METHODISM.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 19 December 1913, Page 8

METHODISM.

CONTRIBUTION TO CHRISTIANITY

At the Methodist Church last night theßev, E./o:;Biamires delivered a lecturettes: on '*The> Contribution of Methodism to Christianity." There was a good attendance." The choir, assisted in the* singing, ' arid rendered the anthem ''If Ye Love Me," Mrs Grace accompanying on the organ.. Mrs Dixon sang the solo of the anthem. The lecturer referred to Methodism as one branch of the Christian church working in 00-operation with other branches to establish the kingdom of God oh earth. Behominatioiialism was sometimes associated in men's minds with division and strife; a truer idea saw in the denominations regiments in the one army, or limbs in the one tree. As the church was a living organism, the health vofia part, contributed to the health, of the whole, and the rise of Methodism had blessed all the branches of the Christian church-. ''-lit hen history, special emphasis had been laid upon certain - truths.i - At first some of these had I'^ notably "the assurance. of the forgiveness of sins and the conscious wiser witness: of:' the "^Divine Spirit,'' but the Widespread fecoghition' accorded: to-day showed how widely her influence had spread. Stress had always been laid by her upon' the validity of spiritualexperience.' ' She recognised authority in external objective sources such as church and Bibh*v but corrected exagferated reliance upon these \_by_ the erif ightenment and ".interpretation that came in-a more/subjective way from the collective consciousness of Christians, the outcome of their spiritual experiences. • Wesley applied the scientifip (method of observation and experiment to religion, and Methodism was always an experimental type of Christianity. Methodism had played her part in the Christian #orld notably by her overthrow ..of Deism in the eighteenth century, .by}', her championing the teaching and practice of scriptural holiness, and by sounding the evangelistic note. yTheleeturette was the first of a series to be delivered in monthly" parts.