RELIGIOUS WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 25, 30 January 1926, Page 22

RELIGIOUS WORLD.

PRESENT DAY OUTLOOK.

TENT CAMPAIGN METHODS AND RESULTS.

(By ONE OF THE WORKERS.)

The desire to reach the ''unreached" with the Gospel led the Auckland United Evangelistic Association to pitch a tent for the second time on the Civic Square, in order to take the Gospel to the people. The time of the year lent itself to tent work, and although a great exodus of townsfolk took place that was counterbalanced by the Influx of visitors to the city, thus actuaJly giving the campaign a greater constituency than is possible at any other season. In order to contribute to the success of the movement, the majority of the co-operating churches closed all their ordinary week-night services, and, acting on Moody's motto, "Consecrate and concentrate," did this one thing for five unforgettable weeks. The knowledge that great masses of the peopie of our city are untouched by the churches' ordinary methods, has stirred the ministers and Christian workers generally to unresting action, and the Tent Campaign is an honest attempt to contribute their part to the solution of the evangelistic problem as it presents itself to this city. The unique feature of the movement just closed, has been that the preaching has been carried on entirely by local I ministers and business men. The itinerant -undoubtedly hap his place, but it is impossible for him to know the needs of a given locality, sava in a general senee. The local ministers know the people, they know what the need is. They are presumably better able to adapt themselves to that need than a visitor can be expected to do. In any event, the results of the second campaign have again justified the wisdom of the action. The Preachers. Almost every evangelical denomination was represented amongst the preachers. The first week the preacher was Rev. Joseph W. Kemp, of the Baptist Tabernacle. He was followed by Rev. Lionel B. Fletcher, of Beresford Street Congregational Church. Dr. C. H. Laws, of the Methodist College, and Rev. Leonard B. Dalby, of Pitt Street Methodist Church, shared the third ■week, and the Presbyterians were represented by Revs. D. C. Herron and E. R. Harries, doing duty the fourth week. A request reached the committee for an extension of the campaign for one week to allow of representative business men bearing their testimony to the power of the Gospel. This was readily agreed to, end the closing week had a different speaker each night in the following order:—Messrs. Robert Laidlaw, J. Shackelford, W. E. Bush, W. J. Holdsworth, Dr. W. Pettit, Messrs. Stewart and Grey Campbell. Taking the preachers ac a whole we are impressed with, tljeir variety of outlooks and methods, but the One Evangel was proclaimed with unvarying faithfulness. To a stranger it would be difficult to detect the shibboleth of any denomination, and the pennant that flutters over the massive tents at Keswick, in England, could well be flown over this tent: "All one in Christ." The Audiences. From the first week of the mission, 'beginning December 20, 1025, the audiences were limited only by the capacity of the tent. There was a growth in the numbers, but these were accommodated by having the sides of the tent lifted, and thoee of the "overflow" contented themselves by standing without. The discomforts attending a tent mission are many, but these do not deter any who were interested from being present. And yet, notwithstanding all the inconvenience, the crowds thronged the place until, on the last night—the sixth Sunday of the movement —every available foot of space in the tent and on the platform was occupied. The flaps of the tent all round were thrown open, and a veritable sea of faces looked in from every angle. Certainly, people around the tent outnumbered by many •hundreds those who were accommodated inside. The Results What of the net result? We are not of those who are particularly influenced ■by statistics, but it is safe to say this campaign compares favourably with any of a similar nature known to us. The professed conversions are well over three figures, but the abiding results cannot be tabulated. This effort has revealed to many what come of us were acquainted with already, that we are paying an enormous price for the presence of the drink evil in our midst. It is a heart-moving sight to witness, night after night, some of the finest types of our young manhood under its influence. Again, the mission 'brought to light such depths of moral corruption that it is best that a veil of silence be drawn over the depravities revealed. A further lesson taught is that the rank and file of folk—the "common people," as they were styled in our Lord's day—are still •willing to heam him gladly. The churches must never be content to simply open their doors and ring the steeple bell, thereby expecting the people to flock in. The fact is far larger numbers pass the doors than pass through them. If the masses are to be reached, we must go to them. Nightly, eager and spiritually hungry congregations met is this canvas church, and not a few in the audience were those who could hardly tell what the inside of our sanctuaries is like. Finally, we were confirmed in our conviction that primitive methods of evangelism are as potent now as they ever have been. The gospel is asking for no free field. It simply says: "Preach mc," and it proves itself to be the power of God unto salvation.