“DOES IT MATTER?”

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXI, Issue 8833, 16 October 1942, Page 3

“DOES IT MATTER?”

CHRISTIAN ORDER MOVE CHURCHES’ UNITED VOICE THOUGHT-PfiOVOKING TALKS . I Further thought-jprovoking addresses in connection with the National Campaign ■ for Christian Order were given in Waihi churches last Sunday, when the second of a series of six weekly talks upon vital subjects under the title: “Does It Matter” were given. We Cannot Be Neutral Preaching in the Methodist Church,' the Rev. A. H. Ivory stressed the fact that, in the moral and spiritual world, there is no such thing as neutrality or indifference. To attempt to be indifferent to the claims of God is an argument to the world that God does not matter. And this was the very sin_ that Jesus referred to when He said, “He that is not with us is against us.” To be indifferent was to accept the way of those forces that were against God, and the indifferent person was adding to the sin and the suffering of the world by his actions. But even if that were his state of mind, he had not yet got rid of God; he still had to face God. St. :Paul gave the warning as to what happened to such people—and those that did not care to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. In other words, they lost their taste fpr God, and the things that were not convenient became their good. The religious faculty, like every other faculty, needed exercise, and what was true of the mental and physical faculties surely was true of the spiritual. The indifference of the world to the claims of God was due to those philosophies which saw life either as in the grip of chance, or else as the creation of environment. In neither case could man do anything, and when such a philosophy held sway, no need to wonder at the indifference of men. (But when once men realised that God was active in this world of time, an activity which reached its climax in the Cross of Christ, then to the truly thoughtful man, indifference must disappear. For when we saw God in action, God controlling the world and conducting the universe to a moral end, that truly thoughtful soul would seek by every means to be at one with God, and to further His will and purpose. The measure of one’s loyalty was not the attendance at church nor even by his partaking of the Sacrament, but by the sum total of one’s actions which were governed by God; and the power to follow the governance of God came through faith in Christ, and in no other way. The favourite saying of so many was: “I can’t be bothered”; and so another of God’s opportunities passed by. Our life, no matter what we thought, was based so often on the assumption that we were not sure whether God did not matter. We, through' our inability to decide, had really made up our minds. That indecision was closely related to our loose way of thinking about God.

Problem of Indifference Speaking in the Baptist Church, the Rev. IT. W. 'Page drew a contrast between limping between two opinions and religious earnestness for God. The story ofElijah’s challenge to Israel on Mount Carmel, reelothed in modern dress, drew from him the following conclusions: There was a class of men born for special purposes, they were qualified for introducing, reforms and their interests were national. Strongly they disclaimed against that indecision of character which found a person one moment on the higher ground of principle, the next on the lower ground of self interest. Such a man could not be depended upon. With the multiplicity of opinions upon religion, men looked upon the differences as merely a priest’s squabble. Sad men doubted, remained perplexed, asked what was truth—and did nothing. This led to indifference. When the mind had grown cold to the things of God and of one’s fellows and one had developed a daily indifference to such high matters, one had begun to enter a settled state of sin greater than which there was none. Religion, instead of becoming a national dominant motive power of life, was considered merely a private matter of little consequence. Moral rectitude was accepted as a fa't, but moral standards were forgotten. As in Elijah’s day men seemed surprised when the church reminded them of such moral standards. Because of this cold indifference it took far greater effort to put Christian truths across. There was always hope for one who believed in something, but there was little hope for him who said he believed in nothing. The church believed that God was speaking now, not merely across the past centuries but speaking now and to us. God was saying plainly, “Rise from that dead indifference to active participation in my world programme.” Merely to acquiesce in all that God said was poor loyalty. Again God was saying to the world through' world happenings: “Neutrality is impossible. Are you for Me or against Me? No rail-sitting, please.” There could be no neutrality where right and all moral questions were concerned. There was such a thing as moral judgment; either one con'sented by silence or affirmed by action. Indifference hurt God and condemned the offender; neutrality would not settle the great issue; nothing but a reasoned decision one way or the other would satisfy God. When such a choice for God was made then God asked for earnestness in religion. “If the Lord 'be God follow Him.” The power of earnestness to produce a miracle was seen in other stories than that of Baal. Who was he that brought down fire from heaven but he who believed. Such

earnestness communicated itself to others; it had power to diffuse faith; it succeeded in’ leading a nation back to God.

Making the Right Decision

Major A. Kcrniode, in the Salvation Army Hall, chose the story of Moses as a setting for his address upon “Right Decision.” Such a decision for God called for a turning of the back upon the comforts of a wealthy home, the ease of a palace life and the congenial society of Egypt. His choice was of needs be to suffer for righteousness sake. Yet peril, hardship, danger and sacrifice were as beacon lights which attracted a good man. There was a selfdenial of pleasures and honours which reckoned everything else as so much loss if God were gained and Christ were master. Moral courage, fear of God, dependence upon something higher than man brought Moses through so that he stood in the place God would have him fill. Great men were those who persevered holding on to God even when circumstances seemed black. Large men were those who rose above self and encouraged others to live unselfishly. Once the line of duty had been seen and followed God guaranteed His support. The invisible becomes the

very real; God becomes all in all to his servant. There were days when God appealed for man’s loyalty, love and service. He asked that men made Him first in their lives, that they accepted His gift of faith and believed that all things would work together for good because man shared in His love.