-PREPARING FOR THE SECOND ADVENT."

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 39, 15 February 1905, Page 10

-PREPARING FOR THE SECOND ADVENT."

fro the Editor.) Sir, —According to this evening's "Star" some Australian papers say that many persons have been so moved by certain revivalists that they have sold off and gone to the United States to prepare for the Second Coming of Christ. We are almost sure to have some of the misleaders come here, and possibly nervous, impressionable, persons will sell off, break up their happy homes, and go to Michigan to prepare Second Coining. \vhafc a commentary on church iaflnenie and. pulpit teaching to find people ill a British colony so deluded! Em&nuel Sweden-borg said nearly two hundred years ago: "The real worship of the Lord consists in performing uses; and uses, during man's life in the world, consist in every one discharging aright his function in his respective station, thus in serving his , country, societies, and his neighbour, from the heart, and in acting with sincerity with his associates, and in performing duties prudently according to the character of each." Yes, we need not go to America to find scope for the exercise of love to God and our neighbour. We can best prepare for Christ and the Day of Judgment by exercising faith and doing our duty here and now. The carpenter at his bench, the shoemaker at his last, the policeman, on his beat, the attendant in tbe asylum beside the sick patient, the judge on the Bench, and the editor at his desk, arc a« suitably ready (if they be in faith and charity) for Christ's sudden appearing ns if they were in church on bended knees waiting 'for Him. How is it that many Christians content themselves with going to church and make no effort to rid the earth of sin and misery'; How is it they stand aloof from politics and J:-1 the world drift downwards? How is it they so misread the Scriptures as to concern themselves n:ore about their own individual salvation' thuai the sa.lvat.ion of society—the world? How is it they can neglect, the poor aud go to the Lord's table with the genu of murder, i.e.. malice, in their hearts? It is because we have mistaken Ihe shell for the kernel, religiosity for religion. Brumageni for the genuine article. We worship mci:u j y. pleasure, popularity, unci our own dear little selves more than we worship God. Of course, we go to church, because ir is respectable to do <o: but we neglect the poor and w% toady to the rich. ;infl our religious knowledge is so shallow thnt if American revivalists uimn here they would scare many persons iuto soiling ufl' and going to Michigan to prepare for Christ. When Karl Shaft csbury was trying to get through the House of Lords a bill to protect chimney sweeps and factory hands, the bishops opposed him! lie said: "'I lind support from in-Qciels and non-professors; opposition and coldness from religionists or disclaimers!"' Faith has become disjoined from cll&ritv, nlthough Scripture says charity is the sreatcr. We Lhvc been misled to belii'vo that mere belief sponges the slate and squares all. The Roman Catholic Church and the New Church arc alone in affirming that thinking good is useie=s without doing good. The fa ft is. religion to-day has too much to do with a future state and too little with everyday life; and thnt is why a mas.s meeting of working men not. long ago in Chicago hissed at the mention of the Church, and gave three cheers at flu , mention of the sacred name of our ixirrt Jesus Christ, who ''went about doing good.'" "Preparing for the Second Advent!" Then let v* play the game fair; let us stop, or at least modify, cat-throat, opposition in trade, and the crushing of little traders by the big trusts; let us get a proper classificaiaon of lunatics in our asylums: let us get some of the back ysvrds in our city enlarged: let us enlarge the rations from the Charitable Aid Board: let us improve the hard conditions of life; go back to the Ten Commandments; ira.nsfonn ihe Church from a semi-theatre into a place of i(?ol worship, and into a sanctuary built ai lo}-o.J and loving hearts for God to <lwell in. and t-hut prepare for the manifestation of Him in Whose presence we have over been. and. let us hope, ever shall be. His. will must be done on earth as in Heaven.—l am. etc., F. (J. EWINGTOX. Devortport. 7t.h February, 1905.