Great Men's Mass Meeting.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume I, Issue 6, 1 December 1910, Page 2

Great Men's Mass Meeting.

In accordance with the wish of the Bishop, Synod opened with a mass meeting for men held m the Theatre Royal, Napier, under the: auspices of the C.E.M.8., on the evening of Thursday, 27th October. In every respect the meeting; was a pronounced succeas.

TheCattendanfce %as large, establishing a record for Napier, and the meeting was unique for. the great enthusiasm displayed. Much of the preparatory work was done by the members of the local branches of the. C.E.M.S., and their efforts were rewarded by a meeting truly representative. The Bishop's choice of speakers proved to be a most happy and welcome one. He was fortunately able to secure the services of the C.E.M.S. General Secretary for New Zealand - the Rev. J. Delacourt Russell, Vicar of Petone — and Mr. Snell, a member of the Petone branch of the C.E.M.S. The Bishop occupied the chair, and the Yen. Archdeacon Ruddook opened the meeting with prayer. In his opening remarks the Chairman said that there was much need for earnest co-operation of elegy and laity. He wished to speak from the layman's standpoint for a few minutes. Laymen were now realising that they were not meant to stand aloof from active Church work and merely oritioise, but they were at last fully alive to their responsibilities and were anxious to take their share of Church work. This happy change had very largely been brought about hy the efforts of the Church of England Men's Society. This splendid Society had been able to turn the newly awakened interest into the true and proper channels. It was realised that where the Church had failed m the past was that it had not appealed to men m the right way, nor had it appealed strongly enough. The clergy had not trusted, worked, nor organised the laity as they should have done. The Church had not properly realised that men's hearts should be appealed to as well as their minds. Laymen should not be treated as a pack of hopeless sinners, but as people who had failings and who knew them, and who wore perfectly ready to respond to brotherly treatment — who were ready to be spoken strongly to and to receive a knock-down blow provided they knew it was honestly given. The Bishop urged the necessity for preaching the direct Gospel message. He had no sympathy for those who wrapped up the directness of the Gospel for fear of hurting people's feelings. Continuing, the speaker said that Church members and especially members of the C.E.M.S. should be the true witnesses for Christ m the world. The men should not leave all the church-going to the women and children nor all the work. They should do their part, and endeavour m every way possible to influence public opinion for good, and to mould it m

accordance " with the tenets .of ; the Christian faith. The Bishop concluded by urging i men to join the O.E.M.S. and; to come forward and do something for the Church and mankind. Rev. J. D. Russell, Vicar of Petone, the Dominion Secretary of the CiE.M;S., said that the natural outcome of the Mission must be an earnest call to every Churchman to active service, following: the example of Him Who said, " I am among you as one that serveth." Using the word " Servioe" as an acrostic, Mr Russell said the first essential was the Secret service of Prayer, whioh was the first obligation of members of the C.E.M.S. Without prayer no real service for God could be done. (2.) Enthusiastic service was the next requisite.- The speaker described the enthusiasm of the annual C.E.M.S. Conference m London under the present Archbishops of Canterbury and York, which he had witnessed five years ago, and which had led him to form a branch of the Society on his return to Petone. That enthusiasm seemed to be a feature of the C.E.M.S. wherever it was established, and was by no means lacking m Napier that evening. Churchmen had every reason to show the same enthusiasm as the sailors of Trafalgar, at their Leader's daily signal, "Christ Jesus expects that every many this day will do his duty." (8). Then men must realise what Responsible service they are called upon to do. The Mission has shown what exceptional power the English Church has to influence the population, and that there is m the British heart a feeling towards our Church different to others. The requests for prayer and interviews with Missioners have shown an appalling amount of unhappiness, unrest, and sin hungering for help. What a grave responsibility lies upon every Churchman to make his influence felt m active service for God and his fellow men. (4). Then there are many Varied ways m which this service can be done. The O.E.M.S. publishes a list of 140 ways of helping m Colonial Church work. Each man must find out what particular kinds of work he is best fitted to do. Some can follow the example of Williams, the fitter m the Midland Railway Works at Derby, who had no gift of speech but who read his Bible quietly to his mates at lunch-time, and persevered m spite of persecution until one and another came and joined him, with the result that . there are now 1000 men m those workshops who meet daily for Bible instruction. (5). But such service must be Inspired

by the Holy Spirit. What an inspiration it is to the members of the C.E.M.S. to know that. v they are daily supported by the prayers of ;Qver 1.00,000 earnest brother Churohmen;-. What inspiration comes from such act? of moral courage as that of Canon Mayne during. the Cathedral Mission; (6.) Then our service is; one of Comradeship. . We never? .need fight a ; lonely battle. The influence of the C.E.M.S. badge was daily increasing the spirit of brotherhood amongst all ranks and schools, of . thought, and enabling men to find a hearty brotherly welcome wherever they go. (7.) Finally, every bit of work we do for God is Enduring servioe, and will receive our Master's commendation,- '* Well done, good anfl faithful servant^,,: . '; .-■ . ...,:,.■■■: .. ■■ \. : . „-■-., Mr Snell expressed his appreciation; of the kindness which had prompted the Bishop's invitation, and spoke of the joy with which the laymen were beginning to realise that at last the Church was awaking to a sense of the divine purpose it was intended. ;to fulfil m the world. He held that this result must be. largely, attributed to the influence of the CiE.M.S., which had succeeded m arousing the interest and enlisting the servfce of a great body Of Churchmen. It had given a new meaning to what might be oalled the secular work of the Church by creating a spiritual atmosphere m which that work might be done, and by helping men to realise that what they were doing was just as essential to the advancement of the Kingdom of God as was the work of the preacher m the pulpit. -Besides this, the Society had succeeded m breaking down the barriers between man and man, so that now one found laymen eagerly engaged m common spiritual work; which but a short time ago would never have been undertaken except under the direction and leadership of the clergy. The speaker went on to emphasise the power that the Society might become m the wtipeldif it could but realise the ideal that had been set before its members — the ideal of i a truly " catholic" body, composed of men drawn from every rank and walk of life, and including within its bounds the spiritual aristocracy ; of the Church. The great need at the present day was that the laymen should take their part m helping to spread Christ's gospel through the world, and should not leave this duty entirely to the clergy, who were few m numbers and overburdened with work" . once let men of the Church rise to a, sense! of their responsibilities, and there would lje.

available m the C.E.M.S. a network of influence which would penetrate to the remotest parts of our complex modern social system, and through whioh could be transmitted the influence drawn from the great Head of the Church Himself, until the whole world was radiant with His presence. Mr 8. E. McCarthy, S.M., moved a a hearty vote of thanks to the speakers, and m doing so said that the coming of the C.E.M.S. and the '.General Mission showed that there existed m the t Church of England forces which had only to be let loose to sweep through the world like cleansing fire. The Yen. Archdeacon Williams seconded the motion, expressing his gratitude to the speakers for what they had said, and urging the claims of the Laymen's Society. The vote of thanks was carried with tremendous enthusiasm, after which the Bishop pronounced the Benediction.