RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22356, 1 September 1934, Page 27

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

By Ampuus.

OTAGO METHODIST YOUNG WOMEN'S BIBLE CLASS UNION. WEEK-END CELEBRATIONS. During the week-end of August 18 and 19, the Methodist Bible class girls assembled for the district members’ weekend celebrations. Bible class girls; from Oamaru, Milton, Kaitangata, and Lawrence joined wfth those of the city and suburbs, and with representatives of other denominations, shared with us_ in our time of fellowship and thanksgiving. On Saturday night a jolly time was spent together. About 150 girls attended the banquet and, with the Rev. C. H. Olds as chairman, a happy social evening was spent. Speeches were of a very _ high standard, and items and songs interspersed made a night of joyous fellowship. On Sunday afternoon the thanksgiving service was held in the Trinity Church. This was in truth a time of real inspiration. At this service our Bible classes handed in their monetary gifts as a real thanksgiving to further the work of the Bible class movement. Our hearts were gladdened as we saw Trinity Church packed to its fullest capacity; youth in all its enthusiasm and keenness represented there. After the call to worship, taken by the president, one of our junior members gave the Scripture reading, and together we all joined in a responsive prayer. Fittingly did this lead up to the words that challenged us to re-dedication, when Miss Lynn, secretary of the Y.W.C.A., took us in thought to the vision that we must wait for. At the conclusion of an inspiring and thought-provoking address (a resume of which appears below) our gifts were dedicated on God's altar, and as we joined in the true significance of the Litany of Thanksgiving, our hearts were strangely stirred, and expression of our deep emotion found voice as we sang “Rise Up, 0 Youth of God.” Such was the spirit of fellowship on such a memorable thanksgiving day. A happy tea together, follow-od by an outstanding youth service, _ taken by the Rev. C. H. Olds, in Trinity Church in the evening, left us truly inspired to more devoted loyalty and service through our Bible class life and church. VISION AND SERVICE. In the course of meditation about thanksgiving there are two things to consider—first, vision, then service. There is no thanksgiving without conviction and no conviction without vision. “Joy is the grace we say to God” strikes at the core of the things that makes for reality in thanks~a certain lilt on gladness, certain zest in life, radiance that persists, in spite of gloomy circumstance. These do not come without conviction of the surety of God, of the abiding love which flows about and quickens all oiir living. Think of Timothy! The glory of the glorious makes him return his thankfulness.

We all have some visions; marvellous snow-clad mountains, mighty and motionless and living, towering against the clear blue sky, strike the chord for thanksgiving, but they come to us these visions —at dawn, at sunset, alone or with the company of friends, in face of flowers that blossom with returning spring,—on the sports’ fields when the team plays a great game of understanding, playing up to one another’s strong points and guarding one another on weak sides. The vehicles differ, but to all of us they come, these visions of the ultimate goodness, purposeful of life, or of the splendour of God that catch and hold, for one minute, 10 minutes, or longer, while their abiding presence goes with us to lighten all our day and give a mounting sense of God and His goodness. Such vision we need, if our thanks are to be actual. The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth! Words hardly to be separated from the majesty of oratorio, but their message must be woven into the fabric of everyday lives, if we sre to have such joy abounding in ourhearts continuously as shall fill us with thanks. These visions come and go, but their coming may be sought, if we know our need, and put ourselves in the way; seek them in places where they tnay be found; —in the house of God, Bible classes, beauty, in planning our week’s programme with thine for these activities, which develop our personality, through body, mind, and spirit,—but we need to be in a state of awerenegs, never so obsessed as to let beauty and the voice of God go unheeded —our doors always ajar. This seeing of visions, this awareness will be less than nothing, unless it drives to action. Along with the glory of glories, the ! Lord God Omnipotent reigneth, is the other side of the picture. Being aware of God, keeping doors ajar, means an increasing awareness to places where God is not, where He cannot come because His light and Truth are too revealing—because of materialism which dominates the lives of those who know Him not, or whose lives are parched. What kind of concerted impact are the folk of thirty and forty years making upon the country? What constructive work are they doing out of the mistakes of the past years? What lessons have the past four years for our country to learn? Arising out of the influenza epidemic, the Health Department learned that certain precautions must be insisted on, if good health is to prevail, so which group is learning what steps should be taken to prevent unemployment epidemic? Any senior Bible class member? “ Oh! unemployment comes in cycles; it cannot be prevented.” That used to be said about plague, cholera, smallpox, which to-day are practically unknown. Because a few people visioned a world without these diseases, persisted in trying out schemes before everyone ever agreed, these scourges stopped in their course. So can other problems be solved if we care enough. Poverty in the midst of plenty, harvests burning to keep up prices, while others in hundreds are dying and in our land families in hundreds are living below minimum level. What arq we saying and doing about these things, in view of the fact that as late as 1930 an Act was passed allowing for a minimum subsistence, which has been set aside? Then, do we as B.C. people care about this question of war? Does it matter that every day instruments of wholesale murder more deadly than ever are being manufactured and experimented with. Say the League of Nations is a failure! If it is. whose fault is it? Our failure, our fault possibly. Do we feel any responsibility for service on our public bodies? Are we informed about Christ’s teaching in reference to matters they control? Women in this country have had the vote the longest, but whkt have they done with it? Think of China, with a woman financier, or Turkey with a woman Minister of Education! How do we‘ compare where our problems are so much simpler? God gave us Christ. He showed us Christ, and Christ was one of us, but perfect, and further Christ said: “ Be ye therefore perfect, ns your Father in heaven is perfect. Here lies the remedy, summed up in some lines, salutation and affirmation, cherished as they become more meaningful. Gladness be with Thee, Helper of our world; I think this is the authentic sign and seal Of Godhead that it ever waxes glad. And yet more glad till gladness blossoms. bursts Into a race to suffer for mankind And recommence at sorrow.

All these—radiance that waxes glad and yet more glad—zest that lightens the step and brightens the eyes, sureness that lifts the chin and send one forth as one who never turned his back but marched breast forward. And the other is there, 100, ns the happy warrior goes out this gladness blossoms, bursts into a passion for service, a race to suffer for mankind and recommence creating out of the sorrow and sordiduess, new causes for gladness, for thankfulness. And so as our service here continues and we join in song and in Litany, and the bringing of money—minted personality—let us resolve to make our thanks more than a mere act begun and finished in this church here and now. Let ns take part in a real act of devotion, seeing its vision here, gaining its inspiration, enabling us to go out in a passionate devotion to the cause of the kingdom of God, the establishment of which wc are called to be co-workers with God Himself.

To those whom this leaves coid. go out and do something; eomp piece of tinseif fish concrete service, with no thought

of doing your duty, and see if from somewhere the gladness docs not spring upon you. The channels of vision for you to-day may be among the crowds, only keep your door ajar, and if a measure of glad rejoicing thanks come, then there will, he a promise of greater gladness—a more sure conviction for us all indeed ns we go from strength to strength in our service in the redemptive power of our sorrow, in the high gaiety of our gladness that the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. Amen.