Bearing And Sharing Burdens; Sermon At Marton Junction Church

Wanganui Chronicle, 15 December 1949, Page 2

Bearing And Sharing Burdens; Sermon At Marton Junction Church

“I have heard a man say that although he did not go to church himself, he sent his wife to represent him," said the Rev. James Robertson, preaching in the Marton Junction Presbyterian Church on Sunday afternoon on the texts: "Bear ye one another’s burdens,” and "Every man shall bear his own burden.” (Galations, Chap. 6, verse 2 and 5). "That is,” Mr. Robertson went on, "he thought he could fulfil his duty of worship by proxy.” "While there are many duties we can delegate, there are some we cannot, and worship is one of them, ’ he said. "Again, no one can make our Christian witness for us. No other life can testify for us. Witness is a purely personal matter, and every man must bear his own burden. “Neither can we have our personal service commuted for a money payment. It is easier to give money than service sometimes, as there is often the temptation to think that a gift of money is a legitimate substitute for personal service. While the Church needs money to carry on its work, the Church can never assure a man . that his money is enough, or that it will do instead of his service. No, there is a word to be spoken, a life to be lived, a personal influence to be exerted, and every man must bear his burden.

"Every man must bear the burden of his own accountability to God, continued Mr. Robertson. “A man com mits a sin, and the memory of that sir. abides with him, perhaps, ever afteiwards. Others, by their sympathy, may do much to strengthen and encourage him, but he alone has the consciousness of personal accountability. We are all stewards of the life God has given us, and we must all bear the burden of personal accountability for it. “The other text exhorts us to bear each other's burdens. Here we come upon our duty towards others. We can help others by standing in witn them in their time of trouble or distress, by identifying ourselves witn them in their failure, by seeking to help them spiritually in their declension from the good. “We cannot only help others spiritually in their time of trouble or remorse, bearing a burden of concern and endeavour for their welfare, but we can also share the burden of their time of sickness, sorrows, or misfortune. ‘I hate tick people and I can’t stand visiting a hospital,’ a sick woman once said to me,’ " the preacher added, “and yet there she was, a sick woman herself, and greatly appreciating a visit in her time of trouble."

"It is a poor business,” sain Mr. Robertson, "when we shun the sick and the suffering. It is a poor business when we become like King Ahasuerus, of the Old Testament, who commanded that none clothed in sackcloth might enter the gates of his pal-ace—-that is, with signs of mourning upon him. But that is simply trying to hide from life, for sorrow is an experience that comes and must come to each one of us, and it has its lessons to teach if we are willing to learn. “The sight of sorrow checks the pride of love, and calls out sympathy, and reminds us of our own need. It affords us an opportunity of giving real help to those in need, and this may mean to them all the difference between hope and despair. Again and again a real sympathy will save a tragic situation for stricken souls, and enable them to ride over the storm of their troubles into calm and peaceful waters. "So let us each bear faithfully our own burden of duty towards God, and as occasion offers, let uS seek to share the (roublhi'hnd’ borrows of others,” said Mr. Robertson in conclusion.