THE FLANAGAN-STEPHENS' MISSION.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12145, 11 March 1908, Page 5

THE FLANAGAN-STEPHENS' MISSION.

There was a very large attendance at the Opera House lust evening, when the Rev J. Flanagan preached ami Mr J. H. Stephens sang. The solo chosen was "What Then?" and was sung with telling effect. Nothing could so demonstrate tho many-sidedness of his genius than the three evening sermons which lie has given. Each has been different/ each has enchained tho audience, and each has been inimitable. Hie; text last night was: "Ho came to Himself"—Luke XV. 17. Sin was madness— tho sinner was not himself i\hen he was away from God. No man could crown God as the Lord of his life without God crowning Jiim. God's crown is necessary to tho completion of the life. Every unsaved man is out of the Divine order and! .needs to be brought back again. Sin destroys tho nature, but God renews it. lucre are three "finds''in the New lestamont—three great planetary truths. (1) A man finds himself; (2) hefinds his God; (3) he finds his brother. He would propound the question C-m j a. man findI. his true self without finding C God? Further: Can a man find God without ndinor himself? Then followed a sciathiug, indictment o', that shallow theology which was one sided. The truth that is not in harmony with the deepest truth in our own nature is not in harmony with the truth of God. Ai<d uaturo shows' that nothing bwt the blood-re:! Gosdol of Christ can cleanse men. God always respects the dignity of men. and1 He is always glad to ree a poor sinner when he "comes to him in penitence. When a man comes to himself ho comes to his Father, an,d then he goes out to find his brother. lhen one of the most startling and nvid denunciations ever delivered 'concerning the inconsistencies of those ohurch members who neve rthink of their, brothers, and never tw to do them good was sriven with fiery-biting eloquence. Some church members were lost, dead, whilst they seemed to live. They needed to remember that the soul of the poorest, meanest man is worth as much as God paid to redeem it. We . must helt> t:> bnn.o; men to- themselves to GocJ. Then followed an-exno^i-I tion of Miss Baillie Saunders' b;>ok Saints in Society."' showina1 how the hero lost his ideals, missed his truo manhood, and never found it more. And ther.e eamo an exquisitel v tender story that made the Wp« smart and overflow —a slorv of a prodigal who came'to himself with h's he"d en t>e nroncl er's shoulder. In him th^ rarabb berime a reality. Humour. p.itnns. critirisv.i. r> master of language, is this pr^n/"h"i-' of f-'o.^Gosre 1. W'^o rv>- cKs-ni-.,' him? Who can rciwt him? He is iiv+, Jmnes Flanagan, v-itb p. bif heart, find a marvellous mind. Tt is indeed ro/jreHable - th^t bis visit is so brie'? T)i* -olos of" Mr Stephens too, are just in keeping witb the lyeacher's theme, -mid nv'n renders 1 with great expression rmrl taste. Mr- Flanagan announced Insr ovenine: f.liat for the first time in New.. ■ZealaivT be would on Sun^'av pvo-nino-^ R-oxt relate. "The Story of Mv Convert ?.ion."