FROM THE CHURCH

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 58, 19 June 1950, Page 4

FROM THE CHURCH

St. George’s Anglican Whakatane

“LIVING WITHIN WALLS” Preaching last night at the Parish Church, Whakatane, the Vicar, the Rev. T. M. Loten, chose the text from Joshua Chapter 6, verse 5:

“And when'ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great voice and the wall of the city shall fall down.”

“It is not difficult for us to imagine what life must have been like for the peoples of France, Holland, Poland and other countries occupied by the enemy, and though conditions for these unfortunate victims of war were extreme at least they had the hope and trust in the powerful centres of resistance, free and unconquered, preparing daily for the assault which was to liberate them,” said the vicar. “This concrete hope, surely must have strengthened their wills to resist, their hands to fight and their souls to endure. “This world in v.hi'h w? Christians live, is enemy occupied territory and it has always been enemy occupied territory—the enemy being ..materialism, selfishness, apathy, Godlessness and self will.” Had it been for the peoples of Europe, as it is for Christians what then? Would the sickening enslavement, the constant betrayal, the haunting fear and treachery have made their heart sick? Would they have become easy slaves to lying propaganda? “Surely we realise it was despair which provided the energy, courage and endurance which brought the victory out of defeat during the war years. The cost was ‘blood, sweat, toil and tears’ but no one said the cost was too high. “Our great tragedy is in the fact that we do not appear to see the danger which surrounds us and constantly menaces us. We Christians have no sense of despair, no sense of catastrophe—we seem to be complacently content. For despair breeds courage and courage always triumphs, even in apparent defeat. “My text,” the Rev. Loten continued, “is a quotation from the story of the capture of the city of Jeiicho for God caused the walls cl the city to fall at the sound of the trumpet and at the great. cry of the people.”

Today great walls in our minds encircle us and prevent us from seeing and knowing the truth of God. We seem to be content to dwell within these narrow walls and remain satisfied. “These are walls which must fall before v r e can see clearly. They can only fall at the sound of the. trumpet, God’s clarion call which destroys to rebuild. Let the great voice of faithful Christian people cry aloud to shatter the structure which this material world has erected in our minds.”