CRUSADERS OF THE 20TH CENTURY

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XIX, Issue 4, 1 October 1928, Page 1

CRUSADERS OF THE 20TH CENTURY

The Prime Minister of England — Mr Baldwin, speaking at the Church Army Conference m Queen's Hall. London, m 1925, remarked that when the 20th Century History of England is written, the name of Prebendary Wilson Oarlile, D.D., will surely he prominet as one who commenced a work of great (national £(nd spiritiuaal importance, by founding and organising a society so vast and efficent to carry on those great philanthropic, and definitely spiritual ministries, which the Church Army is doing to-day as m the past forty years. In our Diocesan Gazette we have already read of various phases of work done by our Church's great Society, and the subject of Mission Van work was discussed at some length. In this month's issue we are going to consider yet another phase of aggressive itinerant Evangelism, that of the "Summer Crusaders" or "Modern Franciscans" as some reporters, have rather aptly diescribed them— owing to their method of travel, their objective, and their method of preaching, being so much like that of the followers of St. Francis

of Assis^ as they carry their message of Joy, and Hope, to downcast souls; trusting to the hospitality of those who are prepared to receive them as "disciples of the Lord." They have no certain knowledge of where next they will find a bed for their night's repose, asking no more than a floor to sleep on, as they go on their way of loving ministry, joyous and content to know that "tihe Lord! will Provide" through someone kindly responding to the need of brother-man. The Evangelists taking part m these Qrusades are those jwho have been working on the Mission Vans during the winter months. They meet for the week-end services and 1 "Send-off" at one of the Cathedral cities — m the Midlands usually; as commencing from such a centre affords the best opportunity of contact with larger crowds, and is an advantage for the different Columns of men to take different routes, as they head for some seaside town where thousands of industrial workers will be spending their summer holidays, and to whom they will minister m their witness for God. Before the dismissal from the place of "send-

off," each Crusader gets to know his column leader, and fellow pilgrims, and naturally they discuss their route together, and 'arrange the separate duties that will fall to them individually on the march, remembering always that belonging to an army they are to be thorough, and methodical, to carry out their Church's teaching, and to do all things "decently and m ordier." They are Witnesses for the Church of Christ and their duty is to stand fast to its banner, to show courage as true soldiers 5 to endure tihe hardships of their enterprise with untiring zeal and cheerfulness, to be ready to defend the weak, "to strengthen such as dlo stand, to raise up them that fall, and finally, to beat down Satan under their feet." For they will meet souls who are lonely, discouraged, and those who tihrough the selfish sin of others have lost their faith m God and man. Our Bishop whilst m England last year told us through a most interesting letter to the Diocesan Gazette, that he attended the dismissal service of the Church Army Crusaders from Leicester. His was a most interesting"' and edifying report of sudh an experience. The sight of these columns of men m the strength of untainted manhood, bearing- their personal witness to the satisfaction they find m a life surrendered to the Christ Life — "merged m Hint" — is truly inspiring. Each man is ever ready at an indoor service, or m the open air, to proclaim by song or story hi s faith m a Lord Who has redeemed them, Who day by day is saving them from old habits and sins, Who through His Church and indwelling Holy Spirt has Sanctified them, and equipped them with new power and love. Thus they testify with that grand old crusader, St. Paul: "I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me." In this article there is not room to discuss the work done by the Crusaders m mass formation before they leave their starting centre, or to tell of tihe splendid reception and testimonials supplied to them by the Civic authorities as they tender their good wishes, etc. We will think about the men on

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fine ffl«r«b, Hub parpwt, and flhtf r* suit of fh«fr aclikmatiiit by fib* Gfrace' oi : God. The men going forth as Crusaders are from all localities, andl from cliffei*«nt kinds of work before joining the Church Army, but they are one m faith and purpose, desiring to prove a help to others. They tell of Joy and satisfaction which they ihave found m Christ, and invite others to share their riches of experience. They have had their share of trying to bear life's burden m an unnecessary way — of trying to solve life's problems without seeking any ligjht from God the author of all knowledge; and m contests with the adversary they can relate much of defeat that was theirs previously — but their discovery has been a Friend for life's journey, ready to fill the void of uncertainty with glorious certainties eager to impart superior knowledge of experience, and to stick close m life's thickest battles to "prove more than conqueror. Some men were going home from dockyard work at Grimsby one evening^ and seeing a Ohurdh Army Column holding an open 'air service near by they came and listened. ..Afterwards one of them remarked to another person m the crowd : ' 'We always stop and listen to these joybrimgers, they tell the tale from experience!" Joy and truth from experience The world is still seeking these realities! "Christ said: "Ye shall be witnesses." Tlhere is always a danger of collapse m any project of mankind if there is not a plain objective. Christ always emphasised the positive side of life. He told the rich young ruler something to DO, and when to do it, and! did not seem to give him a lot of time to question about it. Spontaneous action seems to have been the order of the day. He also' taught that the only way to overcome evil was to get busy with the doing — "do good." St. John the Baptist was likewise always reminding men that right belief implied right and immediate action. Of course, his listeners were not always prepared to receive, his -message--' and it hurt when tihat stalwart touched the shrinking sore of their sin by the firmness of his message; nevertheless, men heeded his teaching and proceeded to snend their ways, as they repented and were baptised!. And so when the teachings of Christ go forth to-day with firm conviction through tfie medium of those whom Christ has chosen to re-present Him, there are those men and women who ask: "what must I do," And Cross-bearing Crusaders are privileged to point them to the Church of Christ, to him who waits

th«y' must do. Thm ©rttifccferi y¥fen*isit to iihe experience of a living-, T>ow©rfal Christ — real m their experience to-day 5 Who has united! them to Himself— -the Church — through Whom all power is given unto men ; but they remind those who hear, that Christ's visible Body is a truly Militant Body, organised to fight against the powers of darkness and unbelief, and that the enemy is still contending against all that is good. We are ever to remember the positive side of our most Holy Faith, not expecting to be always popular; we could not he that unless we were chameleons — changing colour accordingto our surroundings, and never true to our own individuality, or to the Mind of Christ. The results of these Crusades has been very cheering. At the {lose of them each year, Headquarters receive some hundreds of testimonials from Clergy and Laity telling of the effectiveness of services } etc., that Lave been held m the Churches, and m the sti eet ; m workhouse, prison, or town ihall ; m slum andl market place. The clergy tell of the revived hope of men and women m their parishes whose faith had begun to waver; of young people coming forward for Confirmation, and of people who previously had boasted of their being "outsiders" of the Church, now realising tiey could not truly respond to duties to Godl and man without belonging to that Corporatte Body — "and holding the faith m unity of spirit, m the bond of peace, and m rightedusness of life." With the Editors' permission m another issue we will tell of the Evangelistic work accomplished at tlhe seaside by these Crusaders, as they tell forth the message of Salvation, to those v-ho gather around them; and! also mention what a day's work entails with a column of these "Joy-bringers."