TORREY-ALEXANDER CONTINUATION MISSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12483, 14 October 1902, Page 7

TORREY-ALEXANDER CONTINUATION MISSION.

■ Last night's meeting in the C4arrison Hall ttns well attended. The missions (tho Rev. Mr Lyall) was supported by the president of the Council of Churches and other minieters, and, with the consent of the audience, held 6ver the subject announced—viz., " Eternal Punishment: Does the Bible Teach It?" to a later mooting, as ho felt that another subject would bo more helpful to the present audience. An interesting trtory of the conversion of a prominent Gisbome sceptic and infidel was read out of the Gisborno press. Mr Lyall said that the writer ihtid been very hostile to hie mission at Gisborne at first, and had contributed a scurrilous letter to the papers in which ho termed him a professional religionist, etc., but that in answer to the prayers of God's people the aiifidol's darkness had been turned into light. The address was based on Matthew xviii, 3: "Except ye be converted and hecome as little children ye shall not; enter the Kingdom of Heaven," The missioner divided his subjeofc into " The Kingdom of lieaven: What it is. and how to get into it," 'Many had casual conceptions of heaven, but the Kingdom of Heaven of the text was that Kingdom whiSh is to be entered into in this lite by faith. It is not space that separate? from heaven, but sin. The old theology that lie wns taught in Scotland was that the Christian life was a weary, restless struggle that would end some day in heaven, whore a little rest would be obtained; but he thanked Ond for the new theology (not that of the Higher Critics), but that which taught that heaven began here, and that the kingdom ot Gotl was righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. Righteousness •was tho basal stone of the kingdom. Righteousness did not consist: of robes, vestments, or frills, Imt of truth, honesty, "traight, square, and fair dealing fcnhveer vnan and his fellows. Peace followed righteousness, and could not be obtained till a man right with God. It could no* be made by any of us. but Christ made it for va, through the blood o f hip Cro'-«. FeeHngs, sacraments, or ordinanoer foiild no-, bring us peace, but a look oi faith to Christ crucified would satisfy the longing sou'. -Toy was had not through the outward circumstances in which the Christian finds himself, but through the indwelling r.pjrit which God gives to them who obey Him. This Kingdom of Heaven was entered into by conversion and in no other wny. The evangelist closed his address with a-powerful appeal, and many stayed to be fiflal 4 - with in the after meeting. The oddrp.% vra, punctuated with many powerful ■and .tolling fllvcrtralions. A Bible-reading will be held at 3 p.m. t6-day in the Garrison Hall.