THE TORREY-ALEXANDER MISSION.

Evening Star, Issue 11692, 25 September 1902, Page 4

THE TORREY-ALEXANDER MISSION.

The business men’s meeting to-day was very well attended, and the muster of hidles in the gallery pretty well filled the seats in that part' of the building. Mr Alexander’s persuasive manner, musical knowledge, and pleasant voice enabled him to make the early part of the meeting an unqualified success. His singing of ‘A little talk with Jesus’ proved a source of joy to all Before singing this song Mr Alexander said “Whit about a meeting on Saturday night? Hands up, all who want it.” A general response being made, Mr Alexander said: “ All right, we’ll have it • —we’ll have an all kinds meeting. Both choirs' will be here, and we will have the best singing ever heard. All come, and bring your voices with you. We are going to have a spell next week, and I will try and stand Saturday work for once.—(ApElause.) Dr Torrey: “Alexander will be ere; he is a draw himself.” —(Loud applause.) Mr Alexander; “He don’t mean any harm by that remark.”—(Renewed applause.) Dr Torrey’s sermon was a continuation of the series of discourses on the reasons why the Bible should be received as the Word of God. He said that he had already given four reasons—namely, the testimony of Jesus Christ, the fulfilled prophecies, the unity of the Book, and the immeasurable superiority of its teachings. He would now give a fifth reason. He believed in the Bible because of the history of the book. The book that for eighteen centuries had resisted the attacks of men was a book that man did not make. The Bible condemned sin, it demanded self-re-nunciation, it laid human pride in the dust. As a consequence, men hated the Bible and went to work to destroy it. Writers wrote against it and ridiculed it—tyrants burnt people for believing in it—every instrument of destruction that human science, human philosophy, human reasoning, human wisdom, human satire, human wit, and human brutality could bring to bear against the Bible had been brought to bear, but still it stood, whereas if it had been man’s book it must have pone down. —(Applause.) At one time all the big people of the world were against it, and its only human supporters were an obscure remnant. His sixth reason was the power of the Bible. It had more power to gladden and beautify and ennoble human life than alt other books together, and the book that had such power to lift men up to God must have come from God.—(Applause). What had made England the empress of the world? The Bible, of course; “ and yet you allow it to be shut out ,of the place where it would mould the youth into true manhood.”—(Loud applause.) His seventh reason was because of the character of those who accept the Bible and the character of those who reject it. When a man commenced to doubt he had often begun wrong-doing of some sort or other. “The stronghold of infidelity is the gambling hell, the public-house, the racecourse, the brothel. The stronghold of faith and the Bible is the loving, happy, and holy home.” In concluding, the speaker said that he believed there were drinking-houses in Dunedin. More shame to the people for allowing them to exist. The Bible and whisky did not go together. —(Applause.)