HE CHAPMAN-ALEXANDER MISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 102, 30 April 1913, Page 9

HE CHAPMAN-ALEXANDER MISSION.

** • n • — ——. rMEETING IN THE DRILL HALL. The first of the three meetings under the direction of the Chapman-Alexander mission party to be held in the Drill Hall *ook place last night, the Town Hall having been vacated in order that the arrangements for the welcome of the officers and crew 0 f the battle-cruiser New Zealand might not .be interfered with. start could not he made to remove tiie chairs from the Town Hall to the Drill Eall till after the Civic reception, yet seating accommodation for 2.500 people had been provided long before the time announced for the evening mccliii"-. Seats were reserved for 400 men's Bibleclass members, who inarched in procession from the Tabernacle. An interesting feature in the song service was a solo from a bluejacket from the warship hi port. He was welcomed by the large audience with cheere and prolouged applause. Dr. Chapman took for his text the word> "Your Sin." from the 59th chap-' ter and the 2nd verse of Isaiah. The preacher said that it was hardly necessary to say that sin was an awful fact. One had only to read the newspapers day by day. to listen to the stories of brokenhearted mothers and disgraced fathers, to realise how broad a trail of misery is left on history. His message did not deal with sin in general, however: he wanted to talk about the sin of the individual. The reason why many men oould not understand the Scriptures was because of the condition of their minds and hearts. Sin was always the trouble, but he wanted to tell them that if they ■would turn away from their sinful ways and accept .Testis Christ as a Saviour they would inherit the promise of life evprlasting. There was an immense difference between the man-given pardon and God's pardon; when God pardoned he justified. When man forgave hestiil Temembered. but when God forgave he blotted out the remembrance of man's sin. Someone present might feel that he was the vilest sinner in Auckland, yet if be would turn from his sin aud accept Jesus Christ he bad God's own promise. '•'Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, and though they be red like crimson they shall be as the wool." Dr. Chapman's earnest appeal to men and women to come forward and make a public profession of belief was responded to by large numbers from all parts of the hall. A service will be held in the Drill Hall to-night.