THE CHURCH

Southland Times, Issue 20207, 18 June 1927, Page 12

THE CHURCH

GENERAL NEWS AND NOTES. FROM PULPIT AND PEW. The late Archbishop of Ethiopia, Rev. Ahina Mattheos, who had reached the age of 83, was for 47 years one of the. high dignitaries of the Coptic Church, and ever most friendly to Britain. He also showed keen interest in the work of the British and Foreign Bible Society. At the Esk Street Baptist Church the Rev. F. Sampson will conduct the services. In the morning reference will be made to some of the Old Testament stories which cause intellectuals so much difficulty. In the evening the plea of Elijah to those who are sitting on the fence will be considered. Early in August a World Christian Conference is to be held at Lausanne, on the northern shore of Lake Geneva, when delegates are expected to be present from many communes and different countries. The first International Christian Conference was held at Copenhagen in 1922, and the second at Stockholm three years later. Church Rally Month will be continued at the Leet Street Methodist Church to-mor-row. The Rev. Angus Mcßean will conduct both services, his subjects being: 11 a.m.—‘The Last stand of Faith”; 6.30 p.m. “Pilate’s Questions” (2) “What is Truth?” At the evening sendee a fifteen minutes’ community song service will be held, and a solo will be given by Miss M. Barclay. The choir will sing the anthem, “Hearken unto Me, My People.” Church Rally Month is being continued at First Church to-morrow when both services will be of a special character. In the morning there will be a parade of Girl Guides in connection with which the dedication of the colours of the Central Company will take place. Mr Robinson will preach on the subject, “Mother the Crown of the Home” at the evening service, and particularly desires the present of parents and elder children on this occasion. Dr Orchard, of King's Way House Church, contends that civilisation has to be converted. The industrial and commercial civilisation of the present generation, he considered, was coming to an end, and nothing was going to ever patch it up. The wretched system would fall to pieces, so there was no need to worry about anyone blowing it up. Dr Orchard said where he disagreed with his revolutionary friends was in their belief that they could change everything without first changing everybody. The belief in conversion was essential. The Junior Young Women’s Bible Class of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church held a social evening last Tuesday, when members of other classes and friends gathered in large numbers to enjoy an hour or two’s fun. Members of the young men’s class assisted with the running of the social by taking charge of the games and making them bright and entertaining. Several items were rendered by members of the class and a happy evening was brought to a close with a bounteous supper served by the young ladies. Tomorrow night at 7 p.m. Captain Fred "Wilkes, an erstwhile Invercargill boy, will conduct the Salvation meeting. The 3 p.m. praise, 11 a.m. holiness meeting and 7 a.m. knee drill will be conducted by Ensign Taylor. The Gospel will be faithfully delivered in all meetings. The Salvation Army believes in the full Gospel and the whole Bible, as they have found from their earliest beginnings that there is no power that can transfer a man or woman like the power of Christ on authority like the Bible whereby the powers of evil can be disputed and overcome. To-morrow all day definite evidence will be given as to the above facts. The “Church Rally Month” sendees will be conducted at St. Peter’s Methodist Church, when subjects of vital importance to every true citizen will be dealt with, whilst the choir and congregation will participate in hymns and choruses that make divine worship a means of blessing to all. We are glad to see so many who were but casual now coming regularly, and also welcome those most heartily who are making a new beginning in response to the call of the Church Rally Movement. Thorough church-going citizenship will result in the promotion of good to the whole community. God will be honoured and the people blessed. The ladies of St. Paul’s P.W.M.U. held a very pleasant social afternoon on Monday last to welcome home Mrs A. L. Miller, who represents St. Paul’s congregation on the Canton Villages Mission, China. The minister, Rev. C. J. Tocker, presided over an attendance of members that completely filled the hall. Mr Tocker and Mrs Cruickshank, president of the P.W.M.U., both welcomed Mrs Miller home, and expressed the hope that the furlough would be very beneficial to their guest, her husband, and their wee girl, Jean. Mrs Miller gave a most interesting talk on China, dealing with the present troubles and what has led up to them in a most enlightening way. During the afternoon Mrs Copland and Mrs Lindsay contributed musical items which were warmly appreciated. After the Benediction afternoon tea was dispensed. A very interesting feature of the afternoon’s proceedings was the outstanding success of a gift-offering for missions. St. Paul’s is making the experiment of doing away with sales of work, bazaars, etc., as a means of raising money. The P.W.M.U., therefore, decided not to have a mission sale this year, but instead to ask members for a straight-out offering. The result exceeded all expectations, the sum of over £6O being contributed. CHURCH RALLY MONTH SERVICES The combined action of the Protestant Churches of Invercargill in the inauguration of the “Come to Church Rally” is proving itself a very commendable one, and we are delighted to hear that it is meeting with success, not only in the awakening of a keener interest among the casual worshippers, but in attracting to Divine service many who have hitherto been indifferent to the claims of God and the sanctity of the Sabbath. Some of us are old-fashioned enough to believe that the most valuable asset that any nation can possess is “good character,” for without it our individual—social, civic, commercial, political and national life, would soon grow perverse, corrupt, worthless and unendurable. That institution which we designate the “Christian Church,” with all its known and unknown defects, is to-day throughout the world producing that priceless commodity (good character) more than any other system or institution in existence. There is no need therefore to make an apology either for the existence of the Christian Church or for church-going. She is contributing by her activities and service to wholesome, clean living in home and State, and thereby establishing the product of good character, which makes.for the elevation and betterment of the nation. While “Jingo” patriotism is to be ruled out wherever it is seen, Christian patriotism is to be cultivated—desired, loved and cherished, but I have yet to see how true Christian patriotism can germinate and grow to any appreciable degree in the life of any citizen who by callous indifference shuts God and His Church and all they , declare for out of their Efe, thought and action. If the right attitude is maintained towards this appeal and effort of the combined churches of Invercargill during this month of June by giving it our warmest support, by our presence at, and participation in Divine worship, we shall be giving of our best to our Dominion’s good, wellbeing, and moral uplift. Speaking generelly from what I know of lhe citizens of Invercargill, I do not think that there is any deep or widespread hostility to the churches; neither do I believe that the majority of non-churchgoers have any hard words to say against Christianity, much less its founder; but the sad thing is that by far too many leave both Him and His Church severely alone. Here on the one hand stand our churches, ministers and

vast organisations for the good of the community, and on the other hand quite a number of people from whom no recognition is evoked, except for an occasional funeral or marriage, and who seem by their very action to say, “You go your way and we will go ours.” But why two ways? There is but one true, right, and safe way, and that is God’s. Every person of average intelligence knows that there are many powerful reasons why association with God and the Church are desirable. I read of a young man of prominence named Joshua in Exodus 33-11, that he “departed not from the Tabernacle,” and in inquiring into the secret of his great life I find three graces and virtues that I would to God were to be seen in the life of every young man and woman throughout New Zealand today, and they are these, namely, Devoutness, Restraint, and Heroism, and upon investigation I discover that the feeding and sustaining root of all these graces were directly traceable to his contact with Almighty God and His Church. Parents, ministers, magistrates and judges all admit the need of these principles among the young of this promising Dominion. Can they be inculcated and grown if we turn our backs to God and His Church? Hence to the questions so frequently asked: Does the Church answer any real need in human nature? Does it fulfil any needful function in the affairs of human life? Can it really and truly justify its existence? Can Church association do anything for a man? To all these and many other such questions I bring the testimony of millions of the noblest and truest citizens that have ever lived, in every age, with the testimony of millions who live to-day, and occupy the highest positions of trust and honour amongst their fellows, who unanimously declare that active association with God and His Church have provided both atmosphere and temperature for the growth of these choice plants we call Devoutness, Restraint, and Heroism. Regular attendance at Divine service on God’s Day on the part of any sincere person, not only helps them, but helps to maintain and strengthen those principles for which our fathers bled and counted not their lives dear that we might possess them. That heritage is entrusted to us to hand on to the coming generations unsullied and greatly enriched. By all means let us have football, cricket, tennis, etc., and every kind of healthy sport that makes for the development of healthy men and women, but also let us have a reverence for God and His Church, too. The former will help us to grow sound bodies, the latter ministers to the safety, feeding and development of the soul. Then let every true citizen who wills and desires the all-round best for our city comply with the earnest appeal of God and the churches, and join us in this noble crusade against non-church-going. S.B. On behalf of the Ministers’ Association, Invercargill. OTAUTAU METHODIST CHUBCH The anniversary of the Otautau Methodist Church was celebrated on Sunday last, the preacher for the day being the Rev. Angus Mcßean, of Invercargill. In the morning he spoke on “The Luggage of Life,” from the text, “Cast thy burden upon the Lord.” The theme of the evening discourse was “How to make life count for the utmost and the best,” and the basis of the sermon was the text, “First they gave their own selves to the Lord”—(2 Cor. 8-5). The address was directed particularly to the young

men and women present. This was a young people’s world, and a young people’s age. Sometimes young people grew impatient of the ways of older people, and were sure I that they could manage this old world much better if only their seniors would leave it to them. Some young people have the idea that those over forty are comparatively useless in the great world. But facts could be heaped up to disprove that. Bunyan was 50 when he wrote Pilgrim’s Progress; Robinson Crusoe was written when the author was 58; Milton was 58 when he wrote Paradise Lost; Goethe completed Faust when he was 82; Da Vinci painted the world’s greatest picture, The Last Sup- : per, when he was 77; John Wesley was at ' the height of his eloquence when he was 88; and Galdstone was made Prime Minister of England for the fourth time when he was 83. Nevertheless, it is a young people’s world, and its future depends upon the young people of to-day. To make life count for the most and the best it must be yielded to the mastership and guidance of the Lord Jesus Christ. The people referred to in the text put Christ and His cause as the first thing in their lives. And first things must be put first in any true life. “The quality of a life largely depends upon the right ordering of its interests.” “God first, family second, business third,” was the motto which explained the singular attractiveness of the life of one of the world’s greatest business men. The supreme need of the church to-day was that Christ should be put first in the lives of Christians. Putting Christ first is the secret of love and generosity and goodness. The sermon closed with an appeal to all to give Christ this first place in their lives: from a sense of gratitude to Him for what He has done; on account of our need of His grace and guidance; and finally because He can fill life with its richest meaning and make it most effective for all good. There were good congregations throughout the day; and at the evening service a solo was sung by Miss Myrtle Stroud, and a duet by Mrs Brooker and Miss Scatter. DR. E. G. SAYERS, MEDICAL MISSIONARY TO THE SOLOMONS The visit of Dr E. G. Sayers to Invercargill on Monday next, June 20, is fraught with great interest, not only for the Methodists of Southland, but for the Christian Churches in general. He is ordained to occupy the somewhat unique position of the first Methodist Medical Missionary to the Solomons Islands Group of Methodist Missions. For some twenty-one years the Methodist Church has been doing a great work among the Solomon Islanders and is justly proud of the educational and deeply spiritual work that has been accomplished out there. For several years past the Missionary Committee have felt the absolute necessity of another branch to their numerous activities for the well-being of both Natives and Europeans, namely, that of a Medical Missionary with full equipment and expert knowledge of tropical diseases; that person has at last been secured in the worthy person of Dr E. G. Sayers, who, in addition to the training that New Zealand Medical Schools could impart, has spent a year in the Royal Tropical College of Medicine, etc., in London, and will be going out to the great and important field of the Solomons fully equipped. Under the auspices of the Methodist Young Men’s Bible Class Union he will address a meeting upon this important mission on Monday next in the Central Methodist Hall, Jed street, Invercargill, at 7.45 p.m. Everybody welcome.