MR HICKSON'S SERMON.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18518, 1 October 1923, Page 9

MR HICKSON'S SERMON.

DUAL FUNCTION OF CHURCH.

ffHE GOSPEL AND HEALING.

AUTHORITY IN HOLY WRIT.

CHRIST TO HIS DISCIPLES.

• The first sermon by Mr. J. M. Hickson in connection with the healing mission was delivered last . evening in St. Matthew's Church.

"I can only touch upon the fringe of this subject of spiritual healing in a short sermon," said Mr. Hickson, "It is so Vfide and so deep. But I will do what I.can to give you a little insight into what we are trying to do."

There was, he continued, nothing new in spiritual healing. The message ho brought was simply this —that the promises of God were true and they could bo relied upon. It was true that tho touch of Jesus Christ had still its ancient power. He alone was the healer; He alone was the Lord and giver of life and health and salvation. It was to Him alone that they looked for healing and health through the mission. "I do believe, and I know, that if our eyes could he opened here at this moment, you would see Christ. If I did not believe and know that He was with us in our work ' I would not dare to go on with it. It would be cruel in the extreme to let people come long distances and with much suffering, if it was only for what man could do - for them." The Divine Example. Jesus Christ had done that blessed work, continued Mr. Hickson, when on earth in the flesh. He had trained and taught His disciples so that they might know and understand the nature of His mission and be able to carry it on. To His faithful ones he gave the command that they were to go on with His work, preaching the gospel and healing the sick. The early church was a healing church, and that "persisted for many centuries. It was only when tho church became unworthy and faith began to fail that Divine love could not flow through the channel that had become blocked and choked. So it had been until this day. "Look at the world to-day," said Mr. Hickson. "Look at the misery, suffering, and pain there is everywhere. You do not sec so much of it here in Nov.- Zealand, in your beautiful country, but many of you will bo surprised to see that thero" is so much suffering here." . Mr. Hickson spoke of the world tour ho had made, remarking that he hat seen soma terrible sights, especially in India and China. At Travancore ho had had 500 sick people to deal with. On another day they had. a crowd, estimated at 20,000, of sick and. suffering souls, who had come out of the jungles. Many had walked for daysj ■ when they heard that healing in the name of Jesus Christ was being done they (came. Mahommodans had said to him that' it was written in their Koran that Jesus Christ, was the healing .prophet. The Woman of the Jungle. On one occasion in the jungle, Mr. Hickson said he came upon a group of outcasts, and one poor woman went down on her hands and knees and told him sho had sores all over her body, and felt "nothing but pain." She asked: "Pray that I may be healed." He laid his hands on her, and prayed that the Lord would help her. Two months after he had a letter from the clergyman who had acted as interpreter, in which ho told him that the woman had been healed. There was not a sore on her body, and she wanted to be prepared to become a Christian.

If there ever was a time, said Mr. Hickson. when a healing Christ was needed in '■■the world it was to-day. God had heard tho cry of His suffering children, and His answer was simply this: He was bringing back these things to our remembrance, and He was pointing us again to His Son, our Saviour. The Church must now go back. to the beginning, take up her commission afresh, begin to preach the gospel, and give the full message of healing which that gospel contained, laying hands on the sick in the namo of Jesus Christ, do not believe that'the Church will ever be a living Church again, until it is a healing Church." ';.. '";,':,".-. Health of the Soul. Bodily healing. Mr. Hickson proceeded, was not the only work to-be done. Bodily healing had its place in. the ministry of Christ, but it did not have first place. Moved with compassion, Christ healedthe sick, but; after all, it was the soul that Christ loved. ' "' It is you, dear friends, He loves, not your bodies." But, he continued. Christ knew they had to live in their bodies; He knew, too, what pain and suffering was. and so he healed thet temple in which they lived on earth. When a man came for spiritual healing, they must remember he came, not to man, but to Christ, and he must bring with hirn a real desire in his heart for an amendment, of life. They bad their sou[ diseases even as they had bodily diseases—envy,, haired, malice, and uncharitableness. They . would, "never be freo men and women until they were freed from the bondage of those diseases of the soul. Physical health would not give them the peace of God. A roan could be physically healthy, but ho might, in the sight of God, be a very sick man. '

The healing of Christ was not suggestionjust, starting up the vital forces within. The health of Christ was the giving of His own life. When thev beheld the heavens they saw the wonderful works of God; yet they heard it suggested that God, who made the heavens, might be able to heal nervous troubles, or people who had very little the matter with them, the neurotic person, but not tho man or woman with an organic disease. Jesus Christ healed all manner of diseases, and He could do it to-day. He would urge them to have no fear on that score. Sin and Sickness. Others there were who asked—ls it His will to heal me? If they did not kno^" it was God's will to heal them it was time they did. Other people held the idea that perhaps their bodily pain had been sent for their spiritual good. They looked upon it as God's visitation. When, he would ask, did the' touch of Christ leave a disease behind it ? When did the Lord say — it is good for you to have that disease ? Those disease* were things Christ came to destroy- Mr, Hickson deemed it blasphemy to attribute to God things that no man would dare to do. What man would inoculate his children with germs of disease for correction?

God desired health and purity for his children. Tf God had given disease for man's spiritual Rood, what position were thev putting the medical profession into, seeing that the doctor* were trying all the time to stamp on), disease Concluding;. Mr. Hifkson urged them to pray that this great blessing might come to Auckland and to New- Zealand, and that the light mMit be lighted that would bring crtmfort and health and blessing to many souls.