Everyman’s Hut

Camp News (Northern Command), Volume 1, Issue 13, 26 July 1940, Page 6

Everyman’s Hut

— “Abide with me; fast falls the eventide; The darkness deepens Lord, with me abide; When other helpers fail, and comforts flee, Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.” What a picture of the world is presented in this verse. The sun of peace and prosperity is hidden behind the black clouds of war and confusion, bringing darkness . over the face of the earth. For many peoples the day of freedom is approaching its eventide, and the night of bondage to a ruthless tyrant is beginning to deepen. Ahead lies the gloom with not one star of hope to be seen. Helpers relied upon have failed—-every-thing seems to be lost. Our own nation which for long has stood as the champion of the oppressed and the helper of the helpless, has had to fall back and for the time being, abandon small nations to a common enemy,— nay, more, she is even now steeling herself for an onslaught of fury, from a foe that knows no honour or reason, only cold blooded cruelty and force, while the birds of prey are preparing to pounce upon the possessions which ’ may be snatched away with safety during the conflict. Where then are we to look for help, for surely the events of the past nine months should convince anyone that “vain is the help of man!” It is easy to say “Look to the Lord, the helper of the helpless,” but the sober truth is that since the war of 1914-1918, the world in general, including our own nation, has so neglected and turned from and despised God, that we have not yet reached the stage and condition where we can look to Him. We still hope for some turn in the international situation to give us victory, we still hope against hope that everything will turn out alright in the long run, and so we have not yet reached the state of helplessness necessary before God can be intreated. He is the helper of the helpless, not of those who think their own strength is sufficient to

carry them through. Many are praying for victory without fulfilling the conditions necessary to ensure victory. As is the individual so is the nation. The two thieves at Calvary are symbolical of the people of our nation to-day. The evil threatening us is directed also against the Christ Himself. We have all been thieves in our attitude towards God. Content in our own self sufficiency, we have neglected His claims on —more— have taken to ourselves the credit for prosperity that has come to us only through the goodness of God working through the forces of nature. And now we stand condemned and in our calamity we cry to God. Many are

like the unrepentant thief “save Thyself, and us.” We’re in trouble, get us out with as little loss and discomfort as possible, save our skins, so we can still go on the old way, living for ourselves and thieving from God. But there are those who realise that they are suffering justly, reaping the due reward of their sins, but with the assurance that Christ lives and in His own time will give the victory and will establishd His power over al. And with repentant hearts to oc foi past sins and neglect and

with the Sincere desire t . „ C Him in the days-to eo~ M what has to be endured th’”*' Lord remember us.” Oh a 4 words might find a ‘1 our every heart.- “ft 2Mo -(not self-righteousness, bu M is eousness of a humble, contritS “righteousness exalteth a aTherein lies the path to victS us, therefore, all who know' th things — band together i n t . m ! prayer and example, that our s ? may speedily be brought to J' ness before God at no matte? si cost, that in His strength exalted. "gi On Sunday evening Mr. (: ;o Blair spoke on Fulfilled prop]# . illustrated with slides, showing the judgments of God againstwho rejected Him and the bft : on those who received Him had fulfilled down through the I closing with a beautiful slide oil man Hunt’s “Light of the Wo# calling upon the men to clear £ the vines of sin and open the their hearts ere He leaves tM | ever. May they be given grata I courage to obey. ■ I