METHODIST RALLY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 76, Issue 6533, 30 June 1948, Page 6

METHODIST RALLY

WEEK-END GATHERINGS ATTENDED BY VISITING MINISTERS A circuit rally of members of the Methodist Church was held in Te Awamutu on Saturday and Sunday, 26th and 27th June. There was a large attendance of members and* adherents, and the rally opened with devotions led by Rev. C. H. Olds, 8.A., chairman of the district. The speaker gave an inspiring address on the fundamental beliefs of Methodism as experienced by John Wesley.

In the afternoon an address entitled “My Impressions of England and America” was given by Rev. A. Everil Orr, who returned only recently from a conference of World Churches, held at Springfield, Massachusetts. The Rev. Orr’s message was colourful, and covered a wide field. He said that he had found the philosophies of Britain and America entirely different. In America almost everything was viewed from the monetary angle. While visiting Britain, the speaker met leaders of industry and others who he thought were trying to better labour and general conditions in England. In many ways, said the speaker, America seemed antagonistic to Britain. He instanced as an example of this an experience he had had when he tried to buy silk stockings for his wife in an American shop. They would not sell to him when they thought him an Englishman, but did so when they found he was a New Zealander. The British sense of justice was stronger than the American, affirmed Rev. Orr, with reference to a case in U.S.A, when the Mayor of Boston was widely acclaimed when he was released from prison such public acclaim would never occur in Britain. Rev. Orr gave a film lecture on church life in the two countries, showing scenes in technicolour of churches and people. Church life in- America was very much alive, and some 40% of the populace attended church once a week. (In New Zealand the figure was about 15%.) Religion and church life were subjects on which the Americans were most united, concluded Rev. Orr.

Suhday services were conducted by Rev. E. W. Holmes, M.A., Principal of Trinity College, Auckland, commensing with the observance of Holy Communion. Rev. Holmes based his sermon on the text, “I am the Lord Thy God.” The preacher took this as a statement of mankind’s belief in the existence of God, whether the belief was acknowledged or not. There was a tendency to try to rationalise God’s nature with a view to rendering Him harmless. The essence of the preacher’s address was, “Let God be God.”

In the afternoon, sacred items were presented by the choir Mesdames Sinnott, Hull and H. Fear —to an appreciative gathering. These items were followed by a religious play, “Its Ancient Power,” performed by Misses G. Thomas and B. Hebden and Messrs A. Smart and G. Cullen, and produced by Mr T. G. M. Spooner, M.A. The play gave a graphic portrayal of a typical Palestinian family the members of which found regenerative power in Christ, and were given work to do. The play was performed with sympathetic understanding. Prior to the evening service, which was conducted by Rev. Hames, a song session was led by Rev. A. Jolly.

Rev. Hames, in the evening service, based his remarks on a study of the life of Jacob, who, he said, had led the life of a “twister” and a deceiver, until brought face to face with God at Penial, where he was converted. Key points of the address were: (a) God will overtake the wrongdoer eventually. (b) Where? Not necessarily miraculously, but in a concrete situation. (c) When overtaken, the sinner discovers that God is a friend, and not one to be feared. Jacob made such a turn and from then on was not a crooked character, but became free through acknowledging his error and seeking God’s purpose for Him, said Rev. Hames.

The rally was fittingly brought to a close with a Wesley hymn.