked to the world for his amusement. He (Mr Grubb) went to Christ for his amusement as well as for salvation. Jesus could give them recreation as well as salvation. What, he asked, was the use of cheir talking about Christianity satisfying them if it practically did no such thing? There was an empty chair for the backslider, and he called upon him to come back to his God. He first wanted to get the Christians fco come back, and then there would be a power which the rest of Auckland could nob resist. Mr Grubb concluded his appeal with prayer, and the meeting closed with the Benediction, about 9 p.m.