STRONG MEN ARE NEEDED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17836, 3 May 1926, Page 1

STRONG MEN ARE NEEDED.

DR MOTT SOUNDS CALL FOR SERVICE

URGES CAMPAIGN OF RECRUITING.

Dr J R- Mott, addressing about one hundred;ministers at the Y.M.C.A. today! said that he wished them to share one of his heaviest burdens, the proi> blem of how to/enlist a larger number of the strongest young men, lads, and boys in the work of the Christian ministry, and in auxiliary services in the Church , of Christ.

The next fifteen years, he said, woulu be the most difficult fifteen years in the history of the Christian religion. There were many more Christians now than there ever had been before who had awaked to the implications of the Christian Gospel, who believed that Christ meant what, he said. The need was to bring out strong leaders. One necessity was ‘to re state the Christian message in order to secure a following.of-most intellectually alert and inquiring young men. Another problem was to bring their marvellous gospel to bear on present obstinate social facts, especially in the industrial world.

Christians must augment the forces of leadership. They must liberate a vastly larger measure of the lay forces in all the churches. They must induce more of the present generation to enter the ministry. They must have enormously increased co-operation with the laymen. They must multiply their forces and take advantage of the present opportunity of a time of times. lie would rather live in the next ten or fifteen years than at any other time he had read or dreamed of. They needed men of vision ; .young men with personality; men with ethical passion, and with a very genuine personal experience of Christ. Amongst the recruiting agents were the mothers, the school teachers, the university professors, the theological college professors, the Y.M.C.A., which was doing a mighty service, especially in its Bible study department, and the Student Christian movement. They should become alarmed. Next to the withdrawal of the presence of Christ from His Church there could be no greater calamity than failure of the supply of men of this generation who dedicated themselves to God and to God's service. They must look upon recruiting for the ministry as the most important single thing they had to do. They must practice the art of discovering suitable men. They must lay seige to the strongest personalities. Dr Mott concluded by quoting; “The harvest truly is great; the labourers are few. Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest that He thrust forth labourers.” “Do you think that the Christian church will be reorganised in Russia?” a minister asked.

Dr Mott replied that there were spiritual forces in many parts of Russia, leading to purification and intensification. lie knew no better Christians in all Protestantism than some members of the Russian Orthodox Church. There was no doubt about the vitality in that Church. Bishop West-Watson. who presided, urged ministers to take advantage of the rising tide of spirituality.