The Sabbath

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 19010, 29 July 1933, Page 14 (Supplement)

The Sabbath

SEALED THE CONTRAOT. ' ’ ' ‘ ’ . INCIDENT IN ST. PAUL’S . CATHEDRAL. , Far down the nave we saw them idly watching For the last worshippers to leave the place— Only a group of workless, clothes outdating Any we had seen before, in sheer disgrace. Would these 1 gaunt men expeot us to be giving Alms after hearing out their sordid tale; Had these declined to make an honest living, Only putting up their poverty for sale ? " In the deserted nave we saw them kneeling, Silent a space, and then one led their prayer. ■ • i.' i Eohoed our thoughts—God give to them Thy healing, Christ of the suffering ones be present there. "No, sir," he said,' “we Just come in together” (After refusing all our proffered gold) “T’arsk the Almighty for a change o’ weather, -V. ‘ Seein’ as our wives and kids carn’t stick the cold. “Where’d be the use of all this blessed prayin’ If we'd a gorn and took yer blinkin’ dough? Gawd 'ud be chucklin' to Hisself and say in’ 'Garni bin an’ lorst yer faith 1 I told yer sol’” ( Out of the doors we watched them passing slowly, Men'who had sealed a contract wllii their God— Christ of the simple-hearted and the lowly, There are Thy friends who tread where Thou hast trod. —F. Barrie Flint.

TEXT FOR EVERY DAY. Bunday. Hebrew Benediction—The Lord bless thee and keep 'thee: The Lord make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.—Numbers vl, 24, 25, 26. 1 Monday. Way to Life—He hath showed thee, 0 man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do Justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?—Micah vi, 8. Tuesday. Finding the Right Way—Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he Is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.— Isaiah lv, 6, 7. Wednesday. The Peace of God—The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. —Philippians lv, 7. Thursday. Love Destroys Fear—There Is no fear in love; but perfect love casetb out fear; because fear hath torment. He that fearcth is not made perfect In love.' —1 John lv, 18. Friday. Abundantly Satisfied- —How excel- j lent is thy loving kindness, 0 God! 1 therefore the children of men put 1 their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shall'make them drink of the river of thy pleasures.—Psalm 30, t 7, 8. t Saturday. i The Saints’ Assurance —0 fear the Lord, ye Ills paints: for there is no c want to them that fear him. The i, young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: n but they that seek the Lord shall not k want any good thing,—Psalm 34, 9, G % v

MODERN SOCIAL EVILB.

THE FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH. { ' 7 J The Rev. C. C. Goodlet, Clerk to the Presbytery of Newcastle, in his address when eleoted Moderator at the opening meeting of the Presbyterian : Church of England in Trinity Church, Newcastle, said—- , “It Is no reflection on the Christian Church that the present crisis in , world affairs has found it unprepared, x "The captains of industry and l financiers, politicians and economists; employers and labour, all alike are un- „ prepared. What Church Must Do. i "The Christian Church, as such, 3 'has no coherent sociology. Every now and again it Is rebuked. : ' ' o "Why does it allow war, slums, sweating, unemployment, prostitution, - gambling, drunkenness, Communism, capitalism? “The candid answer to such quesa tlons is that the Church, as such, does ■ not know how to end these evils. d "Even if It did, one would hesitate ; to declare that the Church is suffici--1 ently united and sufficiently in earnest to set about ending them. 1 “And yet the Church must not accept the present social, industrial, j and international order, or disorder, as Inevitable. The day has fully come > when the Church must form within itself a determination such as will j tend to bi'lng about the disappearance of our social maladies, j “To doubt that social salvation oan be achieved would be a negation of religion and a denial of the purpose i iof God. “A factor which must operate In i all our world problems is /the moral factor, and it is that factor whioh only 5 religion can supply. 5 Co-operation Plea.

“A note of the coming Christian sociology must be co-operation. "For tao long has competition reigned supreme. "I grudge to Communists the use of the word Communism. It Is essentially a Christian word. "But the Communists have debased l it to mean the sharing of things, [ whereas it means the cultivation of , fellowship. I "Communism is spoken of as a I rival to Christianity,” added Mr Qood- , let. "It may be a rival, but it Is pot a religion, for religion deals with lives, teaohing people how to handle things. “The populations of the world now know, or will know to-rhorroW, that there is no basis in reason or In nature for the-poverty and suffering which millions now endure. Oannot Provide the Remedy. “The Church cannot provide a remedy, but it can supply a watchword, and that watchword is cooperation. "There is no sanity," he proceeded, "in the policy of compelling men to work six days a week, and long hours each day, after the point of supplying the needs of the world, even in its comforts and luxuries, has been passed. "There should be no unemployment problem, in a Christianised world unemployment should be a blessing, not a malady. ; “An industrial system having for its aim the supplying of the world’s ’ needs would plan to provide for those needs with the minimum of employ- i ment, not the maximum. • 1 "The politicians and economists j are seeing vaguely that there must i be some planning if the suicide of j modern civilisation Is to be avoided. t r t Service the Motive. t "Such planning must be animated ? by tile motive of service. This is r easier talked about than done, but it j 1 must be talked about; jj "A third note in a Christian sociology must be quality of life. That a man lias value in himself, and not merely as a unit or in connection with his job, must be the clear assertion t! of the Church. Out of work, or in h .work, hi a worth must be recognised,