NICHOLSON MISSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22102, 4 November 1933, Page 13

NICHOLSON MISSION

“ Sometimes you may think that the speaker is speaking to no one in pari ticular,” said Mr Nicholson in his open- ? ing remarks last evening in the Concert ■ . Chamber, “ but to-night I wish to speak : directly to those who are at present unconverted, and I trust that the word may be mixed with faith.” The continued interest being shown in the evan- i gelistic campaign was evidenced again- i 1 by the large and attentive audience, and taking as his subject, “ God Limits a ~ Day,” Mr Nicholson spoke fully and forcefully and brought out clearly from .£ the Scriptures the points he emphasised. 'A Reading from Heb. iv, 7, “God liraiteth a certain day saying ‘To-day if ye will ‘ hear My voice •harden not your heart.’ ”, - the speaker proceeded to show what an c important question was raised by this ? verse. “There is a popular notion to- s day that people can be .saved when and -3 where they like, and I “believe that this y: idea is largely responsible for the non- - chalance with which the Gospel is ’ treated, but if you and I think that we can live in sin, disobey God’s laws, spurn His grace and trample the blood of Christ underfoot persistently, and A then turn to Him for salvation when and % and where we wish, I could show from God’s word that there is no basis for this attitude. The promises of God are for His people, not for unconverted ones, ‘ Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.’ “It is a solemn thought,” added the speaker, “but I read it in the Bible that ‘they who are without God are without hope in the world.’ ‘ God limits a day ’ is a most unpopular theme but it is so olfearly brought out right throughout the Scriptures that I feel Imust impress it to-night. lam not much concerned whether you believe me or not, but I am concerned whether , you believe in Christ or in God’s word.” . Reading the passages Genesis vi, 3, “And the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not always strive with men Proverbs i, 24, “ Because I have called and ye refused, because I stretched forth my hand ' and no man regarded, and because ye *' have set at nought My counsel and would none of my reproof, behold I also will i laugh at your calamity, I will mock when your fear cometh,” the speaker i showed how God was a God of righteousness as well as a, God of love. Other Scriptures bringing out the same thoughts were also read, Proverbs xxix, 31, “He that being often reproved and hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be ; cut off and that without remedy,” Isaiah ' Iv, 6, “ Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near,” and also Hosea iv, 19, Mat- , 1 ! thew xi, 20, Romans i, 24-28, Ephesians iv, 19, II Thessalonians ii, 11, Hebrews . vi, 4.

“All these Scriptures I have read bear out this same theme,” continued the speaker, “ and it is true as experience has also proved by the fact that persons who have resisted the striving and pleading of Gold’s spirit wilfully and persistently are, after a lapse of time, no longer troubled or even concerned about their soul’s welfare.” Mr Nicholson impressed on his audience the necesity of claiming what God’s word held out — “Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.” “Today if ye will hear his voice harden not your heart” but rather, “ Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and to our God for He will abundantly pardon.” “May you do so to-night through believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour,” added the speaker in his appeal. The meetings will be continued on Sunday in the Concert Chamber. The subject for the afternoon meeting will be “Does God Answer Prayer,” and for the evening meeting, “ Now or Never.”