MY OF PRAYER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 97, 24 March 1941, Page 2

MY OF PRAYER

STRENGTH AND GUIDANCE.

LARGE CONGREGATIONS.

A marked response to the King's request that a national day of prayer tor strength and guidance in the present struggle for freedom be observed yesterday was seen in the large congregations at the churches in Palmerston North, several of the buildings being crowded. ALL SAINTS' CHURCH. In addition to a large congregation, the morning service at All saints' Church was attended by members of

the Home Guard, the City Band, All I Saints' Scout Troop and Cub Pack, I and the Auxiliary Service Corps. I Rev. Canon G. Y. Woodward, dealI ing impressively with the King's message, said that three times since the I war began His Majesty had called the people of the Empire together lor a . national day of prayer. They were ask- ; ing Almigrity God for strength and guidance in the days to come. Our [leaders realised the task beiore us was I a tremendous one. To-day we were in j the war with a completeness of deterI mination and preparedness that was unparalleled in the whole of our hisjtory. In the Old Country everything

' was put aside in order that a maximum war effort might be made—the whole country was a gigantic workshop in order to throw back the aggressor and free the world from tyranny. Britain would never relax until victory was won for liberty and justice. Proceeding, Canon Woodward savd that day they- met in a different mood—a mood in which there was an element of thankfulness. We could thank God for the splendid exampleshown by our King and Queen, for the British Prime Minister, for the British Commonwealth of Nations and for , our magnificent forces on sea and land 1 and in the air. AVe, too. must march forward under tho leadership of God in the most wonderful crusade ever entrusted to man. AVe must pray for

strength and guidance to do right in the days to come in building a new world tor humanity. | At the evening service Canon Woodward took as an analogy the lines of communication between the front line of an army and its base and the church army and God. He stressed the importance of prayer by every individual as a means of keeping the spiritual lines of communication open if we were to receive the strength and guidance necessary in the coming struggle, for only God could supply all j our needs. j ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH. There were large attendances at ail the Masses at St. Patrick's Church yesterday, and throughout the day, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament being kept up until after the evening devotions. A touching prayer for peace, composed by His Holiness the I Pope, was read at the Masses, and the : necessity for constant prayer was emphasised in the sermons. j CUBA STREET CHURCH. i There were very large congregations l at both services at the Cuba Street Methodist Church, when a special

order of worship with appropriate prayers of intercession and thanksgiyI ing were offered. Rev. H. L. Fiebig conducted both services, and in the morning the sermon was preached by Rev. C. T. Symons. Senior Youth Di- ' rector of the Methodist Church of New Zealand. Taking his text from the Book of Jeremiah, Mr Symons used the analogy of the potter and the clay to illustrate the manner in which God might find it necessary to break His | handiwork among the nations to remove the imperfections in nations and remould them to a truer pattern. Speaking of the present situation, Mr Symons stressed the need to expunge hate, bitterness, and kindred feelings which, if retained or encouraged, could not contribute to the building of the new world. He remarked upon the , need, al6o, to retain the conception of the' community of human souls, for ! the race was one unity, intended by God to live in harmony for its own 1 welfare. Only as the broad, Christian conception was retained could a happier world be evolved. I. BAPTIST CHURCH.

At the Baptist Church, in the morning the service was commenced by the singing of the National Anthom. The special feature of this service was the period of intercession, when members of the congregation led in prayer for Britain and her people. Germany and her people, men of the fighting Forces in the air on sea and land, New

Zealand and her service, and peace. Rev. A. H. Finlay took as his subject "Jesus, steadfast for conquest." "When His earthly life was nearing its end Jesus steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, the preacher said. With undivided purpose and resolute determination He went to the cross and •shame in order to save the world from sin. The sad condition in the world to-day was the result of sin and because people did not give God the rightful place in their lives. Sin must be put awav and the Divine laws obeyed if the people expected God to answer their pravers. At the evening service the theme was "Our great accounting

<lav," the text being: '.'Every one of us'shall aive an account-of himself to God." Each person was writing his own biography, life and character telling the whole story, past, present and future, Mr Finlay said. It was this record that man must give an account of to God. Compared with God's matchless purity the awfulnoss of man's sin was revealed. To bridge this <{ap the cross of Jesus Christ stood with its message of pardon, peace and life everlasting. Special prayers for the Empire and its great need were of-

I fercd. Large congregations attended both services and the choir materially assisted with appropriate messages in song. ST. DAYTD'S CHURCH. St. David's Presbyterian Church, Terrace End. was crowded for both services yesterday. In the morning there was a parade of the Terrace End Boy Scouts, and the subject of the sermon given by Rev. R. Wnmock was "The Need For Intercession." "The apnalling world conditions and the anathy of a large section of the Christian community present a challenge unparalleled in the history of the world for intercession." he said. '"The world's need can only' be met by God In His divine economy he has called on Christian men and women

to be co-workers with Him. The chief instrument in our hands for this great task is intercession. Intercession not only strengthens life, but has farreaching influences. The challenge of the hour is for sustained intercession.'" The subject of the sermon at the evening service was "The requirements of the Lord—a Call For Religious Revival," and special prayers were offered. LUTHERAN CHURCH.

There were good attendances at the services conducted at the Evangelical Lutheran Church yesterday by Rev. A. Christensen, who, in the course of his sermon stated: "Our Sovereign, like the leaders in Bible times, calls his people to prayer. By such Royal example our King endears himself to his people. God's way of bestowing

guidance and strength is revealed in tlie words of Jesus : 'Ask and ye shall receive.' External organisation, equipment and efficiency are great contrib'uting factors to success and victory, but the greatest is a true faith and reliance upon God. God can save us." Special prayers were . offered for the King and the Royal Family, the leader of our Empire and the armed Forces, The services closed with the National Anthem. ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH. At St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in tile morning the Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford) and city councillors attended

and Rev. J. Hubbard occupied the pulpit. His message was one of confidence, not only in the cause : for which the nation was fighting but also in ultimate victory. "Lift up your hearts," said Mr Hubbard. "We should rejoice in the measure of success that has come to our armies in Africa and the stubbornness of our Greek allies, in the wonderful spirit of the people of Britain and the wonderful cooperation of the United States of America. I feel that we have much to thank God for and we should face the future with a calm confidence."

Appropriate prayers were offered and hymns sung. At the evening service Mr H. L. Cunninghame and members of the Rptary Club were present, when Mr Hubbard again preached the sermon. ST. PETER'S CHURCH.

There were large congregations for : all the services held at St. Peter's An- ; glican Church yesterday, when Rev. F. S. Ramson delivered the sermons, j The 'subject of his address in the morn- j i ing was "Before Thou Prayest, Pre- j pare Thyself." The object of the scr- ; mon was to show how to pray for the :

preservation of Democracy and Chris- j tianity. Although we were praying for , victory our prayers could be quite un- • selfish because we were praying for the > preservation of the Kingdom of God on earth. The evening address was based on the words "When Moses held up his hands Israel prevailed, and when he let down his hands Amalek

prevailed." The object was to show the need for continuous prayer. The conquest of Palestine by the Israelites was the result of a partnership between God and Man. God did His part; Man had to do his part in the present struggle. Munitions armaments and men were all very import-

ant, but it would be fatal and .presumptious to forget God's part in the struggle. Our days of prayer gave God his opportunity to help us. When we remembered the great mercies that followed other days of prayer, could we not spare time to give God further opportunities of helping us?, the vicar asked. Special prayers were offered at the services.