THE HENRY-FARQUHAR MISSION

Southland Times, Issue 16685, 15 March 1911, Page 3

THE HENRY-FARQUHAR MISSION

ADDRESS TO MEN - . THE ANGLO - SAXON RACE. There were about thirty men at the Men’s meeting held in the Victoria Hall yesterday afternoon between half-past twelve and half past one. The attendance must have been rather disappointing to the committee and to the missioned but it ’s expected that when the nature of these mid-day addresses—and the subject—is more clearly realised, the numbers of those who attend will be more in keeping with their interest and instructiveness. Dr Henry explained yesterday that the mid-day address to men had been held in all the larger centres and had been one of the most hel 1 features of the missions. No attempt was made at them to gain any public confession of conversion, but the time was spent in talking over in a manly fashion the problems of the day. The subject for the series of three mid-day addresses in InvercargTl would be “The Future of the Anglo-Saxon Race.” Other addresses on different aspects of this subject will be given on Thursday and Friday, between 12.30 and 1.30 p.m. Dr Henry started out by saying that the rapid progress of the Anglo-Saxon race was the most remarkable phenomenon of modern times. In his treatment of the subject his references were to Great Britain and its dependencies, and to the United States and its colonies. At the beginning of the 20th century the number of people speaking the English tongue had reached 150 millions, without including the thousands in those foreign countries where English was studied. English speaking people inhabited one-third of the 50 million acres of available territoi, in the earth, and controlled two-thirds of the shipping. Such progress was unprecedented In the history of any ither race of people. Anglo - Saxon people were not paragons of virtue; they had many great sins; but it could be said th .t they represented the best that was on earth. Dr Henry tnen outlined tests by which Anglo-Saxons might be known. H declared that all the institutions that made for the greatness of Great Britain and of the United States were blood related to the Reformation. Every Englishspeaking country in the world to-day was a Protestant country. In America the colony established by the Pilgrims had absorbed tiie others and had set the ideal for the future republic. Among the tests of an Anglo-Saxon was the possession of pronounced personal characteristics. He refused to part with his peculiarities, and was never absorbed by any other nation. He was possessed with a certain divine ..iscontent and restlessness that had driven him to the ends of the earth; he was marked by a spirit of masterfulness that made him the master of any situation in which he found himself. In no country in the world was that more strikingly exemplified than in the United States to-day. The Anglo - Saxon’s masterfulness was accompanied by determination tenacity, and bull-dog persistence. He would tackle a problem, and (as they said in America) would stay with it. Strength was not shown so much by what one could lift, but by what one could hang on to. Thus it was that the dominant characteristic of Britain was her colonising power. Dr Henry gave a most interesting account of the immense problem that America had to face to-day to make one homogeneous nation out of the wonderful variety of nationalities from which her citizens were derived. In the last fifty years 28 millions of people had come into the United States from 60 different countries. A very large percentage indeed of the population of United States towns was composed of alien immigrants. Once the great majority of the immigrants had come from Great Britain, but of late years the great majority came from Southern Europe. There were 15 or 16 millions of foreign people in the 93 millions of population of the United States, and they furnished 68 per cent of all the crimes. No wonder, the speaker declared, that they had corrupt cities. The wonder was that they had any cities left that the whole republic had not been damned by the dead weight of alien immigration. In Chicago to-day they had more than 30 little nationalities —“Little Bulgaria,” “Little Greece,” “Little Italy,” and so on —each one speaking its own language and retaining its own characteristics. The problem was how to take those people, coming in at the rate of 114 millions every year, and convert them into decent citizens of one law-abiding community. It was enough to give a country political indigestion. No country in the world to-day had such a problem to face. An attempt had been made to regulate alien immigration, but the only immigrants stopped were those with a known criminal record and those suffering from contagious disease. All the rest came in unhindered. Dr Henry declared, however, that there were forces at command sufficient lo tackle such a problem. He looked-forward to a grand federation of the Anglo-Saxon people in' the world, and thov ’u that such a state of affairs would be consummated before the end of the 20th century. Anglo - Saxon strongholds would then be Great Britain, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Soutli Africa. Le saw in the progress of the AngloSaxon race the working of a God plan to make the world richer, and batter, and brighter. Prior to the address by Dr Henry a short musicp.l programme was gone through under the leadership of Mr Farquhar, who also contributed a solo.

THE EVENING MEETING. DEEP RELIGIOUS FEELING. It must be very gratifying to Dr Henry and Mr Farquhar and their large number of assistants to note that as the mission proceeds the number of people attending is increasing. Last night between six and seven hundred were present, and the tone of the meeting throughout .was of a deep spiritual nature. That the convincing and earnest words of the doctor are having (as they cannot fail to have) an appreciable effect on those who attend is evident. Dr Henry and it is# able coadjutor have corno to Invercargill for tire express purpose of doing good in this town and community, and that their efforts will bo blessed, as they have been in other towns, will bo abundantly proven. Mr Farquhar. by his magnetic influence, guided and controlled the musical part, and he was magnificently aided by his large choir, and by his accompanist (Mr Dobie). His mode of conducting is entirely new to Invercargill people, and his gymnastic motions, and flail-like movements never fail to convince that he is music personified. His solo singing was pathetic in its appeal, and, following on the magnificent discourse of the Doctor, caused many in the audience to realise that the work of the mission was for the betterment of the people. In response to petitions for prayer, Dr Henry read out a number he had received, such as: “Pray for my three brothers, who have Godly parents and yet who are satisfied in living without Christ and thinking nothing of their doom.’’ “Pray for father, who is addicted to drink.” For friends who arc verging on decision.” “For my sister.” “For a drunkard.” "For a fine youth who seems to be drifting from the Kingdom.” “For my neighbour, who is steeped in wickedness.” The Adjutant of the Salvation Army engaged in a sympathetic prayer, remembering all those who had been petitioned for. The Doctor, before entering into his subject, urged those present to bring in their companions to the meetings. Ho saw large crowds in the streets, who, if a word were spoken, would probably come to the meetings. The Spirit of God was working in their midst, and only that night lie had heard of two people who were “almost persuaded” to settle the groat question. The Doctor bused his remarks on the 3rd chapter of Revelations, "Bellold, I stand at the door and knock.” He referred in plain and unaffected terms to the callousness, hypocrisy, and self-righteousness of the Church of Laodicea, who, through their fostering of formalism, ritualism, and ceremonialism, did not realise when the Hoad of the Church iiad been excluded from their worship. That was symbolic of many churches now-a-days. There were three striking characteristics of the Laodicean Churcn. It was a very rich church. There was no sin in riches, hut it was a tremendous menace to the Christian life. Times of prosperity usually had been times of secularity. It had tlie best building in the town, and the most influential people in the town, and yet they drove Jesus Christ out. That was not true of all rich churches,

and he confirmed this statement by quoting several Instances. Then again it was a very respectable church, and of great social influence in the city. But there was no reason why men who were highly respectable should be neglectful of God. They were not prepared to follow Jesus Christ all the way—they were neither hot nor cold. There were a great many people who- were in that condition; they were saved, they would get Into the Kingdom, but they were neither hot nor cold. In that church, too, they were self-satisfied. They had, they said, no need of God. It had no place for the poor and helpless. What drove Jesus Christ from that church? It was the spirit of worldliness that crept in. Secularity had come in. and when that came in at' the door spirituality flew out at the window. Formalism, ceremonialism, and ritualism crept in. They were singing hymns, offering prayers, and yet they were destitute of God’s presence and power, and did not know it. He thought there were some in a similar position to-day. They said they must have organisations and ceremonies to hold the people, but what was creed without Christ and the power of God. But Christ was standing at the door knocking and eager to get in and take possession of their lives, when those who desired Him sighed for His presence, cried for His return, and wept over their sins. He would then cleanse and illuminate the Temple. “Know ye not that ye are the Temple of the Holy Ghost.” The Doctor made a convincing and heartfelt appeal to those present to listen to the Saviour knocking at the door of their hearts; but, ho added, unless they did this, the time would come when they would knock at the door and it would be shut for evermore. The Rev. Mr Laycock announced that tills afternoon and again this evening there would be popular evangelical addresses; and on Thursday afternoon from half-past twelve to half-past one addresses to business men. He added that those who had failed to hear the address that, day were decided losers. On Thursday afternoon at three o’clock there would he a quiet hour for Bible study in the Don street church. Prior to announcing that the usual offertory would be taken up, Mr Laycock stated that no financial engagement had been entered into in bringing Dr Henry to their town. The agreement the committee had made was that they should pay all local expenses, and the balance, if any,, should go to the Doctor and party. He said that, because it had been circulated freely that the mission was just a money-making scheme. The Doctor had never mentioned finance. It was true that they did not hope to treat the Doctor in any other than an honourable and generous way. Their expenses would be quite £IOO. He mentioned that fact to show that they needed their financial assistance. In the Don street church in the afternoon a Bible study was held and was fairly well attended. The subject was, "Soul saving, the biggest business in the world,” and a fine spirit prevailed in the meeting.