‘THE VICTORY OF FAITH’

Evening Star, Issue 22350, 28 May 1936, Page 5

‘THE VICTORY OF FAITH’

OPENING ADDRESS DF DR G. J. ROLLS The first of a series of lectures was given by Dr C. J. Roils, home director of the Sudan interior Mission last evening, under the auspices of the Evangelical Bible League of Otago, when the speaker chose for the title Of his thoughtful and interesting address, ‘ The Victory of Faith.’ The Rev. R. H. Turner presided, and, in introducing the speaker, extended to him a warm welcome to Dunedin. In the course of his instructive address Dr Rolls stressed the fact that Christ in His ministry coined many new words, which were not to be found in any literature prior to His teachings. One of these new words was “ oligopistos,” which had been rendered as “little faith.” Being perfect in this quality of character, He was in a position to correct those who lacked it In the training of His disciples Christ used it on five occasions—as a warning against profitless anxiety, paralysing doubt, perturbing fear, misunderstanding, and prayerless effort. His implications suggested that anxiety, fear, misunderstanding, and prayerlessness did not exist where faith abode. The main purport of His instruction was to lead men to live for the purpose of lile and not for its necessities. Christ. Dr Bolls said, stressed the fact that the nations of the earth were occupied in securing life’s necessities. Tips, the speaker continued, was very marked at the Inst conference of the Premiers of all the British dominions, held at Ottawa At this conference the delegates were greatly concerned with

better housing and shorter hours for the workman, stable markets, and steadier prices to facilitate trade. But never once did the subject under consideration rise above life’s necessities, thus proving the statement of Christ as being still true: “After all thesa things do the nations of the world seek, but seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all thesa things shall be added unto ye.” As an instance of this Dr Rolls related an incident in the life of F, Arnot, who followed Dr Livingstone into the heart of Africa. AVhen Arnot was challenged by his caravan men one night to pray for a pair of boots in, the great interior he protested that God did not wish him to pray for things that did not exist in that part of the country. But when his men repeated the four words used by him in instructing them, namely, whosoever, whatsoever, whensoever, and wheresoever, they insisted that whosoever meant him, whatsoever meant boots, whensoever meant at that time, and wheresoever meant in that place. At dawn a pair of new boots, of exactly his size and which enabled him to continue his long trek in comfort, wore handed to him. This was an instance of the victory of faith, tha speaker concluded, and he appealed to his hearers to realise the desirability of at all times having faith in their daily lives. At the conclusion of his address. Dr Rolls was accorded a hearty vote' of thanks. To-night Dr Rolls will deliver an address in the Concert Chamber on a subject of great international interest, his lecture being illustrated with many outstanding lantern slides.