GREETINGS FROM THE BISHOP OF AOTEAROA

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XXI, Issue 6, 1 December 1930, Page 5

GREETINGS FROM THE BISHOP OF AOTEAROA

VWe have now entered the transition period, ecclesiastical and: civil, between the old j'©ar and the new; "When we look: back we feel >humb'ed by the realization of how very far short we have fallen of the- ideal which our. Christian religion has set before- us'; "tlo foe Messengers, Watchmen, and Stewards of 'the Lo l'd, to feed, and .provide for the Lord's family,' and ,to seek for; Christ's ' sheep that are dispersed abroad." May our failures of the past be used ■as stepping stones to higher things m the future. We are not only to feed the Lord's family, but what is harder, and much neglected m these days, we are to seek the lost sheep. We want more of iJie aggressive spirit of the old missionaries. We are m danger of being too easuy satisfied. Most of our .sheep >ai"e wandering outside tihe fold. Can we do a little more m the future than Aye have done m the past to> win '"them m. It is not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts. Unless our live® are m tune with His, we receive no spiritual message. Advent, like Lent, is a period of spiritual preparation for the great festival that follows. Let us draw . nearer to God, and then we can look forward confidently and hopefully to whatever the New Year has m sitore for us. Our time is very limited. The night is far spent j the day is a,t liand. New Zealand needs a spiritual revival amongst pakeha and Maori alike. Let us pray for it daily. Let. us each ask God that that revival may begin m our own souls. I have come back from the Tahiti disaster jwrth mjy spiriituail sigiht, 1 hope, better focussed upon the things that are really worth while. In the hour of our calamity when things looked desperate, we were conscious of a Presence more powerful than death. It was so real, so near, that itfc took away the sting and fear of death. Oh. how I thank God for my faith mi Him, little though it be. I am so anxious that others should share m the blessing of the pradtioal knowledge of God's

pjresencey without the necessity of a "disaster' like the Tahiti wreck to put ,it to the test. : : ' : ■"•■•; May I commend to your earnest prayers the. work of your Churcn amongst our Maori people. I have purposely ;used the pronoun "your" because I want you to idealise that we are all members of the one. Church. Our job is the spread of the Kingdom, regaifdless of race or nationality. Your offerijngs on 'Advent Sunday are to ijje devoted ito the .work of the OEuroh amongst the Maori people. Although ..the times are hard, remember Weth. a cheerful- giver. " "He that watereth shall be. watered also "himself." But what is of greater value than money, are your earnest prayers. All can co-operate there, even our dear children. .•:■■'...- .. ■ May the blessing of our Heavenly Father be vouchsafed to you 'all m the coming year, and may the following verae give expression to the deeper feelings of each of us : — Father let me dedicate all this year to Thee, In whatever worldly state, Thou wilt have me be; Not from sorrow, pain or care, Freedom dare I claim ; This alone shall be my prayer, Glorify Thy Name. I am sending a message to the Maori people m tiheir own language per medium of our Maori paper, "Te Toa Takitini", so I will not use up any more of your valuable space. Yours very sincerely, FRED. A. AOTEABOA.