In The Churches

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7297, 6 August 1930, Page 2

In The Churches

PURITY OF MOTIVE In St. David’s Church on .Sunday morning tho Rev. L. G. B. Whitehead proachod on the text, “Blessed aro tho pure in heart, for they 'shall see God. The preacher said it was a question of vital importance to know if tho vision of God was reserved for the few, or was for all. Some had said that this was tho exclusive privilego of tho mystics. From tho beginning, the mystics had been present in Christianity and were found in other expressions of religion. The experience of the mystic varied from a deepened sonse of somo truth already known to a state of rapture, when the human will become absorbed in the divine. St. Tcrosa related that one day it was grantod her to see, in one instant, how all things weno contained in God. The experience was also exemplified from tho liio of St. Ignatius. Tho preacher said that tho mystics had a place sin the lifo history of Christianity, for, they cfphasisod the inwardness of. religion .at times of spiritual declension. Some had said that the privilege of seeing God was reserved for tho priests, in the early centuries, numerous churches had grown up around tho shores of the Mediterranean. A process of consolidation was going on. Tho church became allied with tho state and developed into tho ancient Catholic Church. The tendency was towards a scrupulosity as to the correct millinery for religious occasions and an exaggeration of ceremony. Tho. lowly Galilean was adorned with “tinsel trappings,” so that the simplicity of His spiritual religion became veiled fioin sight. Direct access to God was not for all. A third group maintained that thevision of God was for all men. this possibility was' tho express claim of Jesus. Ho had fastened men’s attention on tho inner spirit. He gave preeminence to personal religion. The Kingdom of God -was within. But the vision of God was conditional; it did not come unbidden. Tho underlying principle was that spiritual discernment was conditioned by purity of motivo. This was stated in tho sixth beatitude. It was only the person who w r as pure in tho inward life, whoso dominating thoughts and motives were Christ-liko, who saw God. Habitual purity of motive led to the discernment of good in all men. When we looked out on the world, keenly intent to see the spark of divinity in each and to appreciate it, we were at that moment experiencing our vision of God. Tho good that we saw in others was divine in quality, and hence of God. Not everyone was ruled by this principle. There was tho man who found nothing but treachery and deceit. He fixed on men’s weak points to such an extent that they became exaggerated out of all proportion. Inward purity led us to do good to all. The impresison that one personality fade on another was such an underlying assumption that its potency and far-reaching effect was often overlooked. A corrupt heart brought out the evil in others. By tho pure, all things were made pure. As Augustine had said: “One loving heart sets another on tiro.” When we lived out our days with tho express purpose of settiug”an example of inword purity we were, in and through that purpose, experiencing our vision of God, for such action was of divine quality.

Tho preacher concluded with the corollary: “Never pass a harsh judgment on a fellow citizen.” Our judgment could never cover all the facts. All in tho person’s heart was not disclosed. The pure in heart wore blessed because, like Brother. Lawrence, they saw God, whether buying merchandise in the market place or at work in the kitchen.

AFTER DEATH, WHAT? taking for his subject, “After Death ,What?” at the Emmanuel Congregational Church on Sunday evening last, Pastor C. G. 11. Bycroft based his remarks on Job xiv, 10: “Man giveth up the ghost, and where is lie?” The speaker said the plaintive question of Job was ono that was always with us; all down the. ages human .naturc had been asking this question. There was a verso in one of the Persian poets that was not unlike that saying of Job. The poet said: I went towards the burying ground, , and. wept To think of tho departure of friends which were captives to death. I said, Where are they? and Pate Gave back this answer by Echo, Where are they? We need not go to the ends of tho earth or to past generations for examples of a doubting superficial hold of the truth that man lives through death and after it. Wc had only to look around us. This age rvas asking tho question. The living knew that they should die. That was not a debatable question; but what about tho future? Who could tell us anything about it? How could we find out? Did death end all, or was there life beyond the grave? Tho speaker pointed out that there was one way in which we could know something about this great question of the ages. God in His Word revealed to us great truths. Revelation alone could cherish and support us in a hope of glorv hereafter. It replied to our query thus: “The dust shall return to the earth and tho spirit shall return to God who gave it.” Accordinglv, we were exhorted to fear not those which killed tho body, but wore not able to kill tho soul; but rather to fear him who was able to destroy both soul and body in hell. These passages wore sufficient to show that the body and soul wore distinct the one from the other, and that whilo the one was in the grave, the other was in eternity, in happiness or misery. So, then, death was not annihilation; death was not a cessation of being; thero was an after. Jesus taught man’s existence after death so often and in such emphatic terms that, it had become an essential in Christian doctrine. Everywhere Christ clearly implied that man continued to exist somewhere after death, So, then, wo asked the question: “If the soul lives after death, if man lives after death, where is he? Where do the righteous go?” The Word of God comforted us with the cheering answer that, absent from tho body, ho was present with the Lord. “Pot we know,” said the Apostle Paul, “that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a.building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” In accordance with this representation was our Lord’s promise to the penitent thief: “To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise. ’ ’

' The speaker then pointed out that wo road in scripture of Paradise, ot Sliool and Hades, and, if our interpretation was correct, Hades referred to a certain place, or a certain condition m tlio unseen world, to which the departled spirits wont. Up to the Resurrection of tho Lord Jesus Christ Hades had two divisions—an upper division, called Paradise, where tho good departed spirits went; this was also called Abraham’s bosom. The other department was whero tho wicked departed went, and between those two great divisions there was a gulf fixed, and none could' depart from the ono or go to tho other. Wo had an illustration of this in those words of 'Christ whcic He spoke of the rich man and the poor beggar; how those two men died and their spirits departed this life. Christ said: It came to pass that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades lie lifted up his eyes, being in torment. Thus wo had each in his place, alive and conscious. In conclusion, tho speaker pointed out how it was not God’s will that anyone should go to Hades. Ho had provided a way of escape. In His love and mercy He had given Christ,_ His Son, Who paid the penalty of sin on. the Cross, and “Whosoever bclievcth on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.’”

'MAINTAINING THE TAITX-i. Last Sunday was Protestant Principle Day in St. Andrew’s Church, and the Rev. G. T. Brown, M.A., in tho morning had some things to say to his congregation about maintaining then faith. After pointing out the proud position hold to-day by Protestantism in Now Zealand, Mr. Brown wont on to , warn his people of tho danger Oj. 1 iest- ; ing on their oars.” “Don’t forget, lie said, “that our religious liberty is a very precious inheritance. It was not secured without a bitter cost the cost of struggle, persecution, pain and death. It bears on it the stain of the blood of saints and martyrs. It is a sacred relic entrusted to our keeping., If we allow it to be endangered, then we aro letting down the most sacred traditions of the past. “But how can wo preserve this precious gift and hand it oil undimnicd in lustre to those who come after iis7 There is only ono way that I know, and that is by being true to your faith in all tho details of your life. The principle of the talents holds good here. Tho man who wrapped his up and hid it away had it taken from him. The man who used his gift in the ordinary affairs of his life not only preserved it, but increased it. If you would keep your spade and lioo bright and sharp, then you must use them. If you would keep tho moths oftt of your garments, then you must use them. If you would keep your mind alert and your musfiles strong, you must exercise .them. Disuse is the most potent force for do- ] struction. The greatest enemy to Protestantism is not tho intriguing machinations of Rome, but the personal indifference of Protestants to tho truths of Jesus Christ. We talk a lot about the open Bible and the liberty of worship. But do we read the open Bible and rule our lives by its truths? Do wo worship God in His sanctuary as we should? Many an ardent Orangeman never seems to think of entering a church unless ho comes in procession, girded with the collar and badges of his order,

marching behind the emblem of the open Bible with crossed swords upon it. You can never keep the Bible open by the sword; you can only keep it open by living out its truths in your homes, your businesses and in tbo o]ien market, places of the world. It is right there, at the point of greatest danger, where # many Protestants fail. “Tho great fundamental principle of Protestantism is tho priesthood of all believers. You do well to hold jealously by that truth, but do you exercise that privilege? Do you come daily to God in confession, and- in penitence that is real? Do you bow before Him ill the silence of your own soul and let Him lay His finger upon any unworthiness in you and reveal His will and purpose for your life? If not, what on earth is the good of this principle for which your forefathers suffered at the stake? A Roman Catholic who with faith and sincerity comes to God through his priest is better than the Protestant who does not come to God at all. Tho only thing that can destroy , o ur Protestantism is not' opposition from without, but the corroding corruption within, and that inevitably foI-

lows from a practical indifference to its. teaching and a shameful neglect of its truth. ”