Visit of Bishop Crossley.

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 7 August 1912, Page 5

Visit of Bishop Crossley.

As the Rev. Mr Macdonald is not yet out and about, after his accident; the Bishop sent word that he would visit Warkworth and take the services on Sunday last. In the evening his Lordship based his discourse on two verses of the New Testament lesson for the day.. Matthew, chapter 8, verses 21 and 22, " Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and Ijforgiyehim? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, until seven times, but, until seventy times seven." It is perhaps the most important thing in the world to us is whether we are going to be forgiven. The disciples had ccme to the Master and asked, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ? and in reply one child—one boy—was set in their midst to enforce the teaching. One child hurt or led astray, brings the scathing judgment that it were better for the offender if a millstone were hanged about his neck, that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Then He told ,of the one sheep that had gone astray, and was searched for up and down on the mountain waste. It was one piece of money that was missing and was sought for, it was one son who went tq a far country. The emphasis on the individual is warrant for us using Peter's words, How oft shall I forgive ? Till seven times ? and the Master responds " Until seven times seven." The kingdom of heaven is like the king who forgave his servant an indebtedness which exceeded £100,000, and the servant straight way laid hands on one of his mates who owed him a miserable puny debt, and demanded to be paid up. The king heard of his action, and recalled his forgiveness and cancelled his pardon. And the Master ended the saying by these words "So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." Have you ever thought of the terror of the Lord's prayer; only forgiveness if we forgive, and only forgiveness as we forgive ? How many have barred tlif light to forgiveness because they will not forgive ? How many there are whose declension from God originated in a quarrel ,with some one else. Have you a grudge against a neighbour ? Have you said anything that wasn't square ? Then remembar that the law of forgiveness only works, where the spirit of forgiveness is. I cannot tell you why Go 4 took such interest in a world gone to the bad, as to give His only begotten son to die upon the cross. Even the dying Christ made excuse, " Father forgive them for' they know not what they do." You may say you haven't done anything that others,have not done^ yet we only learn of our state .when' we .come; quite.humbly and quite, straight to,tell Him. Peter learnt-the lesson very early. Our .Lord uses his boat to speak to the people, and afterwards came the wonderful draught .of fish. It1 was after his contact with our Lord that Peter cried " Leave me for lam a sinful man." The Lord knew it, but he said " Follow me." And later He told Peter He had pTayed for him. It was not !( Are you sorry ? " " Are you ashamed ?" but " Lovest thou me." I know of no battle without wounds, and falls, and death; in the battle Peter was wounded, Peter fell; yet how much will it mean if we can as lie said " Lord thou knowest that I love thee." There are many who have given up their prayers. They know they have gone back, and they do not wish to be hypocrites. Do not forget, your life is a hit of God's plan. You can get back the love you have lost in the old way. Tell Him about yourself quite humbly and quite straight. Tell Him you find it hard. Tell him how weak you are. If you have hurt any other life, then cry "O, my God, help me to make amends, if it is not too late." And pray that you may learn of His great love. Wheu visiting the United States I had a conversation with an administrator of that country's educational system I asked him how it was that despite the excellent ethical teaching in the schools, the commercial morality was so extraordinary low, and civic life so corrupted. The reply was, that the high ideals inculcated in the schools received such a tremendous shock when the scholars found the current ethics of business so contradictory to what they had been taught, that their faith in higher things crumbled up. How many a man has started brave, and square, and true, only to succumb, to environment when he has entered into the life of commerce." How many a man whose morals were learnt by the inspiration of his mother's look, has lost his purity through not guarding himself against the foulness of others with, whom he has had to mix. You have a fight, there are big forces against you, and no matter how the fight has gone, God loves you still, and has work for you to 'dp. lam not talking sentiment, but from the bottom of my h.eart I speak these words, We speak unto One who was not absorbed in the excellency o£ the Divine Essence, but to One that lived ?our life, at your age, who ■suffered from malice, and envy, and hatred, and yet forgave freely and forgave lovingly. Look into y.aur memory, that part of you which you caunot cut off, that indicator of .judgment yet to come, Jthat you may be saved from" awful desi .air by seeking now to know the exquisite love of God, that love : J. aspires the prayer' " Forgive me :