Lenten Discipline.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume III, Issue 8, 1 February 1913, Page 117

Lenten Discipline.

Our fellow Churchmen throughout the Diocese are reminded of the near approach of Lent, which commences on Wednesday, Feb. sth. The necessity for Discipline is more, 'than ever apparent m this present age of unrest, when it is impossible to. say what will happen next, so dark is the political horizon. Nor could a more disastrous need of it be witnessed than m the ichaotic state of the Turkish army, where so many thousands of lives have been sacrificed to inefficiency and criminal laxity. The absolute necessity of Discipline has also coirte home to the ranks of Labour m the great industrial upheaval now m progress. No concerted action is possible without practice. Needless to say, then, that every true member of Christ will admit the necessity for Christian Discipline, the bringing of the whole man into subjection to its one paramount Master, and m the face of the prevailing unbelief and luxury, it is more than ever imperative. It is well to repeat the truism that what may be done at any time is only too often done at no time. The world recognises this, and appoints special seasons for special kinds of Discipline, which she is content to relax at other times. The Territorials have their appointed seasons for training. Athletes of all kinds submit to a course of Discipline before they venture on their various trials of strength and skill. Students, too., prepare for their contests, knowing well the value of the old Latin motto, "mens sana m corpore sano" — a healthy mind m a healthy body. Our younger readers especially are familiar with the "Time Table" by which not only the proportion of work and play is regulated, but also the proportion of attention to be paid to different branches of study. The Christian year, with its alternating fasts and festivals-, is the Church's Time-Table, whereby not only are the special seasons for stricter discipline indicated* ' but also the particular lessons our wise Mother would have us learn, are before us. As soldiers m the army of Christ, and scholars m the school of the Great Teacher, we are entering upon our season of strictest training, and opening our books to learn the lesson of self-discipline.

"The disciple must be as his Master." If our Blessed Lord m those forty days of fasting and temptation m the wilderness underwent a course of training for His Public Ministry, if He "learnt obedience by the things that He suffered, and selfcontrol by self-discipline, His soldiers and disciples must so use the discipline of Lent as to recover the self-control they have lost, and to maintain and increase what they have. We are to follow his example outwardly, that we may learn to become like Him inwardly. Therefore, let your first aim this Lent be to know more of God, to give Him more of our thoughts, our influence, our words. Make it a season for solemn heart-search-ing. The proof of our true.experience will be found m our humbly lamenting our sins, and the end of true repentance is "perfect remismission and forgiveness of sins." If earnestly desiring these things, we shall make use of the extra services, and be regular and devout m our attendance at the altar. So shall we call down a great blessing, not only on ourselves and loved ones, but also upon our parishes m general, and enter upon our Eastertide with a fresh sense of its joy and gladness.