HEALING BY PRAYER

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 38, 14 August 1939, Page 11

HEALING BY PRAYER

NEED FOR REVIVAL

Preaching at St. Jude's, Lyall Bay, last night on the emphatic words, "I would not have you ignorant," used in the Epistle for the day, the Rev. F. A. Tooley said that owing to the prejudices shown by many people in their ideas of God, golden opportunities for good were thrown away. Religion was too often commercialised and failed therefore to take its rightful place in the lives of men and lost its majesty and holiness. They did not rightly, therefore, understand that for which the Church should stand. As a result, there seemed to be a revolt against organised religion, and this became almost "a challenge and a reproach to us in the Church." They were too respectful and self-satisfied and indifferent to much that was good. There was a call to all to purge their outlook and face up to the call to God.

"We have largely lost touch with the Scriptures, especially in reference to the gift of healing," he said. It was, however, coming back slowly but strongly, but if real results were to be obtained, they must infuse more faith into their work. That was shown by some other religious bodies whose work they might well emulate. They could not expect the gift unless they realised what was expected of them by Christ himself. The gift was there if only they would grasp it with eagerness and with love in their hearts.

In conclusion, he said that while he admired such bodies as the Oxford Group, there was no need why the Church should not have a similar faith and enthusiasm. They needed to practise a spirit of quiet devotion, by which they would realise they had the gift if they would accept it. They should thus be able to inspire others by their earnest zeal and their faith to make their church a family of worshippers, realising that they could do nothing unless they were in touch, with Christ. They should not cast away what was vitally worth while to their spiritual growth, but keep always in touch with the Saviour and with the Cross of Christ. .