FLANAGAN, EVANGELIST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 84, 28 March 1908, Page 5

FLANAGAN, EVANGELIST.

HIS CIVIC UECEPTIOX

There was a fair gathering of the townspeople yesterday afternoon at the Queen street Primitive Methodist Church, where a public reception wis tend,'red to the Itev. James Flanagan, the evangelist, who will conduct a week's mission in New Plymouth. Advantage was taken of the occasion to welcome the Rev. liny, who has just taken charge of the Primitive Methodist Church here. There were on the platform Ilov. Flanagan and Mr. Stephens, the singing evangelist, Kovs. S. Guy, H. .1. Lewis, s. S. Osborne, T. G. Brooke, his Worship the Mayor (Mr E. Dockrill), Mr. 11. Okey, M.l'., and Mr. C. E. Bellringer. The last-named gentleman announced the opening hymn, and then handed over the conduct of tha meeting ! to his Worship the> Mayor. Ro v. Drew led in prayer. His Worship said he took the greatest pleasure in welcoming the liev. Tfcinagan on behalf of the people of this district, He had no doubt the visitor would carry away with him very pleasant rr»*>llectionS of his brief stay in the town. His Worship wished the P>ev. Flanagiui every success in his mission. Mr. Stephens gave all exceptionally fine rendering of "The New Song.'' Rev. W. G. Brooke, representing the Whitcley Memorial Church of Metliod-

ism, was the next speaker, expressing his pleasure at being able to stretch out: a welcoming hand to his friend Uev. Guy, and to the Uev- Flanagan, jvlioso name was well-known throughout) the whole of the churches. The spaaker said he rejoiced in the good work by the Rev. Flanagan throughout the Dominion, and was pleased indeed that he had come to New Plymouth. This was not a large town, but it was built on historic ground. No other plnce in New Zealand had a Maraland llill, or so many soldiers' graves. Here Methodism in New Zealand was early cradled, and here the llr-t Primitive Methodist Church was built. And, probably, no town ill New Zealand had a greater proportion of Methodists amongst its population.

Rev. 11. 'l. Lewis, on behalf of the Baptist Church, said Uev. Flanagan wa» to bo congratulated upon the fact that

his mission was boriic upon a wave ot earnest prayer, lie had never before seem such largely attended and enthusiastic prayer meetings in New Plymouth. Rev. Lewis said they were gathered together not as denouiinationalists, but as Christians. When the tide was out, each

little shrimp thought his own little pool comprised the world. But when tile time was in they forgot all about the pouls. He mentioned the difficulty experienced ill getting those people to attend missions who most needed to attend- People, he said, seemed to shy clear of anything of the nature of a "revival." Passing on, iie referred tu the ripe experience ul the Uev. I'laria-

gan, and mentioned the mania in New Zealand for "striplings ' as preachers. Any young man oi 2(> \ear„ who didn't drop his "lis" or murder the King's ivnglish might have his choice of pulpits in preference to the men of maturer years, who had spent a lifetime in t'urisi s work.

He v. f-. hi. Osborne hoped and prayed that the mission would be abundantly blessed. This was a hard field. There

wero peculiar difficulties to light in New Plymouth, as all the churches had found, lie had never lived ill a town where so few of the public citizens went

to church or were connected with church work. He trusted that tJiis mission would get hold of one or two, and the rest would follow. 110 also extenueu a warm welcome to Rev. Guy, expressing the hope that he would remain here many years and build up a strong church.

Misses Council and White contributed a duet. Rev. Flanagan, who was warmly received, said lie supposed the people did not want a long meeting on such a miid afternoon, ill this beautiful country where they wero assured that the sun shone so much. But he had lmd weather iu the colony which was worse than that of the Old Country. Writing Home from Stratford and Elthani, he hid had to write that it was raining, aud ruining, and raining. But lie was pleased to be in New Zealand, this fresh young country, with its indefinable ''something'' which gave it a charm foreign to other parts. He expressed himself as having not a particle of sympathy with the missioner who owed no personal responsibility to any particular church or branch of faith. He had had his own beliefs, and he had his own church, but in his mission work forgot his own distinctive deuionination, and preached a gospel that all could get round. He would get as near to -Jesus as he possibly could. The success of his mission depended largely upon the people professing the Christian faith, lor even Christ could not work his wonders where the predominant spirit was that of unbeiiei. For that reason he was glad to learn of the united prayer, and he believed that if the mission did nothing more it was even now a success. His mission would not, he hoped, be of the "gunpowder 11 ish" variety, leaving the spiritual torn- of llm church lower than before. He was too old a worker for that. He had at times been positively sickened by the "gunpowder 1 ' revivals, and there was no wonder the public fought shy of missions. He related an incident of his work in Elthani. Around the door of the hall lie saw about fifty young men—fine strapping fellows, splendid specimens in the Dominion humanity—spying in the door, looking for the preacher as if lie were some specimen of the animal world they had never seen before. Uev. Flanagan was in their midst, and spoke to them. "God bless you men, what in the world are you doing? Do you think this is a wild beast show, and that you pay a certain amount to see a lot oi Strang* performing freaks on the stage? Men of Eltham, see nie, liaudle inc. 1 have a hand. 1 have a heart. Why in the name of (lod do you stand outside where a. man is. going to tell you of the truths of the Gospel, and look upon him as some strange specimen of humanity? Here, brothers, come in as men, and sit and hear what an honest man has got to say to you." And tlioy all, with a look, west into the hall, and he had the joy of talking to them of the Gospel. He learned that those men had previously been sickened with curtain kinds ot evangelistic services. The speaker said he had faith in his expectation that the Theatre lioyal would be filled every : night next week, and that people who were usually fifteen minutes late for ' church would have to hurry a little.

His Worship then tendered a welcome to Rev. fluv. who saving thai some 2:) or 24 years ago lie was stationed here for a-wllilu. following the l!ev.

Joseph Long. He noted the new church building, and that New Plymouth and its onvirons had made remarkable progress, Another hymn was sung, and Rev. !\ i~. Osborne pronounced the Benediction, after which the gathering was photographed outside the church tor Rev. Flanagan, and an enjoyable and social afternoon tea concluded the reception.