Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 80, 11 June 1943, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

(Supplied by the Whakatone Miuist ars' Association)

THE THOUGHTFUL MINUTE "The world is poverty-stricken in men and women ready themselves to be Christians." Tin* following article sent in by a reader, is taken I'nim The Weekly Scotsman. Jll a letter to her niece, Baron von liugel reminds her that at no time is over-much talking compatible with .spiritual growth ami counsels her '"to icarn interior silence, the not ta.king to sell. ' Could a record ibe made of the fugitive thoughts that chase through our minds during even one hour how revealing it would be. What a confused, jumble would result! Perhaps there is nothing this bustling, noisy generation needs more to learn than the art of interior silence, not talking to Keif, being stiil and knowing. Our Christianity is often superficial just at this point. .Maybe we have been too anxious to stress the importance of service. At any rate Christianity is associated in the minds of many with good works, committee meetings, helping in clubs, making resolutions, talk. One modern religious movement has done us a great service in reminding us of the necessity of a quiet, time. Interior si:ence is necesary to our spiritual growth. The soul needs its rei-t as ; well as the body : the spirit needs renewal as well as the llesli .... W T hii.e it is true to say that iflife of faith issues in action, that we can tell what a man is hy his works, that as followers of Christ we are ca.lect upon to spend and lie spent, that, in doing God's Aviii we discover new truths about Him, —-Jet us never forget that the primary tiling—the. thing of paramount importance in the Christian life, is being.

ilie world. to-day docs not lack men and women wiling to serve goo*l causes, Lo give, themselves,.'to high purposes—nor lias the world ever lacked men ready to tell others the way to heaven. Jj ut the world is poverty-stricken in men and women ready them.se;ve.s to he Christians. An old iestaineiit story reminds us ol what ten righteous men might have done/ Tor a city. It is impossible to assess the inlluence of the mail who i.s trying to be a Christian is the most variable, service we can give the world, it i.s impossible to develop that nature without reguiar Lines of listening for the voice ol' i God.. .-uid we have become so busy, we have no time to listen. 'Roam Jor pi ea.su re, room lor business, But lor Christ, the crucified, Xot a place that lie can enter, in the heart I'or which He died."

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

"Are you not old-fashioned in your views about Sunday?" asked a friend. "No," t had the temerity to reply. "I am really very modern, i belies that in the younger generation, perhaps in generations yet unborn, there will be a tremendous twing-baek to God's, primary idea. Possibly in new and wonderful ways we ourselves do not dream of, they will learn to keep His day holy."

For years, before the last war, Sunday in Germany, as elsewhere on the Continent—was a great day oi outside activity, long walks on the part of nearly every able-bodied person, especially young folks, in the woods and forests, while the Lutheran Churches, at least in East Prussia, seemed to harbour for the most part only old women and children. A notable visitor to Ivonigsberg said: "If this neglect of Sunda}', and, Church is widespread throughout Germany, one day it will have a dead]}' and far-rcaching influence on her national life."

Can our nation afford to neglect the lessons of history? The words of the old Book are ageless and hauntingly true:

"If tliou call the Sabbath a d,c light . . . then shait thou delighi thyself in the Lord."

The little band of uniformed men and. women, accompanied by two brass instruments and a drum, sang the words over and over, as they stood outside the home of my childhood. They sang them righL into tiie heart of an adolescent, there", where | they Have remained. Time? "We couldn't, come to church last Sunday; we had visitors.'' Or again "We intended to come, but we. were visiting friends, and didn't get back in time." Or '"We had to sec a man in connection with our business." Then there is the greater number who have lost the Christian Sabbath out of their lives —who make no effort to acknowledge God by meeting with others to worship in His bouse. In a useful' little booklet entitled "When The. Hoys Come Home," written by Mrs M. D. Whitelaw, of Bienheim, the writer says:— Keeping Sunday as a day apart, primarily for G(*d and His interests, and making something of the 'fellowship of the Church, may seem matters far removed from "marriage : re-union, and re-adjustment after the war" but in reality they are inextricably interwoven. Why ? Because the family and the community and the human race cannot get on together as they should: they cannot develop to the lull, individually or socially, if they neglect God's solemn law, "Remember the Sabbath dsv, to keep it holy."