THE SUNDAY CIRCLE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23436, 26 February 1938, Page 7

THE SUNDAY CIRCLE

RELIGIOUS READING FOR THE HOME MY BELOVED IS MINE E'en like two little bank-dividing brooks, , , That wash the pebbles with their wanton streams, And having ranged and searched a thousand nooks, Meet both at length in silver-breasted Thames, Where in r greater current they conjoin; TT So I my Best-Beloved’s am; so He is mine. E’en so we met; and after long pursuit E’en so we joined, we both became entire; No need for either to renew a suit, Fo I was flax, and He was flames ot fire: . Our firm-united souls did more than twine; So I my Best-Beloved’s am; so He is mine. If all, those glittering monarchs that command The servile - uarters of this earthly < ball, Should tender in exchange their shares of land, j would not change my fortunes for them all: Their wealth is but a counter to my coin; The world’s- but theirs; but my Beloved’s mine. —Francis Ouarles, 1592-1644, PRAYER • 0 Saviour Christ, strong Son of God, Thou hast comforted us beyond all telling. Thy /ords are bah upon the wounds of life. Amid storms and perils we hear Thy voice and take fresh heart. Thou hast bidden us trust. Thou ‘hast promised rest unto our souls. We are drawn to Thee. We come! Help usb Glorify Thy name! Amen. FOR EACH DAY’S MEDITATION. .“Have faith in God.” —Mark xl: 22. Sunday.—“ The sun will shine, although dark the clouds of trial are today. God is behind every cloud." ' “ Look up, fear not, be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.” —Mark vi: 50 - • „ , ... „ Monday.—” Lord, increase our faith. —Luke xvii: 5. , „ “ Blessed be God, even the Father of uur Lord Jesus Christ, the mercies and the God of all comfort." — 2 Corinthians i: 3. “We walk by faith, not by sight.”2 Corinthians v; 7. Tuesday.—" Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ.”—Galatians ii: 16. Wednesday.—“ No man is justified py the law in the sight of God it is evident; for the just shall live by faith.” “ For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” “And heirs according to promise."Galatians iii: 11, 26, 29. Thursday.—“ Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.” —Hebrews x: 22. “ Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”—Hebrews xi: 1. Friday.—” Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”—Hebrews xi: 6. Saturday.—“lf any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and + shall be given him.” “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.”—James i: 5 and 6. —H. R. Higgens, : n A.C.W. THE UPLIFTED CHRIST

“Dr Moffatt has told the story of a man’s vision of a strange company, with Jesus at its head, winding its way in sunshine and in shadow through villages and towns where men are working, women drawing water at the wells, and children playing in the streets. Each one in that procession carries a cross, but on each face there is a look of triumphant confidence m the Leader Who goes before them, and always as they go they are joined by others who come with great joy in their hearts to follow Christ.” —Professor Riddell’s “What We Believe.” SPIRITUAL INSIGHT ANL PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE Principal E. J. Price, in the course of his address as chairman of the Congregational Union of England and Wales said; ‘ There is a growing shortage of men and women who can combine spiritual insight with practical experience for the discharge of serious responsibilities. The leadership falls into the hands of people, well-inten-tioned it is true, but without any vision of the real function of the Church in the world, and with too little spiritual sensitiveness to make a wise decision in the choice of a minister Greatly daring, I would venture to express the conviction that some of our churches are not fit to choose a minister, and they are usually the churches that refuse to accept advice from knowledgable quarters. They are really in the nursery stage or primary department of church experience. They need guidance, and sometimes discipline. On the other han'd, I would go so fat to shy that not a few of our fellowships have ceased to be churches in any real sense and have sunk to a level of mere social coteries with little or no concern for the discharge of the world responsibilities of the Church of the Living God.” THE SALVATION ARMY AND YOUTH Commissioner Robert Henry, Territorial Commander of the Salvation Army in Southern Australia, and Colonel Hawkins, editor-in-chief of Army publications, in an interview referred to he Army’s work for youtn, a phase of their work which will oe the outstanding feature of a vigorous campaign they will undertake during their stay in the West. They said: “ Our fear is that self-determination, unguided and allowed freely to run Its own course, no matter what the course may be will chase the young people to ruin and perdition.” They explained that the Army’s training of its youth was intensive and was based or fundamental principles Colonel Hawkins said that it might be called somewhat Spartan and semi-militar-istic. and it was carried out with a view to equipping young people to carry on the Army's work. The training was not simply theoretical teaching but was a practical torn of training designed to build character in young, people It was lelt that, with youth given this instrument of control, the welfare of the community was better provided for Far from feeling a sense of restriction and being unhappy, the voung people were happy in this discipline, as they were occupied with things which assisted them to avoid temptation and which represented a healthy and robust type of endeavour. THE CHRISTIAN GLORY The Crown Prosecutor (Victoria), Mr C. H. Book, -poke upon the “ Perils of Uselessness 1, at the Collins Street Baptist Church recently. He said that whatever may be dubious about the Master’s life one thing at least was clear—uselessness was a sin. The speaker traced the downfall ol empires, of social customs, and political institutions to the fact that they served nc useful purpose. They ave gone' because they failed to serve humanity “To pour out into the worlo a multitude of people who have the selfsacrificing spirit of the Master and who. in His faith and purpose, give themselves to the service of mankind—-that alone is the sustaining glory and hope of the Christian gospel.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCHES “Christ Jesus” is the subject of the lesson-sermon in all Churches ol Christ, Scientist, to-morrow. The Golden Text is “We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord:

and ourselves vour servants for Jesus' sake.” Among the citations which comprise the lesson sermon are the following verses from the Bible:—“And when he had called unto him his 12 disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” (Matthew x, 1.) The lesson-sermon also contains the following passage from the Christian Science textbook “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures." b\ Mary Baker Eddy:—“The mission of Christ Jesus confirmed prophecy and explained the so-called miracles ol olden time as natural demonstrations of the divine power, demonstrations which were not understood.”