Devotional Column

Patea Mail, 11 September 1936, Page 2

Devotional Column

PRAYER Almighty and Everlasting God, give unto us the increase of faith, hope nud charity, and, that wc may obtain that wlihl; Thou dost promise, make us to love that--which Thou dost command, through Jesus Christ, Our-Lord, Amen, MEN WHO LOVED DARKNESS In Masefield 's ‘ ‘The Trial of Jesus'' afte'r the crucifixion Pilate ’»■ (wife asks the centurion: “Do you think he is dead?” “No, lady, 1 don't.” “Then, where is he?” “Let loose in the world, lady, where neither Roman nor Jew can stop hia truth,” Three and a half centuries before the time of Christ, there taught in Athens one of the greatest thinkers of the day . —Plato the Greek—who found his fellowmou content to take the appearance of things for reality, content to live without 'thinking. For their benefit he told a parable; “Certain men were chained at the inner dud of a long dark cave. They had their backs to the light, aind could only see dim shadows which the sun threw upon the wall at the entrance. A road ran past the mouth of the cave, and traffic went to and fro upon it. The men chained Within saw the shadows on the wall, and mistook as real men, or horses, or carts. By some device the noises aud voices of metn were projected by echo into the cave, and these also they counted as real. One day a man escaped from tho • cave. Visiting the world above ho learned tho truth. He returned to his companions full of knowledge of things real. But they were convinced it 'waft not the truth, and would not believe him, and they decreed that anyone who sought to lead them out of tho .clave - shor’d be put to death. Three and a half centuries later. there was another cave with men arid women in it. The cave of sin and evil. They mistook the shadows for reality. Then came oriel into tho cave ,-ho came to show thorn the real light and truth, “I am the light of the world,” he said. But they were con. tent with the.- shadows, and they crucified him. But truth cannot be killed. It may be ignored or suppressed, but it cannot be killed. Jesus -was Truth. They buried Him, but He rose, again; Later Christ was seen by some ‘who lived in the cave of darkness. They realised the meaning of his life. Christ had come from God. He expressed in human life .God's ideal of beauty, goodness and truth. Whem they grasped this scalds fell from their eyes; they came out of the darkness into tho real light and life. The discovery brought with it a new , access of life, and they went about with a joyous enthusiasm, proclaiming tho gospel of Tnuth, They turned the whole cave upside down. Some were put to death, others imprisoned, but tho good mews spread throughout the world, ; , To-day many are living in the eavqv, of this world, gazing intently upon theshadows instead of reality. Their life,-: is made up of dances and bridge, and what they call “having a good timet.''' • Christ, the Eternal Truth and Way passes by. . “I have come to give you- life—-real abundant life, happiness and joy. But no, some would crucify Him. Some desire Him, but through frailty of nature and character are easily dra'wn away by other deluded people. Some took up and followed-Him, ‘ ‘ Rise up, O men of God, Have done with kisser things, Give heart and soul, and mind and thought To serve the King of Kings.” “Lift high the cross of Christ, , Tread where His feet have trod> As brothers of the son of man, Rise up, O men of God.” • ;