BIBLE CLASSES

Southland Times, Issue 20833, 23 July 1929, Page 5

BIBLE CLASSES

LEADERSHIP TRAINING. INTER-DENOMINATIONAL COURSE. The Southland Inter-denominational Bible Class Union recently arranged for a series of lectures to be given- to those interested in leadership training. The first of these lectures was given last evening by the Rev. J. L. Robinson, 8.A., in Stobo Hall. Mr W. E. Mclndoe presided. The lecturer dealt with the subject of church" history. The lecture was an introductory one, dealing with the first 100 years of the church’s existence. Mr Robinson dealt with the condition of the world at the beginning of the Christian era, and showed how the time was propitious for the advent of the new religion. Under the power of Rome the world was welded into one imperial unity. The. religions of the age had resulted largely in superstition on the one hand and infidelity on the other. Then there had been a great increase in commerce and consequent inter-communication between the different peoples. There was also a common language. Order and unityhad come from Rome and culture from Greece; but salvation was to come from the Jews, and the influence of the dispersion of the Jews upon the extension of the church was explained. The lecturer then traced the development of the church from the time of Pentecost, speaking of the work of Peter and Paul, and telling of the various persecutions that arose, first from the Jews and then from the Romans. But the blood of the martyrs had been the seed of the church and the power of the Christian life had prevailed. Christianity had shown the way to a better life, a life of sacrifice and brotherly love. At the close the lecturer was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.