MR BOOTH'S MISSION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17490, 7 June 1920, Page 6

MR BOOTH'S MISSION.

.♦ ', V HIS OPENING ADDRESS. ? -"'RELIGIOUS DISBELIEF; " ' QUESTION OF THE HOUR. A fortnight's religious revival campaign . was begun. in the Town Hall yesterday j evening by Mr. Herbert Booth, third son j of the late General Booth, founder of the 1 Salvation Army. The Rov, A. ;A. Murray . presided over a crowded gathering. Mr. Booth said that he was. faced in Auckland with a frontal attack by the unbelief of the city. Men's reason was in ■ revolt against God's revelation. The socalled scienUfio modem thinker, refused to accept the story of Christ's birth, or of . His rising from the dead. But the careful thinker would admit that a superhuman • mind, a superhuman love, and a superhuman power were required to face the problem of a doomed ..world and take it > from the gates of hell. A great deal of ' the wickedness of the world' was due to ■ the weakness and ignorance of .mankind. ' " Who was Jesus?" was the greatest quesI tion of the age. Everybody, admitted that ' Ho was a perfect man. But was Ho not ' only divino but Deity? If Jesus were not • God, then the Bible might bo burned, and i the Church shut down, for there would be i no gospel, There would be no remedy for i l sin and. crime, and they might as well eat, I drink, and bo merry, and then die like ' dogs. But it did not matter what evolu- • tionists, scientists, or any other _ people 1 beliovca, because God had said in His 1 Word that God iu Christ and Christ in ' God were the same for ever. The meetings will bo continued each ' evening in tho Town Hall concert chamber. > .mmmmmmmm i, ~».. -~,. WELCOME TO 4UOKLANQ. 1 I HIS GOSPEL AND HIS METHODS. J Mr. Booth was accorded a reception in 1 the 1.M.0.A. hall on Saturday on his 1 arrival in Auckland from Hamilton > to conduct a fortnight's revival campaign. The Rev. Percy Knight, of the Pitt Street ' Methodist Church, presided over a" 1 crowded gathering of those interested in ' evangelistic work. ; 'Die chairman extended a welcome to ; Mr. Booth on behalf of Christian people of all denominations. . He explained that 1 all present were anxious and willing to 1 assist in tho forthcoming mission. Ho 1 emphasised the great love of pleasure among all classes and indifference to God at present and said a spiritual revival was much needed. *■ & The Rev. A. A. Murray, St. Andrew's . Presbyterian Church, said it was refresh- • ing to have in their midst a man who bo--1 lieved the Word of God from cover to • cover, and who did not indulge in specious ) criticism. 'He considered that Mr. Booth 1 was the right man in the right place at the r right time, as he had a message for tho - times. Major Stone, of the Salvation Army, extended a welcome to the evangelist on I behalf of his old comrades in the Army, • and said that if Mr. Booth was as good an fc evangelist as he had been a leader Auck--5 land was in for a gocd time, I Mr. Booth, who was received with an 1 ovation of applause, said that such ,a large • gathering, despite the bad weather and . the tramway stoppage, promised well for l the success of the mission. His life's endeavour was to link up the spiritually - minded, whatever their denomination f might be. His gospel was the old gospel, 3 his weapon was tho Word of God, and his ! methods prayer, praise, preaching, and persuasion—not head knowledge, but heart conviction. Tbo world found its joy ,in packing up its troubles in an "old kit bag" and turned for comfort to t. Lucifer and ' ' "fag." He thought these were poor substitutes for tho joys which Christ- offered— , pardon, peace, and power as a present possession and everlasting life should stamp the Christian as tho' happiest in the com- ' munity.