STEMMING THE DRIFT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 197, 20 August 1900, Page 2

STEMMING THE DRIFT.

The morning sen-ice at the Beres-ford-street Congregational Church was taken by the Rev. W. Hodge, of St. Clair, Dunedin, who arrived in Auckland on Saturday to officiate for the coming month. He explained that he was unable to fall in with the services of citizenship, as he had only heard about it since his arrival. Mr Hodge, however, preached an appropriate sermon from Isaiah, 32nd chap., 2nd verse, "And a man shall be as au hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land." Mr Hodge pointed out that Isaiah recognised just government and great characters should save the nation. Still great men were not the whole of life. There was a deal of foolish talk about great men nowadays. There was n democracy that was' going to save the world, and a democracy that was going to curse and damn it if not arrested. The great requirement of the day was distinctive characters. The great man served his day and generation by realising there was n dangerous drifting of the people and standing forth distinctively to stem it. Others would gather behind him as under the shadow of a great rock, which in the desert gave the shelter behind which the oasis formed. Mr Hodge said in his walk through the streets on Saturday evening he recognised that Auckland was like other modern cities. There were many of the people drifting, and the tide must be resisted. That could be done 'if strong young men would stand with their backs against the tide of sins and follies of modern civilisation. The great danger of secularism was upon them. Brave, strong men were required to stand forth and say, "All that is secular is sacred, and all that i 3 sacred shall be secular, whether in politics, commerce or the services in the church." There were many other dangers he need not mention, but as an example would mention gambling. Did they not think that was a tide, the drifting -of which would claim many young men? Here again strong men were wanted to step out and say, "We don't gamble, although we do not object to sport." Young men should realise their influence and use it for right. Millions of ordinary people must go with the tide, but strong men should oppose the drift, and do so, not by talk or being narrowminded misinterpreters of the Gospel, but by strong, pure, healthy example, which was going to save the nation. By so doing their duty to humanity, they would realise their conI nection -with the Divine side of life.