A THRILLER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21734, 27 August 1932, Page 19

A THRILLER

Written for the Otago Daily Times. By the Rev. D. Gardiner Milder. Quite the most thrilling book I know is that book in the New Testament known as the Acts of the Apostles, xhe title never did appeal much to me, but the contents stir me every time I turn the pages and read again for the thousandth time - the stories that throb with feeling and glow with colour. This little book was written by a medical man, Dr Duke, who was also the muchloved friend (the beloved physician) and travel companion of the man who upset tlie world, Paul, the pioneer missionary of the Cross. The book was written for a special purpose. It was written as a popular account of the most remarkable religious movement that the world hful up till then known. (In a later article, perhaps next week, I shall tell you something of what that same movement is doing to-day in our distracted modern world.) No attempt is made to be highbrow. The style is easy with the charm of a cultured man who is an eye-witness of most remarkable incidents and whose knowledge 'of the chief characters is complete. 1 read many modern thrillers, but I seldom —if ever—go back to any ot them a second time. But this little book which I call (to myself) “ Christianity in Action ” never palls, and every time I go back to any ot its stories I find the thrill still there. Do I want dramatic court scenes with the prisoner putting the judge in the bos. Do I want to read of the most thrilling shipwreck scene ever written? Is i> the story of a man facing an enraged mob that I want, or scenes of sudden death? AH Ol these, and more, the Jewish ghettos, university cities, ventriloquism, beatings, stonings, miracles, I find in this little book. And above all, and in all, and through all, I see and feel the pulsating power of something new, something vital that can take an ordinary man and enable him to do the extraordinary thing. I see the impact of the living Christ upon the ancient world through the medium of living men. sji * *

Truth is not only stranger than fiction: it is infinitely more exciting. No yarn ever spun from a fiction writer’s imagination can, stand alongside the bald, base facts that occur daily when the Spirit of God is allowed to work unhampered through the willing lives of living men. Thrilling things are recorded in the Acts because there, for the first time in known history, a group of people were willing to be nothing that Christ might be everything. That's the one and only secret of that ancient (and modern) thriller. , It’s the one and only secret—and condition —for the modern Acts of the Apostles (" Christianity in Action ”) that is being written to-day. I look through this thriller, and I see in almost every page the complete abandonment —or “ surrender ” may be a better word—of men and women to the living Christ. And these men and women,.who are perfectly sane, are perfectly sure that the living Christ speaks to them and directs them. There is not the slightest doubt about that. I read words like these, in a dozen varying forms; “The Lord stood by him and said”; “Thus saith the Holy Ghost” (that’s a remarkable statement!); “I said, ‘What shall I do. Lord ’? ”; “ I believe in God ”; “There stood by me this night the angel of God, whose, I am and whom I serve.” Something had to happen when men and women spoke and believed dike that. They believed they were “ guided ” and had the courage to act upon their orders.

It might be objected that the men and women who did those thrilling things were selected and, in some ways, unique people. I don’t think so for one moment. True, their thrilling exploits are recorded and their names are inseparable from deeds that have moved the world, but that was not 'because they were unique in, themselves, but entirely because of their wholehearted and complete surrender to the spirit of the living Christ. According to the degree of your surrender is the story of your deeds. And we must not forget that it is just as . brave to do the quiet thing that has no publicity. God has many tasks for us to do, and if some of us don’t get headlines here, we may be greatly surprised when we get to heaven to find out how immensely important our task was—the task that had no limelight shining upon it. Indeed, the story o! the New Testament is really the story of ordinary men and women who lived their lives in a very difficult period of history, confident that Christ was still alive and that ,He was guiding and sustaining them. The few names* that are mentioned in the Testament .are no indication at all of the vast experiment that was being carried out by the unnamed multitude that loved and served Christ. ’ The reading of this thriller should piove a very salutary corrective to many people whef are for ever complaining that life has slipped by and forgotten them. You may now be living in a back-water, your days may be dflll and money may be very scarce. You may have lost your charm and others no longer seek your company;—l don’t care how you are situated, but you need not live a* dull, listless life. It depends entirely upon yourself. If you are prepared to surrender wholly to Christ—every area of your hie —then your life can be thrilling, les, 1 say thrilling. It is a great word to express a great feeling—the feeling that comes when the daily task turns 'uto a daily adventure. Try it out. Give yourself to Christ and expect the adventure. It will come to you. It may be that you feel led to speak to someone about Christ—don’t hesitate; speak. Don t doubt that you will be “ guided. If yon are willing and prepared—at every cost to adventure upon Christ, then life will be full.of thrills for you. Try it out and you will be helping to write another chapter of the modern Acts of tlie Apostles. ■