CHURCH AND THE WORLD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15558, 16 March 1914, Page 8

CHURCH AND THE WORLD

DR. AVERILL'S SERMON.

HIGH STANDARD OF IDEALS.

The temptation of Jesus by Satan formed the text of a sennon delivered last evening at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by Dr. A. W. Averill, Anglican Bishop of Auckland. The sermon was prefaced by an account of the personal experiences of Dr. Averill when visiting old Jericho a few years ago. He compared the beauty of the River Jordan as it wended its tortuous way through the elongated oasis to the Dead Sea. with the wilderness on the mount on which Christ was tempted by Satan. The contrast between the place of the consecration of His life's work, where He had experienced the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, and the spot where He was tempted to follow the way of suffering and death was great. In referring again to his visit to the Holy Land Dr. Averill said he was impressed with the accuracy of the details of the Bible, and gave several instances of which he had had experience. Th© preacher then proceeded to show the relationship of the world to God. The world hates to be reformed, therefor© -was | it possible to accept the world as it was? Could there be any compromise between what God demands and what the world wanted? The world was not irreligious from choice, but its ideals were below the standard of the Divine Law. There could be no confusion between right and wrong. The answer which Jesus gave Satan was Get thee hence." The short life of Christ taught the world that its standard could bo compatible with the Divine will. The Church could only help the world by sacrifice—only help the world when it was unlike it. The great drawback to the spread of the Gospel was the want of unity on the part of Christians. The attempt was being made to convert the world by sectarian and not by religious methods. Referring to social life, the preacher said there was a popular idea that vice could be made respectable. The respectability of vice did not alter the position one iota. The prostitution of the law to sanction vice in any form was likely to cause the law to lose its effectiveness. There was too much bowing of the knee to Satan. The preacher next had something to say in regard to the want of moral courage in the individual. There was too much straining after social position, and too little recognition of the principle that man was his brother's keeper. For the sake of gaining the applause of the world men bowed the knee to Satan, but what did they profit if they gained the whole world and lost their own souls? Character was the only thing which could be taken away, and individuals should see it was not marred by a dishonoured conscience.