THE CHURCH ARMY IN NEW ZEALAND.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XXI, Issue 1, 1 July 1929, Page 10

THE CHURCH ARMY IN NEW ZEALAND.

To anyone who follows up the details relating to New Zealand Church organisation and development, it is evident that the Waiapu Diocese m particular is not minus the spirit of adventure —sure evidence of faith. 1 wish to particularise m one respect as to a new departure of the Diocese. In England for practically half a century our Church has fully utilised a trained army of lay-Evaneglists, under the leadership of a wonderful man of God— the Eev. Wilson Carlile, D.D.C.H., Prebendary of St. Paul's. One of our most prominent Bishop's summarises the Church Army briefly as the "Spearhead of the Church of England" and its bold leader as "The Archbishop of the Gutter", for m all the practical developments of our Church's Ministry to the lowest and most important classes of humanity this department of our Church leads the way. In the year 1926 the first Church Army officer was secured for work m the Diocese of Waiapu, N.Z. Landing here m September of that year, he was soon appointed to the sphere of work o which wise leaders assigned him — field untilled, of great promise, and scope. Our Bishops and Clergy had long felt that a specially trained type of Evangelist was needed to work among, and prove the "True Comrade" to our brother-man engaged on construction woi'k m camps throughout our country. In war and peace fime the Church Army Officer seemed to be of the right type to get the backing of those most excellent men who through unfortunate circumstance and misunderstanding > .ye lost touch with Divine realities. Often the -Church ministrations have seemed to cloud the vision to those who wouid perceive. With sincere earnestness, humility, and brotherly love, the C.A. representative commenced work at the large. P.W.D. hydro Electric Extension scheme camp at Tuai, Waikaremoana. His field of service also included the 1 Railway Construction Camps between* Wairoa and Napier^ and several smaller' road construction camps and groups of Transmission line workers over beyond Lake Waikaremoana. His chief point of concentration has been Tuai. '-•'••■ ' The P.W.D. Officials gave this «ntei' : prise their support by supplying pei> ; sonal accommodation of a temporary' type, and also m building a hall (now

known as the C.A. Social Centre) to be used as our officer considers best, for the community. One is naturally diffident m speaking of ones own work, though we ought to each, consider our own job as one of the most important m the world. Constantly m life's journeyings we put emphasis on the. wrong things. Like the farmer who warned the druggist: "Now he sure and write plain on them bottles which is for the Jersey cow and which is for the wife, I wouldn't like anything to 'appen to that Jersey cow", —I hope' my emphasis on the development of ' C.A. work here will not be wrongly placed. - During two and a half years of work m camp communities I nave fallen m love witih the objective "of the "Great . Lover of Souls", these people are so splendid m. so many respects and townmen, etc., should be slow to judge many signs of weakness tliey have seen, "we must look. for. the best, to ever find it." Often within , these restricted., limits of contacts witnother' tilings and peoples, and . unideal environment, we are naturally confronted with certain narrowness of vision, and moderate principal. ; Y«t other , facts are fully compensative, for there is remarkable evidence of abounding- generosity, sympathy and brotherly, love j one tc-.v'ards another among these friends. God grants one the privilege of fanning smouldering fires of goodness, frequently, and the'way such effort is finally appreciated and scope for greator 'sei;vice provided, the more convinced one becomes of reflex blessings attending all deeds of service. Letters come to me quite often " from thos whom it has

been my privilege to assist m their '-wrestle not against .flesh anil --'■blood , but a&sfinst principalities and powers — against spiritual Avickedness m high places/ 3 etc. Help both spiritually and physically is olten needed, aiid our Chviih has been pleased to fuiill such soivjce. In the titne of accident, sickness, and sorrow, I am sought and it is hoped that through my humble efforts souls and bodies receive comfort from Him whose "touch lias still its ancient power". I think of my wrestles with the works of the great adversary, when endeavouring to defend the weak or raise the fallen. Previously 1 have inside' some' mention of the two free libraries here, oile "for the children and the other for the men and women, also reference has been made to the contacts possible through our united interests at the "Social Centre" at nights generally. Sunday School and Church Services are held regularly here, and as often as possible at some of the o£her camps. Opportunities -abound; all-around :me for; the; advancement of my endeavours, the men welcome me m real fellowship to their liuts individually, and my little home is the place of many confidential talks. Personally I have gained many lessons from men within the. walls of the letter building and have grown to understand many men much better. There is one regret attached to all this, owing to the demand over balancing the supply, one Evangelist alone cannot do anything like the amount of -possible work there is to do. We love to hear of the openings for the ministrations of the Gospel of service but it is disappointing not to be able to

cope with same. Men are splendid m the welcome they give me, but on many occasions I am not aWe to give the time necessary to individual work as is really needed. The hunger m the human heart becomes more and more evident to me ; without God we feel the effect of a hopeless vacuum, and this is the reason why we seen such wanton immorality from tirae to time, "the hunger m man's heart is infinite." Our witness must ever he to the fulness of life which we leceive from our Lord Jesus Christ. St. Peter's cry .was typical of humanity throughout all ages. "Lord to whom shall we go?" through our pointing may others learn to realise the rest of his confes-sion.-'Thou bast the words of Eternal life."

"Lord to whom shai! we go", For m weal or m woe, There's a yearning so deep m our heart That the life we'd enjoy Seems to be fmt alloy Without any trace of the gold. X £ U With Thee we are told •Jn messages bold, Of Fellowship, Freedom, and Food. We would taste of that love Not m Heaven above, But m Brotherhood here upon earth. Captain B, P. H. Ball.

I am sure tihat every Christian worker for "God and Humanity" must have been grieved to read the announcement of the death of General Bramwell Booth, who has led the Salvation Army, m it s great social and religious work, so ably for many years, following m the footsteps of the great General William Booth. The comment of the writer of the article, after the obituary notice, is, I think, rather unfortunate. This is what he says: "Prebendary Carlile is the head of the Church Arniv which began m an attempt to rival the Salvation Army, whose success was alarming the heads of the established Church." God had evidently put into the hearts of several men. at that time, to carry the Gospel of Salvation to those who did not attend any services of the Church; two among them were prominent William Booth and Wilson Carlile. They both separately isaw that the way to reach those they desired to help was to go out to them, and their open air preaching and singing attracted many, some of whom came to make and "see the fun," who afterwards remained to pray. The earnestness of the speakers convincing their hearers that they desired nothing but their good 1 . The Rev. W. Booth commenced his evangelistic meetings m 1865 which, m 1878 developed into the "Salvation Army." Mr Wilson Carlile (afterwards ordained) commenced hie work m the same way m 1878 and m 1882 the society which he founded became known as "The Church Army." Both leaders ihad the same objective, "War against Sin," and to tell of the love of God to the sinner, and "those that went out of the way," and to make of them fellow workers m the cause of righteousness. It was therefore unfortunate that any suggestion of rivalry should be made between those who were workingin the same way for the benefit of humanity. Not till 1885 was the Church Army mentioned m convocation, when Bishop MacKarness ispoke of the value of the work, and m his diocese particularly, of ivhe training home for evangelists, and urged that the movement was the means of retaining m the Church many earnest men who might otherwise findl work elsewhere. He moved this HISTORIC RESOLUTION 'beaitfly welcoming the workingmen -who- have expressed a desire . to serve Christ m His Church, and to convert their fellows who had hitherto lived Without God m the world " . This will show that the Bishops recognised the value of Church Army work and therefore co-operated with it, and it is now. spreading- ..to -'-otiher- posts -ofr the '.Empire, New ..Zealand having- : Captain Bail,: 1\ W ; Whibley/ ' •