THE RELIGIOUS OUTLOOK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 19 August 1933, Page 10

THE RELIGIOUS OUTLOOK

(Contributed)

Brotherhood. There shall arise from this confused ' sound of voices A firmer faith than that our fathers knew: A deep religion which alone rejoices In worship or the infinitely true, Not built on rite, or portent, but a finer And purer reverence for a Lord Diviner There shall conic from out this noise of strife and groaning A broader and a juster brotherhood, A deeper equality of aim, postponing All selfish seeking to the general good There shall come a time when each shall to another Be as Christ would have him—brother unto brother. —Lewis Morris. Memorial to Dr. Peake By the unveiling of u memorial tablet to the late Dr Arthur S. Peake, the Chapel at Hartley College, Manchester, contains similar tablets, in corresponding positions, to the two virtual founders of the institution. Sir William Hartley provided the fabric of the college and Dr Peake inaugurated the new era of ministerial training in the Primitive Methodist section of the Methodist Church. Following the ccrcmonv. Dr J. Scott Lidgott paid tributes to athinker, scholar and teacher, whose gifts were harmonised by a great spiritual character. 'J he President recalled Dr Peake’s “renunciation” in talkin" service at an obscure institution of his°own Church when opportunities offered in the wider theological world. Still, said Dr Lidgett, it would be difficult to think of him doing a greater work, even at Oxford. Appreciative reference was made to Dr Peake’s important part in the negotiations for Methodist Union and to the Conversations at Lambeth Palace.

Biblical References in Business Letters It is not often that Biblical refeienees are used in business letters, but a London dress firm and one of thei) customers have been making use of these in course of correspondence. The firm recently received a cheque for an account, but one item was unpaid foi. They pointed this out to the customci, who replied: “With regard to your query regarding ( lie cheque, please refer to St. Matthew s Gospel, chapter IS, verse 29.” Part of this verse reads: “Have patience with me and I will pay thee all.” From the firm in question came, the following reply: “We arc in receipt of your letter. You will doubtless appreciate our answer il you will refci to Romans, chapter X, verse 25.” This verse runs: “For if we hope for that we see not, then do wo with patience wait for it.’

Wireless and the Gospel. Among the radio listeners in remote places who benefit by the New Zealand transmissions is a resident of Ocean Island, who reports very good reception of programmes broadcast from AVollington. This enthusiast has written to the Rev. T. R. Richards expressing his appreciation of a service in the Taranaki street Methodist Church on a recent Sunday evening, and transmitted by 2YA. Ocean Island lies near the Gilbert Islands, quite 2000 miles from Wellington, and this isloateil listener states that lie could not have heard the service with greater clarity in the Gliuich itself. He forwarded a donation to the chinch funds.

That Sense of Inferiority Christ not only “breaks the power of canccH’d sin”; He breaks the power of self-consciousness and our sense of inferiority. Men are not inferior or superior to one another; all alike are sinners, all alike are loved by God, and, as a ivise and good parent has no favourites among his children, so God “delighteth not in the legs of a mail,’ nor in another's wits, nor in another’s foreefillness preferring one to another; He loves each whom He lias made with a special and particular and equal love, and each has his own part to play in the great orchestra, whether it be first violin or the humble triangles. The metaphor from music may help ns further. While we are children, and indeed till we are truly converted, we long to play a solo instrument and have all the world for audience. Happy and free and at peace are we when wc are quite content with whatever instrument God has put into our bands, and have no wish for an audience, hut desire only to play well our humble, necessary part with all our fellows in the great orchestral music of God’s purposes. There is no peace for us apart from the Gospel; there is no sense of hampering inferiority for us as we accept our lives with our powers and infirmities from the hand of God our Father.—“llico” in British Weekly.

“Gossiping the Gospel!” Miss Mildred Cable spoke for a short fifteen minutes by wireless on a recent Sunday afternoon; yet in that short space of time she managed to convey to her hearers a vivid and realistic description of the way the Gospel could be and was being carried and spread in the vast area of Central > Asia. “Gossiping the Gospel,” was the | title of her talk. She spoke of the great road, the oasis, the busy town I with its bazaars, the gaily-clad people, [ the calls, shouts, bargainings, the com- ! ing of the three foreign missionaries, j herself and the Misses French (“The | three Venerable Ones”). ' Buddhists and Moslems gather round, listening ! intently, the three preaching and talking. Some sympathetically, some say- : ing, “She seemeth to be setting forth 'some strange God,” others, “Stealing Other Men’s Religion!” Then the deep silence at the reading of some portion of scripture, it might be “The Prodigal Son,” or some other story or other parable. Then the telling of the gospel story. Then more talk, more “gossip,” more human contact. Within four walls, even if the place be filled, how few there are! But out in the open, speaking to (his one and that, who each becomes the hearer of some portion of the “news,” it is as though the ; seed were being borne on the air.