ANGLICAN MISSION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 932, 27 September 1910, Page 6

ANGLICAN MISSION.

MID-DAY MEETINGS. ' STRAIGHT TALK TO MEN. Tho first of the luncheon-hour meetings for men only : in connection with the Anglican General Mission in Wellington was attended by about a hundred men. That the message of Christianity is not obsolete, but up-to-date, ■as well as urgent, insistent and exacting—this was the central thought 'in- the• address' delivered by the Bishop of: Christchurch (Dr. Julins). He condemned in plain terms the easy-going teaching of those yvho say: "A man:has passions, and when he is'young you must let him do -as he likes". "They have been trying," declared the 'Bishop, "to make Christianity cheap, and easy. A cheap' religion' is about tho dirtiest tiling there is."| When Lord Kitchener said what was needed for the defence of New Zealand, we did not tell each other,''"lt'll never .be ' done. We'-haven't' got .the : cash, and wo haven't got the spunk, and we don't care,about the country;" :: Christ-spoke, like Lord Kitchener, in tones of commaud. The. Saviour never said:; "Please;" ; but spoke from. God, and as one' who had become obedient in?.tho.i-flesh.:; '!Don't think," said the Bishop/ "that you are -being asked to, do any favour to God.The wonder is that He cares' about, us at all.'-: His voiced is the voice of . command." Dream's That Energise. . Canon Stuart was .the speaker at the' .second men's meeting which was attended by about the same number. The saying ot'Pharaoh to Joseph : "I have dreamed a dream, - and : there is-; none-that, caninterpret ' it," was the starting point' of a pithy; but eloquent- address."- '.'Thank God for our dreams, if they'energise us!", lie' exylaimed. He would not give' much for the young clerk; who did not dream that he might some day become the man-, ager.of the' company,\or for . the soldier who did not' dream of a marshal's baton hidden in his knapsack, or tho curato ;who did not dream-that he might become Archbishop of Canterbury. There - were dreams, also,.of/,ithe:' lean. kine. and the shrivelled ' corn; 1 "as. well'.-, as </the ;fat' and fruitful, -but was there hot always One Who" would come to' us as Joseph came to the butler and baker in the: prison, and interpret . our dreams? . - Aid Jesus Christ would say to every young man iii N«w Zealand that there was .;a good! time 'ahead,* and' he, : must'piit forth . all; his energies to .make the; best'of it, and ; bo -no "slacker" : who 'did not care to do a good day's' work. '(I believe," said thq. missioner,- that tne ; tents' made_ by ! Paul -were ' the very bftst on , the' markets of. Cilicia jvthat' the .dyes of - Lydia of. the ' very' fastest colours iii Thyacira; and, I say it: with, all reverence,'that the; household-utensils made in, that .carpenter's. shop : at ~Nazareth'- were the ■■ strongest and finest to"-be got on all the < hills of Galilee. And you, if you are a carpenter, try to betho very best- carpenter; ,ii you aro a. clerk, try -to be the most reliable one. There is a splendid time in-front of you. Uw it to the utmost with-; all:: the splendid . process with- which you are. endowed. But there is also' a l ' bad' time coming. There will . be: dark 'days: of. wTestling with awful enemies, - days- that will' test your: man-, hood, your purity; honesty; and :reyeren'ce for .God." ■ For those.: days, . the speaker urged, a man should .prepare whilst his -youth was with' him,-: ahd--as ;Pharaoh, gave '.all, .authority,.'in . to Joseph the. interpreter . of-;his dream, so the mail of to-day make, Christ his 'King and not be ashamed'to openly own himself ' His 'servant. ■ Before - those' who, did so evil would be, ashaincd, - and' thsre > was a power \ that would: scatter y righteousness, ' holiness, -'and'.-purity '.around them on.every side.