Christians Today Likened To Those In 500 A.D.

Chronicle (Levin), 9 May 1949, Page 4

Christians Today Likened To Those In 500 A.D.

"The Christian Church ' has no | vague general message about the I necesity of religion and depent morality in a civilised community," 'said Rev. A. Sa'mond iri St. l Andrew's Presbyterian Church yes- | iterday." "The Chureh does not say i 'People be good' in a general way. The Church has a unique message, | vital to the salvation of every I human sotil, and' it is that Jesus I Crucified is risen and Jesus Chrisfc [ is Lord. ! "History does not repeat itself, | but there is considerable similarity between the situation many Chris- [ tions face in the modern. world, and the situation faced by the disciples of Jesus after Pentecost." 1 Fr°m the vear 500 until 1800 the | expansion of Western eivilisation meant a so the wider spread of Chri^tianity, continued the speaker. By decision of chiefs and kings and i ruieis whole national groups became Christian. While that meant that all national activities were related to the Christian Church, it I also meant that the movement into [ the church carried with it many [ people to whom the evangelica: I experience of nersonal salvation in | Christ and nersonal decision for | Christ was quite unknown. I ' The nineteenth century had .seen | a tremendous expansion of Chris- | tianhy. It also saw missionary J endeavour become independent of k Western State policies and in. some cases in conflict with them. | -"The days of mass movements into the Christian Church along the road of official State religioh are over and once again the Chris- | tbn Church. in .commending the j Gospel, is facing a situation more like that which obtained in the Roman Empire before the conversion of Emperor Constantine," said Mr. Salmond. "Many currents of the world's 'ife are set against the Christian Gospel, and a Church jwithout a membership deeply rooted in evangelical faith faces a sad j future." _____