BIBLE CLASS CONFERENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 December 1940, Page 10

BIBLE CLASS CONFERENCE

PRESBYTERIAN CLASSES. The members of the Presbyterian 1 Bible-class Conference left, this 'morning, on an excursion to Lake Kanieri, where they will picnic to--1 day, returning to Greymouth this evening. Yesterday the visitors and ; local Bible classes attended Holy 'Communion at 7 a.m., meeting later i for then' Study Circle and attending '-service, where Rev. M. H. .Feist, Hokitika, was the preacher. Owing to the church being limited in capacity, it was decided, in order to accommodate the large attendance anticipated, to hold the evening service in the Regent'Theatre, where a large number- were present, the service being conducted by Rev. Theo Paterson, Oamaru. A service of song (preceded the ordinary service, those present joining in the singing, which was led by Mr A. Huston, Dunedin. Mr Paterson gave an interesting address on “My kingdom is not of this world,” the answer given by Christ Jesus in reply to the question by Pilate, “Art Thou a King, then?” In the course of his address, the preacher recalled the scene in the Judgment Hall where the incident recorded in the Gospel of St. John, chapter 18, verses 28 to 40, took place. In this instance, the hall of Judgment did not prove to be one where impartial justice was meted out. Pilate having misgivings regarding Christ looked on Him as a political revolutionist who was preaching against Caesar. On the one hand Pilate found no fault with Christ, while on the other the crowd was calling, “Away with Him!” Though Pilate eventually handed Christ over to the mob, Christ was victorious, as He still lives a King in Heaven. His Kingdom transcends the world. He has given His divine commands to those who would be His faithful followers. They need fear no earthly kingdom, they are members of a “kingdom that is an Heavenly,” a kingdom of truth—truth, which is absolute? In this world at this time there is, considerable defiance of truth and certain schools of thought lose no opportunity Ho disseminate doctrines of untruth. The basis of Hitlerism is untruth and deception in its worst form, yet we know the tremendous strength of his following. We ape quick to notice when our adversaries defy truth. Do we fail in this respect too? Cults such as Hitlerism stand against', the Church and all the Church stands for, for was not the Evangelical Church in Germany the object of Hitlerism’s cruel assault and ill-treatment of its leaders, who were thrown into concentration camps, if they did not lose their lives for their faith. We do not forget their martyrdom- and their stand for Christ in the fac£ of insperable odds. There are no half-measures in the Christian life; it must be .100 per cent, for Christ. The call to the Christian is to go into the world and proclaim Christ, if need be to suffer death in His cause. The .order is plain, “Be not of this world.” The Christian does not fear any earthly kingdom, for he' serves a heavenly kingdom, where Christ reigns supreme. ■ The meeting of the Conference this evening will take the form, of a Mission night, when the address will be given by Sister Eileen Reid, of Kong Chuen, China.