BIBLE IN HOMES

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 55, 3 September 1934, Page 10

BIBLE IN HOMES

A LEAGUE SUGGESTED

LORD BLEDISLOE'S DESIRE

EEADINC! SCRIPTURE

A suggestion that thorc might be formed in New Zealand a Biblc-in-Iloriies League, as distinct from a Bible-in-Sehools League, was made by tho Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, when speaking at a combined youth rally in ihe Town* Hall yesterday afternoon.' His Excellency said ho could conceive of nothing more calculated to raise the ethical standard of tho nation and point tho way for citizens generally to eternal life than reading of the Bible in tho family circle.

His Excollency said he was perfectly conscious that there was a controversy in New Zealand in relation to the problem, as to whether the Bible should be introduced as part of the curriculum of State-aided ' schools. That problem was not for him to discuss; that was a political problem. He would, though, remind his listeners that there were plenty of good. Godfearing men and women on both sides of the controversy, and who thoroughly believed that, the Bible was the best of books, and that the young should be acquainted with it. He would like to say and emphasise that the foundation of spiritual growth should bo in tho home. There was, he was told, a Bible-in-Schools League. He would like to see founded a Biblc-in-Homes League composed of families who at least once a week read a chapter of the Bible together as a family. Ho could conceive of nothing move calculated to raise the ethical standardof j the nation and point the way for citizens individually to eternal life, and collectively to perpetual prosperity and contentment. . . .

It would not take ]ong to read the Gentleman's Psalm (No. XI), in which was contained a perfect definition.of a gentleman, or that beautiful chapter of 13 verses only,- the thirteenth chapiter of the First Epistle to the- Corinthians, which describod the true nature and'power'of Christian love. To read them would take from three to eight minutes; it would be a real power in promoting spirituality in New Zealand, and maintaining the high ideals upon which, the British race was founded, and which had gone a long way towards making the race pre-eminent among the nations of the world. Surely a Christian youth council coupled with a Bible-in-Homes, League to which Christians of' all denominations could belong would prove' an impregnable buttress against the inroads of infidelity and godlessness. ' •STIMULATING GATHERINGS. llis Excellency thanked Mr. Tremowan for the welcome he had extended and tho regret; which he had expressed at their Excellencies' approaching departure. f£l should like to say , with perfect sincerity that of all stimulating tonics which have enabled us with some degree of confidence to carry out the task which his Majesty tho King imposed-on us none has' been ■ more stimulating than these periodical gatherings of tho youth of various Christian churches who hold the views that the present ills of mankind can only be..effectively dealt with by keeping aloft the banner of our faith," said his Excellency. He noted with pleasure that the Rev, Mr. Leggatc was to give an address. Mr. Leggate was a leading" light in a- Christian movement whose-' main emblem was a lamp—-tho Toe H, a body of men to be found now in every part ''of the British Enrpiro who had made it their business to find ■abundant human joyfulncss in service to thoir fellow-men. • ' ■ "I know of nothing more inspiring than to sec a great hall like this crowdod- with, young Christians of all denominations holding aloft the ban-, ncr of Christian faith," his Excellency said- Particularly was it so, he.continued,- during-a period not merely of national and political upheaval^ but at a period .when atheism,.agnosticism, apathy, and perverted conceptions of life's: happiness were very rife, and when it was. unfortunately not tho fashion :t0 be religious as it was in the days 'Of j Queen Victoria. < : " ."MASTER OF ITS FATE;1 ' . Just as the child was the father of the' man so the youth of' a nation was the master of its fate. fflie future fate'of Now Zealand depended mainly upon tho spiritual convictions of its young people" arid the courage with, which; they adhered to those principles and practised them, however unpopular or however, unfashionable they might be; Never was .the crusade or! Christianity \morc necessary, never was its victorious issue more vital for the growing needs of a chaotic world, and never was it more essential for the platoons of youth to make it clear, absolutely clear, to which army they belonged. ■ ■ • . . llt was a great - adventure, full of risks and perils as all great adventures were, and. therefore was well worth embarking upoii. The world at the present, as the chairman had indicated, seemed to.be awry, both at Tlome and abroad; .storm clouds covered the horizon and tho future appeared uncertain. They heard on all sides such remarks as '' Something • must bo done;; steps must be taken"; but when those people who uttered such" statements were asked what, nine-tenths did not know what to reply. ' ' But they might all bo perfectly certain that tho foothold 'of their faith in God was • just as sure and trustworthy as ever it was in the days of their .forefathers, and unless they placed their feet within it, they were likely to be led astray or flounder in the mass of life's bewildering distresses. "What, indeed,' brought so many young people into the hall that afternoon? Was it not a wholesome hungering for something, on their .spiritual sides that needed feeding, a hungering for they received all too small a meal S, In coming there, did they not feel' their moral and spiritual fibre was strengthened by comradeship, by companionship with others whosy'-aims and idculs were the same1? . LIFE SPRINGS FROM ROOTS. ■His Excellency said lie was reminded of a piece of green turf in.a paddock. .New Zealand had the finest perennial ryegrass in the world because its roots interlocked, forming a permanent turf. For many years English and other seedsmen had raised various herbaceous plants producing a large amount of seed but very little root. The result was that instead of ryegrass being perennial, it had a very short life, and, when pasture was made with it^ it soon ceased to grow food for cattle and sheep. It had been found •that' a plant was apt to grow either with* a stem and sefed or root and leaves, and the main object of growing most pasture plants was to grow, if possible, plenty of leaf. THE SPIRITUAL TURF. AVas there not some useful parallel Sir their assembly • that afternoon? U they wanted the turf of Christianity to be permanent and evergreen, surely all the different denominations and those who firmly held to their belief in God, should get together, intertwining their roots, to make the turf firm and porj nianent. I £• iLfts ik£ ivaX *>£ to flag, in

isolation, to- grow more confident and venturesome in congenial association and combination. A young plant needed for its growth good root-hold in suitable soil, aud the light of the sun to draw it upward, to give it its green leaves and produce in its tissues a substance called Caroline, tho basis of vitamin A, which afforded resistance to disease. For its full vigour and vitality it needed fertilisers, especially that known as nitrogen, of which thero was plenty in the air, but not readily- available, except through the medium of electrical energy.

Mankind was ,very : similar to the plant. Nothing was moro conductive to his life's health and vigour than as a child to' throw, out his roots in the seed-bed of a good home, which radiated a spiritual .atmosphere, and growing ever in the light of faith in love, and perpetually fet 1 with the best of all human fertilisers—the word of God. The perfect human plant was rooted in righteousness, illuminated by faith, and incidentally developing the vitajuin of spirituality, the most effective resistant of human distresses, and stimulated constantly by the tunic of the best.of books/