Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 52, 25 February 1944, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

* OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

(Supplied by the WhakatMnt Mir.ist ers' Association).

' NOTHING, AGAIN, SIR ?" !l i< .sonic compensation to preachers of scrmon.s find small— that William Carey was perplexed about his Nottingham .sermon at Whitsuntide, 1792, which eventually led to the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society 011 October -nd of that year. He came down from the pulpit and caught the arm of Andrew Fuller and exclaimed, "Us there nothing again going to be done, sir?"

To the preacher it. seemed that nothing had happened. The congregation. no doubt went home very

pleased with Brother Carey's discourse. They had enjoyed it. It gave them' a warm., exalted feeling —that was all. There was a war on, and many other distractions like the slave trade agitation. Why bother about Brother Carey's bee? But Brother Carey had 110 ordinary bee buzzing. He couldn't stop it if he wanted to. The moment hail arrived for action as well as

sermons, and it is significant that the preacher of the sermon, in this instance, was also the leading actor. He not only counselled, his brethren to "attempt great things for God"; he started oil' to do them himself.

'Carey's divine impatience had a lot to do with the start of modern missions. The man who demanded action,, there and then, following

a sermon was either foo! or genius. Sermons are not meant to work in that way! Carey intended his to, and it did.

Tt was a touch of the Divine Imperative. too. Carey was under orders, and when that happens "nothing can stop a man. Obstacles are hurdles in the race, and opposition a glorious challenge, to victory. Much of this was true- in Carey's case—he was over thirty,| with three sons and a reluctant wife! No missionary candidates' committee to-day would, accept Carey. He would stand among the rejected, i wonder? "Is there nothing again going to be done, sir?" A slab of divine impatience and a sense of the divine imperative are pieces of necessary equipment lor the Christian man and the Christian Church. Without them 110ing much happens. Unless, we expect. sermons to issue in Christian living,, committees in Christian ac-» tion, and meetings in crusades, then the edge of our impatience lias become blunted.

That is why fanatics of all 'kinds arc so necessary lo the Christian Church. When we. cease to create rebels, dogged adventurers, fierce

radicals and utterly i inpatient church members, then the spirit has .surely departed. Carey is a classic of Divine impatience. lint the Church has Known plenty more, ad mercifully she goes on producing them. Unless the shout, "Is there nothing again going to be done sir?" is continually going up, our cause is almost lost. POETS AND THE BIBLE THIiS AWFUL VOLUME ''Within Lhis awful volume lies The mystery of' mysteries: Happiest he of human race To wlionx Cod lias given grace To read., to fear, to hope, to pray", To lift the latch, and learn the way; And better had he not been . born Who reads to doubt, or reads to scorn." —Sir Walter Scott. THK SACRED BOOK "The sacred Book fn dusty sequestration wrapt too long. Assumes the accents of our native tongue; And lie "who guides the plough, or wields the crook, With, understanding spirit now may look Upon her records, listen to her sons'. And sift her laws .... Transcendent Boon! noblest that earthly King Ever bestowed . . . —Wordsworth. THE FAMILY TREASURE HOUSE "The eheerfu' supper done, wi' sern oils lace, They, round the ingle, form a •circle wide; The sire turns o'er, Avith patriarchal grace The big ha' Bible, once his father's pride: His bonnet reverently is laid aside.. He wales a portion with judicious care; And 'Let us worship God!' he says with solemn air ... j "The priest-like father reads the sacred page How Abram was. the friend of Cod on high . . . Or. how the royal bard did groaning lie Beneath the stroke of Heaven's avenging ire . Or rapt Isaiah's wild, seraphic lire; Or other holy seers that tune the sacred lyre." —Burns.