Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 306, 16 May 1941, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

THE HABIT O* CHURCH-GOING "Jesus, as His custom Avas, Avenl into the synagogue on the Sabbath day." It is interesting to note the circumstances in Avhich Jesus, observed this life-custom. He had just returned from the wilderness, "in the power of the spirit." Why in that exalted condition of soul, go to the synagogue ? Because the maintenance of spiritual life requires the fostering of religious habits.. Carelessness About Church Attendance. Many people, seem to think it .'mart or superior to affect an air of scorn at Church attendance. T'hey say thai church attendance is humbug, and people who go to church are hypocrites. I am. not convinced, however, that all the hypocrisy, or even the bulk of it, is. to be found, inside the Church. There ! s much of it found in those who stay away, and even in their excures for not going. They say the ohuroh is not interesting,, the buildings are too stuffy or too cold, there are certain church members aa t lio have done something unAA'ortliy, and so on. All' this is humbug. The truth is., the Church demands serious introspection, and that is an uncomfortable exercise. The Church' th« Safeguard of Sunday. The charge is sometimes made against Ministers that they are killjoys, and are opposed to sports on Sunday, because they are afraid they will lose their jobs, as peoplei AA'ill riot go to Church. The fact is thai the boot is on the other foot. Ralhei than Sunday being a safeguard for the Church, the Church is a safeguard for Sunday. It is the sacredness of the day that preserves! it. Let the Church be neglected and Lhe sacredness of the day be lost, and Ave shall soon find encroachments by pleasure and Avork as to be in danger of robbing us of the day even as 1 a day of rest. The Best Use of Sun,day. It is true that Sunday is a day of rest. But what is rest? What, is rest to one mav not be such to another. We may: spend much time and heat in discussion whether Ave should do this or that on Sunday. The real question for the Christian is not: may I do this or that, but what is' the best use of the day. Jesus Avent into the synagogue because He wished to keep his, spirit sensitive to the will of God, and if we. would, live the best Christian life,, Ave need the Sunday on Avhich to cultivate the soul, and make it sensitive to the highest, in the exercise of Avorship. Anything that would conflict with, the true spirit of worship should be carefully avoided. Such a rule is not a hardship, but a piece of solf-discipline that makes for strength of Christian character. Need of the Sabbath. The Sabbatn was made for man . . . man. needs one day in seven foi rest. His body needs it, and: so does his mind just as he needs: the rest of the night, so he needs the Sabbath. The night does not entirely

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE (Supplied by ihe Wliakatane Ministers' Association).

repair the Avaste of the day. It requires an additional rei-'t, cne day in seven,, to restore full' vigour. Man also needs a day of worship. True, he may worship at any time, but, absorbed in the ordinary affairs of life,, it is easy to> slight, or entirely neglect religious service. The Sabbath is a divinely appointed time to lay aside ordinary affairs and engage in the worship of God. Mian needs this, not only as an opportunity to pay the se-rvice which he owes' to God, but for his own mental and spiritual improvement. He needs, at stated intervals to rise above the- things which fill his mind during the week. These arei important,, but they are of the earth. They deal' with what is seen and temporal. He needs time to meditate upon the "unseen and eternal.'" The familv needs the Sabbath. It is the man's l : ot to labour, and labour separates and absorbs -\nd wearies l the, labourers. A day of rest, is a day of home association and acquaintance and affection. (Abridged from "The Outlook") SABBATH BELLS (To the "Londonderry Air") The following versus, sung to the tune suggested,, made a pleasing iteun at a conceit and attended in a Southern town. O, day of rest, the Sabbath bells are calling Across 1 the busy rush of care and strife, A 9 now the shades of eve are geintly falling— O weary soul, they offer you new life. "Come to your Lord,, in all your grief and sorrow, For He will' hear His children's weary cry, And He will give to them a bright to-morrow, In mansions fair and bright, beyond the glorious sky, O, hearts of men, do you hear the ringing, Of Sabbath bells, across your wasted years ? Do you not hear those angel voicea singing : "The Lord our God will Avipe away all tears"? So come to Him, in mercy He ha? spoken : "Oh weary heart, cast all your care on me, For on the cross my heart for you was broken, That you might reign on high, through all, eternity." I O, Saviour Christ, as, evening shadows lengthen, And all the world lies folded to Thy breast^ We pray that Thou wilt smile on us . and strengthen Our. faith ; that we might find eternal rest. Then our glad day we'll see Thee in Thy glory. Enthroned on high in wondrous majesty, And with a choir of angels tell the story How Thou didst die to set Thy ransomed people free. Dorothy Nightingale.