DR FRENCH E. OLIVER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 16113, 30 April 1923, Page 8

DR FRENCH E. OLIVER.

CLOSING WEEK OF CAMPAIGN

Three huge gatherings assembled at tho Opera House yesterday, when Dr. French E. Oliver continued his campaign, which is now drawing to a close. The large building was practically filled to the doors last night, when many latecomers found themselves unable to gain admission and were turned away. The doctor spoke last night upon "Sudden Death," and his powerful address gripped the large audience in a remarkable manner. At the close of a telling appeal many came forward to acknowledge their decision for Christ. There was a big meeting of men in the afternoon, when the Salvation Army band rendered assistance with the musical programme. "Heredity" formed fine subject of Dr. Oliver's straight talk,, on health matters, and the lecture was characterised by' probably the hardest hitting in the campaign against secret sin. A good attendance assembled also at the morning meeting, when the doctor chose as his subject "The Baptism of the Holy Spirit." The feature of this inspiring meeting was the whole-hearted response of tho young people in the audience to consecrate their lives for the Master's SGWICC. POWER FOR SERVICE. Right down through tho ages, remarked Dr. Oliver, there lias been a "blind lack of spiritual vision, worldliness, hypocrisy and policy seeking an ' absolute want of conviction, a fear in the hearts of people of what some ungodly man or woman might say of them. Some thought they were ready for the battle, but testing showed they were unable to stand tho fire. Christianity was based on sound doctrine, and one could not preach that without tho devil getting stirred the same as was occurring in Gisborne to-day. There were scoffers on the day of Penticost when 3000 were saved. The same sun that melts ice hardened the clay. The Gospel had melted hearts in Gisborne and hardened the hearts of many of/ the ungodly. There had probably never been such conviction in Gisborne. Men had been compelled to take sides. "Who is on the Lord's side?" was the issue that faced them—the weaklings in the faith had "taken to the brush" now the fight was on. Few people had the faith to stand now the battle was proceeding. He had, from the, start of the campaign, preached faithfully God's judgment from the Book. What sort of men opposed the Bible. Men could despise him (Dr. Oliver) as much as they liked, but he stood firmly in loyalty to the Bible. If people were looking for sickly sentimentalism and compromise they would have to look elsewhere. If they were looking for "serrnoncttes" for "Christianettes" they would have to go somewhere else. He had warned them in opening there would be a battle for God and the devil. In God's name, he appealed, stand for Jesus Christ. What about the martyrs who had sealed their faith with their blood. Let the men and women of Gisborne show they had character and courage. What Christians needed to-day was power. From the Greek word for power they obtained the word dynamite. The only thing that could shake the drabness and wickedness of Gisborne was the dynamite of the Holy Spirit. It would take that to break through the years of rotten living, hypocrisy and false doctrine. True Christianity had never ceased to be dispised. There was a vast difference between Christ, the hope and glory of Churchianity with its cold ceremonious formality and hypocrisy. So men and women who stood boldly for Christ would bo dispised by the world. Were they ashamed to go outside the camp and stand for Christ as against infidelity and Churchianity? There were mighty few willing to take that stand. People wanted him to compromise and say "soft things," but he would never do that, despite all the opposition and abuse. . He had seen hotter opposition than this, and was not afraid of the consequences. Speaking upon the Holy Spirit as the third Person of the Trinity, Dr. Oliver said every true child of God was infilled with the Spirit. It was possible for that Spirit, to fully possess them if Christians would only yield to Him. By that means only could they stand and .suffer social and commercial martyrdom for Jesus Christ. "Rejoice and'b* glad," said the text, for great was their reward' in Heaven. It was either that or popularity down hero. The Holy Spirit did not turn out imiserable, slinking cowards. He would never abide in an unclean, compromised Christian, When the Holy Spirit had the right Way in their hearts and they were "cleaned up," they would receive the fullness of power, of peace and i love. Temptations were sure, but Christ had purchased triumph for them. The lecturer condemned that sickly sentimentalism that made men yell and roll on the floor —that was "juinpification," not "sanctiiication." There were storms on the surface of life for every chlid of God, losses of property and money, etc., put these were only surface storms to the true believer who possessed that peace of God that passeth all understanding.". The address was illustrated with many stirring pictures from human experience, and the lecturer concluded with a moving appeal that God would give them men and women who would face the storms and fight the tempests bravely and prayerfully, and go out and •save tho perishing in Gisborne to-day.

HEREDITY AND REGENERATION

Dr. Oliver's afternoon address was to men and buys only, on the .subject of "Heredity." The speaker prefaced his remarks by referring to two certainties as set out in the Bible. From Hebrews, Vho quoted: "l£ is appointed unto man once to die .... and after dcatli the judgment." Those were, lie said, two fixed facts, about which there could bo on doubt. Another fixed fact was found lin Numbers 32-23, "Be sure your sins J will find you out." The devil,was responsible for all man's faults and sins. , The devil struck at the dignity and majesty of the human body, and until the intelligence of God's great power was understood, there would be no hope for young renegades who destroyed character. There were many human degenerates whom the courts could not reach because the courts wanted evidence. When Christ was qh earth he said that "whosoever looketh upon n woman to lust after her, he had committed adultery." As a man thought in his heart so was he. Good work had

Ducn done by the police of this Dominion

.n putting uown evil, out tiio aoove ..isLS tnej~ could not reach.' those sinners, However, should remember Gods rtOiU "j:>e sure your s.u will nnu you out," aim tneir deeds would ue recomed in me cooks 01 Goti Alinignty lor consideration on tne judgment day. xneie was a aay commg wnen uod ,iuuid maiio tne ora.n cens reve*u wnat was wiin.n. \)n tne judgment day every man would lie jtiugeu according to \.nat. was written in tne docks, ui. Oliver challenged anyone to show taut during n,s campaign ne had au\oeateu anytiung whion in the sugliest degree cauaeu any woman to Have anytning oiner Ulan tne higlfcst respect lor cmvairous ana iionouioie mannoou. ne was not asiuuiiea to ue Known its a man iviio uenevtu me liiOie lioin tjenesis to vviiicn to escape uod s law, ana ins judgment. " . . . . i'ur an uiese tmii 6 o oou wui bring you into juugiiient. xne soul tnut sinuetn, it siiuii die." j.ue iiooii ueuiaiiuea tiuti, men miuoiu.uc uoiioiauie, and piayenui, arid too oniy which coluu witiistanu mat was aa lotten as tne uevil couia mane mm, anu , v ;is it u.sgiace lo tne motiier who gave aim Dieutii. VVneii men laced- tne serious issues oi sm, ana thought .i v.ie\er to scori at uod, tney'snouid rememoer "ue sure your sui win nnu you out." vVuen Oua saiu tnat, He meant it. Alio law ol Heredity was menioiaoio anu oecause oi mat law tne sins oi men would iiiia tiieiu out. J-iie periodical aruiiKurd was usually in tnat condition uecuuse of a latent appetite awaaened oy tne taste of tne stun lor tne nrst tune, lucre were many young men who by their haoits were stor.ng up damnation tor unoorn cnuurcn. ~ xlie»e men were striking at tne character auu oodies ol cnddhoud, lor did not Christ say tnat "tne sins ol the lathers ana mothers shall bo visited unto trie third and tourui generation."' Heredity in the case of lather and mother represented about oO per cent, ol pie-disposition. jL'ne other 00 per cent, went back to previous generations. it was blood that always toid, lor environment was not sufficient to break down niDorn and inured pro-dispositions. The sins of the lathers would reveal themselves in the corruptions of their sons and daughters. Heredity was everything, and the way of me transgressor was natd. it was only the shallow, contemptible cur who would speak of his vile associations. A number oi people about the town pretended to bo greatly because he (Dr. Oliver) had spoken plainly to girls and women warning them m the name of God to protect themselves against the rascalities of men hero and elsewhere. Some of those men who protended to be shocked were church members, but the day would come when God would expose tho secrets of those church members. Tho law of God was inexorable, and to those who lived licentious, corrupt and rotten lives, he could only warn them again that their sins would find them out. Was it not time for people, to consider giving as much time to producing "blooded" boys and girls, as they gave to the production of blooded cattle and sheep? Because of the inexorable law of heredity, again he issued his warning, "Be sure your sin will find you out." Regeneration and the new birth were the only means ,of salvation, for the power of Christ could overcome the vilest hereditary blight which had come down the ages. . , .

SUDDEN DEATH," "Sudden Death" formed the striking subject of a remarkable address before u big audience last night, God's warning, he said, was that "he that hardeneth his heart shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." Hednpha sised contention that tho funeral train invariably follows the revival train, and gave numerous instances ol ungodly men who had perished without hope after rejecting, the offer of salvation. He called attention to the great increase in sudden dea'ths the world over and issued a warning that when men and women continued to say "no" to God there came a day when they crossed the "death line" and had no other chance. Dr. Oliver speaks at 7.30' this evening at the Methodist Church, owing to the other building being unavailable to-night.