SPIRITUAL REVIVAL

Taranaki Daily News, 25 July 1931, Page 8

SPIRITUAL REVIVAL

MOVE IN THE OLD LANDS. REV. L. B. FLETCHER’S HOPE. That the world was on the threshold of a spiritual awakening on the lines of interdenominational Christian Church unity was stressed at a public meeting of welcome at Auckland in honour of the Rev. Lionel B. Fletcher and Mrs. Fletcher, who have just returned from the Youth Evangelistic Campaign in London. Sir George Fowlds presided and welcomed the minister. The Moderator of the Congregational Union, the Rev. Harry Johnson, said they rejoiced to have Mr. Fletcher back because of his value in the councils of the church.

Delivering a message of goodwill and congratulation from Archbishop Averill, Archdeacon Mac Murray said there was an inclination these days to attribute troubles to material causes, whereas world-wide troubles could be considered to have deeper world-wide causes. The Archibshop believed with him in the ideal of Christianity as a body of men and women who loved the Lord Jesus Christ in all sincerity. It was the spirit of love and unselfishness that would quickly clear away all barriers to happiness and prosperity. The words Of the Archdeacon, said Mr. Fletcher,- had touched him deeply, for he considered that it was by attending the 1900th anniversary of Pentecost at St. Mary’s Cathedral he was blessed with the spiritual preparation and ordination for his London campaign. Having returned as promised to his congregation he looked forward to taking part in a spiritual revival in New Zealand as accomplished in the Homeland. There wis an unmistakable call for Christianity among young people. The possi-" bilities of evangelism had been denied in England, but before it was over complete success was proclaimed.

All the churches in London worked together, and with the help of effective publicity, thousands attended the revival meetings and 11,250 decision cards were signed in five months, continued Mr. Fletcher. It was moral relationships in life that troubled the young people. He found that they were sick of the sound or mention. of ■ war because they knew nothing about its ghastliness and futility. They were unspoilt by it and looked for something better. They desired, like the world in general, the Message of Christ, not denominational, but as a reality. Spiritual revival that had swept throughout the Homeland had spread on the Continent, even into Russia, Poland and Germany.