Thoughtful Moments

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 08, Issue 91, 20 July 1945, Page 2

Thoughtful Moments

(Supplied by the Whakatm»e. Ministers' Association).

GLEANINGS

PRAYER AT SEA (H. V. Morton) From "Atlantic Meeting" "We were waiting the order to fire. We knew it would come at any and we Ave re ready, ''"hen instead of the order we heard the Padre reading a prayer. But we got the order to fire soon after." I haU already heard that story from the chaplain the Rev. W. G. Parker. Just before action he wa,« called to the bridge by Captain Leach. "Padre, we are going into action " said the captain, "and we shall need. help. I want you to read a prayer to the ship's company. Can you remember that prayer which begins 'O God thou knowest how busy I am?'" "Yes Sir it's called Sir » » Jacob Astley's prayer before E'dgehill and I have ,thc words in my •■rvlun." "Go and fetch it quickly, there is not much time." The battleship taut with expectancy heard the sound of the. chaplain's voice: "O God Thou knowest how busy we must be today. If we forget Thee, do not Thou forget us, for Christ's sake. Amen. * Then the guns fired. HOW TO PAY YOUR DEBT An occulist who was expert in his profession- but with faw patients as yet, one day saw a blind man on a street. He stopped him and asked if he might look at' his) eyes. A comparatively slight operation proved successful, and the man exclaimed: "How can I thank you enough ? I am poor and have no money." "Oh yes," said the. occulist. "You can repay me in one way. You can search for others who cannot see and tell them what I did for you, and bring them to me." It is true that you and I can never repay Christ for what He has done for but we can show our gratitude by telling others about Him an|l bring them to Him. The sense of gratitude for what Christ did for us on Calvary is the strongest motive for Christian service.—Frederick Wood. WALKING ON WATER One nighl, in England, Dr. Torthe American evangelist re-

OUR SUNDAY MESSAGE

ee'veU a note for the question box to this effect; "If you are so good as you pretend to be can you walk on water?" Scrawled across the nolo were* the words: "Don't you dodge this." Dr. Torrcy read the question nnd replied: "Yes, my friend, a great deal better than I can on vvhi.sky." WONDERS If Spring came but once in a life time; if the .sun rose and set once in a year instead of once in a day; if a rainbow appeared once in i century; if dowers were as rare as rubies and dewdrops as diamonds how wonderful they would seem how they would astonish and delight us We undervalue -them because they are lavished on ms. THE HIGHEST STANDARD "The New Testament lays down in my belief, the highest attainable standaifd of conduct not only for the individual relationships but for national and international relationships as well. Its principles: should be our inspiration, and by them we should test every item of our pol ic3 T ."—Sir Stafford Cripps. THE SET OF THE WINGS "It's the set of the wings that matters-' ' * The wings of the. human soul, ' That can pierce the heights like the eagle, Or fail of the ultimate goal. It's the set of the wings that makes us Base cowards or conquerors bold That fills us. with fear of the future, Or courage, when dark days unfold. It's the set. of the soul that matters. Faith-filled it can rkle on the storm Mid, the noise of the carnage of battle While Hell's Legions gather and form. It's the set of the wings that matters Gcd give us the power to rise From the clods and clouds of the. valley To the peace of the Upper skies.