MANHOOD OF AUCKLAND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 122, 26 May 1930, Page 3

MANHOOD OF AUCKLAND.

MISSIONEIfS SURVEY. COMMERCIAL MORALITY HIGH. The fifth week of the Harry Dawson mission at Grange Road Baptist Church made a very successful start last night, when Mr. " Dawson gave 'a powerful address on the 'Manhood of Auckland," taking for his text 11. Samuel, xviii., 30. '•Is the Young Man Absolom Safe," Mr. Dawson gave his impressions of Auckland. "A great city is not judged by its architecture, nor the height of its buildings, its population, or its gifts of natural beauty, but by the character of its manhood, and you can usually judge the character of its womanhood by the character of its manhood/' he said. "I have found the cOmmericial morality of the business men of Auckland quite as high a standard as that of Wellington, and that of both cities considerably higher than many other great cities I have visited. "The tendency of the greater cities of to-day, with their bright lights and their multiplicity of attractions, is to bring people from the country, where they give up their agricultural pursuits because they like city life. Like the moth, they are attracted by the glitter and glamour which opens doors to demoralisation and corruption. The statesmen of New Zealand are to be commended for their policy of decentralisation, which means smaller cities, but a stronger moral fibre and greater depth of character on the part of its citizens. What does it matter whether a city is modem or not? The all-important thing chat matters is the character of its citizens. "The city of Auckland is particularly fortunate in having so many fervent preachers of consecrated gifts and outstanding ability. Their work for the city is far more constructive than that of any statesman or councillor could be. But in spite of these advantages, there is here, as in other great cities, a trend of Godlessness, infidelity, and immorality, that should occasion the utmost concern to every right thinking man and woman of Auckland and the whole of Xew Zealand. My text asks the question Ts the Young Man Safe?' That depends on his mode of living, upon his choice of creed. As the poet says, 'No nation can survive where wealth increases and their men decay/ " MISSION AT ST. MATTHEW'S. The Rev. Walter E. Bentley continued his mission yesterday at, St. Matthew's Church. In the morning he preached on "The Reality of the Unseen," and in the afternoon addressed a large gathering of men on '"The Responsibility of Life," and in the evening, before a congregation which packed the church, dealt with "God's Idea of His Church," in which he contended that the various Protestant denominations were dealing with a diluted Gospel and gradually losing ground in consequence. '"The greatest need of our time is the reunion of Christendom," he said, "and we must all come back to the Divine idea before the world can be reached and saved." To-night at 7.30 Mr. Bentley will preach on "The Relations of Repentance and Conversion." SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY. The Mount Roskill Congregational Sunday School celebrated its anniversary yesterday, when good attendances were the order of the day. The morning service was conducted by members of the Y.M.C.A. Preachers' Club. In the afternoon Mr. Enoch Wood addressed the children and distributed the prizes. Mr. 2*loreton conducted the singing by the scholars, and in the evening Pastor Reuben Dowle spoke to the parents and friends on "Christ the Son of the Living God." BAPTIST MISSION. A mission has recently been carried on at Papatoetoe under the auspices of the Baptist.Union. Services held in the Renown Hall and Dunotar Avenue have been well attended. A fellowship league has also been commenced in connection with the movement, and the first of a programme of evenings was held on Saturday. The Rev. T. H. Eccersall, of the Otahuhu Baptist Church, presided.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCHES. "Soul and Body" was the subject of the lesson-sermon in First Church of Christ (Scientist), Auckland, on Sunday. The text was from Psalms Ixxiii. 20, '•'My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.*' Among the citations which comprised the lesson-sermon was the following from the Bible: "Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt Thou rear it up in three days? But He spake of the temple of His body." The lesson-sermon also included the following passage from the Christian Science Textbook, by Mary Baker Eddy: "Rightly understood, instead of possessing a sentient, material form, man has a sensation-less body; and God, the Soul of man and of all existence, being perpetual in His own individuality, harmony and immortality, imparts . and perpetuates these qualities in man—through ' mind, not matter." THE GREATEST LETTER. The Rev. W. W. Avery, preaching at St. Paul's Methodist Church, Xorthcote, took as his text, '•Therefore, being justified by faith,'we have peace with God.' These words, said the preacher, were from the greatest letter ever written. It dealt with sin. salvation and forgiveness. All religions taught of sm. laul went further; he taught of pardon. When God pardoned He blotted out our transgressions and remembered them no more against us. APPEAL TO YOUTH. Preaching at the Church of St. John the Baptist, Xorthcote, the Rev W. F. Wilkes made a strong appeal to the voun- people of the church. Pie said he was hi entire sympathy with the young life of to-day; he admired their enthusiasm, but he appealed to them to bring some'of that enthusiasm into their church life. He urged them to arise to a living belief in the principles of the Christian faith. Belief was not just saying the Creed, but was an absolute satisfaction with the teachings of the Church.