EVER POWERFUL

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 308, 19 July 1933, Page 3

EVER POWERFUL

Appeal of Christianity REV. DUDLEY ADDRESSES STRATFORD AUDIENCE A striking address on the appeal of the Christian religion and the fact that it was ever powerful was given in the Stratford Methodist Church last night by Rev. Raymond Dudley, Wanganui.

The address was given at a public meeting which was held as part of the three nays' retreat being held at Stratford by Methodist ministers of the Taranaki and Wanganui districts. The Rev. E. P. Blamires, director of the Methodist youth movement in New Zealand, also spoke on youth work.

The Rev. J. Copeland, who presided, explained the reason for the retreat. It was a great, encouragement, he said, to see such a full church. There was a definite reason for the meeting of so many ministers —it afforded them the opportunity of discussing the problems that confronted them and perhaps finding the solutions.

There were very grave issues before them, said Mr. Blamlres, and they wanted to know how to meei them. Dealing with youth work, ho said that the study of child nature could be summed up in one word, j hunger. Was there hunger for ChrisI tianity? The need today was for them to realise the need for companionship and a, creative task. Where was Heaven? children sometimes asked. They did not have to die to go to heaven, said Mr. Blamires; all it was necessary to do was to love other people more than oneself. "What Think Ye of Christ?" In stating that he wished to stress not the social and national challenge of Christianity so much as the personal, Mr Dudley took as his text, "What think ye of .Christ?" Jesus was not only the founder of the Christian religion. He was the foundation. If their religion was to be effective they must answer this question: What think Ye of Christ? Religion was like sorrow; it could never be effective without being personal. Christ never changed, said Mr Dudley; it was one's attitude to Christ that judged one. Judas Iscariot had not sold his master for 30 pieces of silver; he had sold himself, and the price of his soul was exactly .30 pieces of silver. Christ was not on trial today; it was ourselves. The challenge today was "What think ye of Christ?" When the last day came the question would be, what did we think of Christ, not what other people thought. This Master whom they all preached gave them the challenge to face up to His standards and to His will —"Just as I am, without one plea" —with a new courage and a great resolve.

The Rev. W. IT. Wilson, Aramoho, offered a prayer, the choir sans two anthems, live hymns were sung and the service closed with the Benediction.