On the Threshold of Sunday

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19032, 7 June 1924, Page 14

On the Threshold of Sunday

(Contributed by the Wanganui Ministers’ Association.) Prayer:—o, Thou plentious source of every g( ■ and perfect gift, shed abroad the cheering light of Thy seven fold grace over our heatrs. Yea, spirit of love and gentleness, we most humbly implore Thy assistance. Thou knowest our faults, our failings, and necessities; the dullness of our understanding; the waywardness of our effections, the perservenace of our will. When, therefore, we neglect no practice what we know, visit us, we beseech Theo, with Thy grace, enlighten our minds, rectify our desires, correct our wanderings, and pardon our omissions, so that by Thy guidance we may be preserved from making shipwreck of faith, and keep a good conscience, and may at length be landed safe in the haven of eternal rest. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord.— Amen. SOLOMON’S PRAYER FOR WISDOM. In Gibcon the. Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, “Ask what 1 shall give thee.” “There was no limitation in the offer. All ways of life wore thrown Open to him. He might choose anything since God in his omnipotence would supply it. This was a test of what was really uppermost in his desires.”

Before stating his choice ’• , r Solomon talked to God about the great kindness he had shown unto David his father, about the bigness of the task that had now been placed upon him, and about his own inexperience to exercise the kingship over so vast a people as Israel.' Then he asked, “Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge they people, that I may discern between good and evil; for who is able to judge this thy great people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. It was a great choice, ‘to be sure, and made witho» k long deliberation at that. Supposing God should say to you this moment, “Ask what I shall give thee.” what would you ask? Yes, what would you ask if the thing were only known to God? What, in your heart of hearts, do you want most? Is your desire worthy of you. worthy of a child

Dr. Henry van Dyke writes: “If God says to us, in the bright promise of youth, ‘Ask what I shall give thee.’ let us make the best choice, and ansycr: ‘Give me grave to known thy the Christ, and to grow like him; for that is the true wisdom which leads to eternal life, and that is the true royalty which brings dominion over self, and that is the true happiness which flows unsought from fellowship with the Divine Life.”

Now, because Solomon asked for what he did, and not for long life, or riches, or the life of his enemies, God gave him a wisp and an understanding heart; and men talk of the wisdom of Solomon unto this day. Yes, and God gave him both riches and honour as well, and would have given him long life too, if Ik * had continued to walk in his ways and to keep his statutes and commandments. Material blessings often accompany spiritual choices., Jesus said long afterwards: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unt’ you.”

James says: “If any of you lacketh wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth td all liberally and unbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” And he says agin: “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be intreated, full cf mercy and good fruits, without variance, without hypocrisy.” Here are two suggestive texts? from the Proverbs of Solomon: “The beginning of wisdom is. Get wisdom.” and “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. “We cannot choose not to choose.” “A refusal to choose is in itself a choice. ” “Choose well; your choice is brief but endless.” “Choice and service—in these are the .whole of life.” “Look out for choices; they run into habit, character, destiny.” Suggested Hymns—Sankey’s Collection. 608—Take Time to be Holy. 485—Even Me! 616—Consecration. 785—Lord, Speak to Me! (Tune 599). ZIONISM. Dr. Maclnnes, Bishop in Jerusalem, has made strong criticisms of the methods of the Zionists, and declares that they are going far to wreck the prospects of Zioninsm in the near future. In a speech at Church House, Westminster, he said:—• “If the Zionists persist in their polic ythey will werck the present phase of Zionism. There is fixed, bitter opposition on the part of the whole of the natives of Palestine, Moslem and Chriseian, and a large number of the orthodox Jews, to the Zionists, .nd the policy of the British Government that has fathered it. No blame for that state of affairs rests upon the authorities in Palestine, and Sir Herbert Samuel has succeeded beyond all praise in establishing a reputation for strict justice that is now understood throughout the land. The Christian people at first welcomed the Zionist movement with enthusiasm, as a direct fulfilment of prophecy. Now, five years after the Balfour Proclamation, Zionism has not given one lofty or noble thought, nor one ideal eve of the old Judaism, nor given anything, new or old, that has advanced—morally, intellectually, or spiritually the position of the people in Palestine.” This is a trenchant and crushing indictment, annd the leaders of the Zionist movement will do well to give it their earnest eonsideratio. At the same time, it may be doubted whether the Bishop is within the facts in all that he says; for not every Western can comprehend the Eastern mind. Wb/:u we know that the land will undoubtedly go back into the possession of the sed of Abraham, as God has promised, it is nevertheless sad to watch how the Jews are stirring up that widespread detestation that may culminate in the Great Tribulation. Have we here another indication of the nearness of Messiah’s Comig, and do we already detect thet dark shadow of the approachig “time of Jacob’s trouble?”—The Christian.