MANHOOD OF PALMERSTON.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 303, 21 November 1932, Page 8

MANHOOD OF PALMERSTON.

In connection with the sjiecial mission services in the big tent, Mr Harry Dawson addressed a meeting of men on Sunday afternoon on “The Manhood of Palmerston North.” “Every city has some distinction,” said the missioner. “For instance, London is conspicuous for its dense population; New York for - its skyscrapers; Sydney for its beautiful harbour ; and surely this fair city of yours is famous for its civic pride. It has not developed like many of our Australian cities around the ashes of a camp fire, but has been carefully planned. Palmerston North with its beautiful Square, its fine buildings, its wide thoroughfares, its hive of industry, is a credit to its people and one of the best cities for its size I have ever visited. But lam to speak of ‘The Manhood of Palmerston North.’ What shall I say? Well, to begin, a city is known by the character of its manhood, just as much as by its commercial or civic reputation.” The speaker took his text from 2 Sam. 18.29. “Is the young man Absalom safe?” “The story of Absalom’s rebellion is not only one of the most exciting dramas of the Bible, but one of the guiltiest and saddest tragedies in human history,” he said. “ ‘ls the young man safe ?’ This was the question of a broken-hearted father—the anxious enquiry of a parent who somehow felt his boy in danger, and back came the awful answer, ‘No, he is not safe!’” The speaker then describes two scenes in this Bible drama. The first, that of the rebellion of Absalom, the marshalling of his army, the battle culminating in Absalom’s death; the second, that of the anxious parent waiting for tidings of his boy, this great grief when he learns of the death of Absalom. “What has this story to do with the manhood of Palmerston North?” queried the speaker. “Well, just this, that Absalom met his death by being caught in the clutches of a great tree —in reality _ he was caught in the clutches of evil habits. If the manhood of Palmerston North is caught in the clutches of evil habit, then it is not safe—not any of us are safe without Jesus Christ. No man, no matter how manly and honourable, can be the best type of man, God would have without the Divine presence in his life.