CANON GREEN’S MISSION

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26511, 28 August 1951, Page 3

CANON GREEN’S MISSION

THEATRE AND CHURCH FULL More than 1500 persons packed the Civic Theatre, and another 500 the Congregational Church on the corner of Manchester and Worcester ■ streets, last evening when Canon Bryan Green, noted English evangelist, and rector of Birmingham, gave his second address in the mission being conducted by him in Christchurch. The “House full” sign was posted outside the theatre 10 minutes before the service was scheduled to start, and at that time there were hundreds of persons still queued up. The doors of the Congregational Church were opened about the same time, but probably the crowd was unaware that the church was also being used to accommodate them. However, practically all those who went to hear Canon Green gained admission. The service was relayed from the theatre to the church, and according to an official of the church the reception was perfect. Canon Green spoke on “I Am Against Sin.” "All failure is sin; all vice is sin; and all crime is sin; but sin is all that and more. Sin is the antagonism against the will of the living God,” he said. It was an outrage to .Goa’*, hcUiess. T|ie Bible had best described a sinner as “ungodly. At the concluson of his address there was a period of three minutes’ silence for consideration of the ideas put forward in the sermon. After the period of silence, Canon Green announced that the theatre would be available for three-quarters of an hour for those who wished to pray. A large number, including many young persons, remained. * T The lesson was read by the Rev. L. J. Boulton Smith, and Mr J. Prior led the singing. About 600 men heard Canon Green speak at the Addington Railway Workshops yesterday, when he delivered the first of a series of lunoh-time addresses.