PAROCHIAL NOTES

Waiapu Church Gazette, 1 July 1927, Page 8

PAROCHIAL NOTES

Matawal. . (Vicar: Rev. C. G. G. Salt.) Our Annual General Meeting was held on May 26th when the following were elected: — Vicar's warden, J. Em-

merson; People's Warden, C. V. Smith; Vestry, N. Shaw, R. Fisher, O. V. Brown and Mrs C. V. Smith : Auditor, Mr J. Hope. The perennial trouble of finance occupied most of our time. Lack of financial support is not a disease but the symptom of a disease, namely worldliness ' and disinterest m God. We shall never have more money until we have more prayer. "They that wait upon the Lord renew their strength." Jesus could do no great work m Nazareth "because of their unbelief". God is not vindictive. He does not rain down horrible punishment of slumps and famines because of our unbelief but He can do no great work. His mighty protection is withdrawn, sin and all the misery it brings reign unchecked. Without God we like a band of undisciplined savages without even respect for one another left them; with God all things are possible. One of the happiest men m this district has a large family, an income of less than £'6 per week and is subscribing at the rate of over £10 per' year to God's work. One of the most successful farmers m this district never does any work on Sundays and frequently drives 10 miles to worship God and 10 miles back. "They who wait upon the Lord renew their strength." Those that struggle might and main to set their, affairs on a sound basis m this world, to the exclusion of all time for waiting upon the Lord, waste their strength. Lack of funds is only a symtom of the disease of worldliness. It will always remain with us- until we renew our strength at the one and only True Fountain of all Strength — at the feet of Him who stretcbest out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadest them out as a tent to dwell m. From the time of Abraham until to-day all holy men have been witness of that fact — God is our strength and refuge, a very present help m time of trouble. If we are to continue to exist as a Parochial District, if we are still to have easy access to the sacraments and all the blessings of the "Church, even tb the reverend burial of our dead, we must wait most earnestly upon the Lord with all supplication and prayer; our faith must be such that He is able to do a great work here, and then our strength will be renewed. The Vicar has calculated that he spends at least £7 10s on tobacco every year. He has put his pipe on the shelf and will put 3s a week into the collection box. He will be glad to receive any other pipes or cigarette holders to put on the shelf at the same price. Twenty-five added to what we have got would enable the parish to carry on quite comforably. Who is game?