“FORBIDDEN SUBJECT” DISCUSSED AT BIG LOCAL MEETING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 70, 19 July 1948, Page 7

“FORBIDDEN SUBJECT” DISCUSSED AT BIG LOCAL MEETING

Speaking to an audience of some 450 people in the Regent Theatre, Mr,R. A. Laidlaw, gave a masterly address entitled “The Forbidden Subject.’ He said that “the forbidden subject” was personal salvation and man’s accountability to God. Any other subject under the sun such as politics, sport, sex and the weather was permitted in most companies, but certainly not the name of Christ. In proof of this let someone at the next dance or cocktail party commence a discussion on Eternity, and the responsibility 7 of man to his God. Note the reaction on every face. St. Stephen was martyred because he had spoken of Christ. “Yet,” asked Mr Laidlaw, “why should personal salvation be the forbidden subject?” “It would be the continual topic of people marooned on an island or afloat at sea. When the Titanic on her maiden voyage struck an iceberg the dance band was then requested to play not jazz, but “Nearer My God To Thee.” “How typical that is of, man,” said the speaker. “Where there is no danger around,, he thinks of himself and his enjoyment, but in the hour of peril he turns to God and expects Him to listen to his cry.” Mr Laidlaw then dealt with some of the excuses offered by men who forbid discussion on Christianity and do not become Christians. Scientifically he claimed to disprove the “illogical claims” of the Athiest and the Evolutionist. He then dealt with another popular excuse—that of hypocrites in the Church. Because he knew this was not a sincere difficulty, one great preacher used to remark humorously, “Well, come along with us. There’s plenty of room for you too.” “But the fact is,’ said Mr Laidlaw, “if there are counterfeit Christians there must of necessity be genuine Christians. No one can counterfeit a 17/6 note because there is no original to counterfeit. Anyway what man would throw away a case of good oranges just because he found one rotten one in the box? And what Britisher would change his nationality just because there are some disloyal subjects in the Empire? Some offered the excuse that it didn’t matter what a man believes provided he is sincere. “Certainly God wants sincerity,” said the speaker, “but He wants us to have the truth as a basis for our sincerity.”