FIFTH WANGANUI CONVENTION.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 13701, 7 June 1912, Page 8

FIFTH WANGANUI CONVENTION.

ADDRESS BY MR. CRUBB. At Wednesday evening's service the Rev. George Grubb, M.A., who was the speaker, said: About six mouths before Paul’s head was cut off he wrote to his son in the faith and asked him to do one or two things. What was one of the special things? To “Remember Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead.” (11. Timothy, 2—8.) Jesus Christ was no longer dead, but risen. Satan always tried to make Christians forget what they should remember, and remember what they should forget. “What God buries,’’ said lie, “we should forget." Unbelieving Christians try to drag out what God has buried for ever. They were like the disciples, who, when they went to the tomb and found uo body there, were perplexed and mystified, for as yet they knew not the Scripture that Jesus was risen from the dead. Many to-day in our churches even were like them. There were two lots of Christians, one who had an experimental knowledge of Christ risen to become their divine strength and victory all the time, the other who, though professing His name, were living powerless, unbelieving lives. Such did not really know Christ as risen. What were the marks of such? They went to church on Easter Sunday and sang Faster hymns, but thev did not understand the power of the living Christ in their own hearts. The words of Christ a Gout it have no meaning to them as a daily experience. So if was with the disciples—their unbelief blinded them. Christ took them aside and told them beforehand what would happen. He said plainly He was to be spitefully entreated, scourged, spit upon, crucified, and raised. How could they mistake—their unbelief was the result of not having yet the Divine resurrection power and light. His followers to-day did nGt ItaHe the great statements of Christ's for them as reallv true. They therefore did not experimentally enter into their power. The Lord, who was truth, was sealed down in His grave with Pilate’s political seal. Ho was sealed down with an ecclesiastical seal. But it took many shovelfuls of earth to bury truth. It must have a resurrection. “Oh,” cried he, “the eternal Truth and Love and Power rose again in the person of a Man for vou and for me.”

After impressively describing how a Christian regarded his Bible in a new way because of a deeper manifestation of the Holy Spirit’s power within him. he remarked that it was a sure sign of lowness in spiritual things when a Christian ran after every new book coming out of the printing press in preference to his Bible. Was that the ease with them? If so, he was sure they did not yet really know Christ risen from the dead. Then another mark ns to where Christians were was their depression and disappointment in life. Were his hearers disappointed with the Lord Jesus? He had met so many Christians the victims of mourning, depression, and disappointment. W'hv? Because they realy did not know in their own lives Christ as rivm. With thrilling fervour he cried, “Oh. mourning, depressed souls. I have glad tidings for thee to-night.” Another'* mark of Christian people living below their privilege of victory in a risen Christ was the way in which they shut all doors of usefulness in their own faces. Men and women, though power was provided, were powerless in work for God. They counted themselves too respeetab'e to work in a direct wav for God, yet professed to lie Christ’s followers. Look at tlio contrast with the disciples. The first thing, when the power of a risen Lord entered those 120 men and women, was to hold an openair meeting and tell, out in the open air, the story of the crucified and risen Saviour. Dost thou know that Christ is risen from the dead? Oh, then, it is unite natural to speak of Christ. The spirit of God did not make people unnatural, hut the opposite. A sweetness came into the life and the croaking, carping, ami faultfinding goes out of you. Thev overcame these things. That was God’s wav of victorv. If was victory all the day long. Did they know victory in daily living through a risen Christ? Mary 'believed not and was weeping at the' sepulchre when the messenger of God catechised her. “Why weepest thou?’’ A true servant of God always enquires into grief. Not for information does the Lord do so, hut to draw out from us the secret of opv sorrowful heart. This woman was called of God. “Mary," said. He, and she went forth an ordained woman, to proclaim, "I have seen the Lord.” Had his hearers any such message to deliver? Did they, by faith behold Jesus? He knew how much he Was instilled and accepted—iust as much as Jesus was. The Christian could look and behold Christ risen far at God’s right hand. “If was the risen Man —there’s evolution for yon. One thal lifts us up to the right" hand of God,” But they were called the brethren of Christ not through the incarnation, hut

through resurrection. But he would stop by declaring that the Christian was in a position to have victory all the time. That was the only measure of New Testament Christianity. As the sixth of Romans declared, they were to be buried, their old lives were to lie hidden away, and they were to ceass looking at themselves and look straight on to Christ. If so, they would find that “like as Christ was raised up from the dead so we ;)iso should walk in newness of life.”

While singing be quietly asked the large audience to kneel and sing. With great readiness people got on their knees and sang, with much quiet power:

“Out of my shameful failure and loss Jesus, I come! Jesus, I come ! Into the glorious gain of the Cross, Jesus, I come to Thee!” Afterwards Mr Grubb quietly closed with prayer.