OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 11, 1 October 1943, Page 2

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

YOUTH COMMENDS FITNESS

Some young people give their ideas and experiences on the matter of fitness. A New Zealand soldier writes:" For many years I had a hard and rough life, having to rough it more or less. I was never a church attender and I was l'ond of the drink. But as the Bible says the day will come when all men must answer for their sins. Yes, that day I feci has come to me since I have been in the Army. I pictured myself as I saw others and I realised what a fool I. had been, drinking and swearing and making a fool of myself. I decided to turn on to the right road, so< into my kit I dug and brought, out the New Testoment which the Rev. Warrea of Clevedon, Auckland,, had given me when on final leave, and which I stuck in my kit and left, a thing which you could see me doing from the first part of this letter. This happened while over here, so you see although I had never read fhe little book I had always carried, it; why, I did not know until I brought it out and began to read it, from which day I am pleased to say I am a much better, healthier and happier person, for I have given up my bad habits, habits which thousands in our camps still have. I often wish a moving picture could be taken of them when drinking, gambling and swearing, and when they have been in the battlefield for a while and they would then see the difference in their person and. health. So as I have said before, I am pleased I have taken the right road and I will, I hope, stick to it. You stated in your letter, —II wonder how it is faring with all of you,, and whether, like Daniel, you have gone into the business with a real purpose- of heart that in whatever circumstances you lind yourself, you will not defile yourself, but will "'be strong and show thyself a man." That paragraph means a lot and those of us who have been in the field amongst the gun-fire and bombs know that if we did not do our jobs as men the answer would be defeat. L have helped to attend to the wounded, men who have fought for the right of man and loyalty to their Empire. I remember one. soldier who had lost a leg saying to me, when I asked him how he I'c.t. after he had received treatment, "I

wttl pull through although I know the leg is gone* for I have faith in the Lord," and I found out later that day that he was a Bible Class member from Wellington, but his name I cannot recall. 1 have attended many Bible Glass meetings held by members in the desert and it is my intention when I return to New Zealand to obtain a badge of the Gold

(Supplied by Hie Whakatnne Ministers' Association).

Blue and White, and help to carry on the good work.—J.T.A.S. A girl writes simply: I don't drink because I love living. A Young Christian Leader writes: I don't drink or smoke either for several reasons. (1) It costs too much money that I can use in having a happier time in other ways. (2) lit may offend someone whom I would very much like to please sometime. I do not feci that my doing without will ever offend anj r one. (3) It is not a clean habit; it is one that would make me lose' my self-control, and that E don't want to do. (4) When I look at a picture of Jesus Christ, I cannot imagine His . doing anything but the clean, honest and upright tiling in every way. Since I am a Christian and a Church member, I would be untrue to all the teachings of Christ for abundant living if I let unclean and destructive things destroy my body and talents. .