ANDREW JOHNSON MISSION

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 September 1938, Page 5

ANDREW JOHNSON MISSION

“A GREAT BEGINNING.”

Such was the universal comment among those attending the openingservices of the Blind Soldier Evangelist at the 1 Baptist Church yesterday. At the morning Service, a large and representative gathering of local and scattered members of the Church rallied to the opening Consecration and Communion Service —some travelling a. distance of ninety miles in order to be present. In the afternoon, upwards of 200 young people met in Herb. Moore’s Tea Rooms for a United Youth Rally. Addressing the young people on tin 1 subject of “Sheep and their habits," Mr. Johnston' held the deepest interest and attention of the fine gathering as he painted word pictures of the ways of the flock, from his- own experience as a sheen farmer in Southland. These he turned to the best account lu r applying their vivid lessons morally and spiritually to the young people Splendid singing of popular mission choruses, led by Mr. J. Bruerton. was a feature. Mrs. Johnston, wife of the evangelist, sang with obvious effect, the Gypsy-child’s prayer “Tell it again.” In the evening, a congregation | which filled the church building ini ■Shakespeare Street, listened with deep and sustained interest to Mr Johnston’s graphic description of his personal experiences as a soldier in France in 1918 —where he lost his sight. Contrasting the man born h’lncl of the the New Testament, with one who had previously possessed the faculty of sight but had, like himself, now lost it. he pressed home striking lessons upon his audience. The singing of choir and congregation was of a sort that stirs and uplifts, and Mrs. Johnston as a Gospel soloist excels. Her rendering of “Just Gue Touch" seemed to bring the Great Physician spiritually near.

There is no excited sensationalism in Mr. Johnston’s methods, but by a sane, manly and deeply earnest presentation of what he feels is a Godgiven message for to-day. he seeks to lead men and women to consider viral themes and things.

The missioner’s subject this evenwill be “Does God speak to men to-day?”