CHAPMAN-ALEXANDER MISSION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1711, 31 March 1913, Page 6

CHAPMAN-ALEXANDER MISSION.

BIG MEETINGS YESTERDAY. At two services yesterda) J ',\ the Town Uall .was crowded, and most successful mission services w'ere "conducted by -Dr. Cliapnmn and Mr. , Alexander. in the afternoon, the service was lor -young'people, and the congregation was mainly of young folk. 'Dr. Ciiapmair reinarkeu at - the close of his address that-ho had never yet, except once in Melbourne,,addressed; such a large company, of young people. : The - evening service was held after thd other church ■ services • wetio over, but quite early the liall was filled, and.when the service cpiiimehced it was rilled to the point of/discoiufort in many quarters; ln s the afternoon Dr. Chapman preached-. : front .the, text "Ittliou shall; contess: with; , thy mouth- the Lord Jesus, and' shalt be- : lieve in thine heart that ooil hath raised Kim from the dead thou siintt be saved.'-', pointing out that the word "confess" signified upon acknowledgment as; well- as - .mere-'assent,-he appealed to-all who' believed in the itory of JeSfts'a's'thejf'Jiad v '' been tauglit it, to ■; acknowledge Christ publicly as their Saviour. -To.believe, he' .'*aid, it was not .nectary ttf-bfr fi'ee.from 'doubt; it was not necessary to be able to explain everything." Perhaps there were those who were .not surd 'whether they believed or ndtj to these he said that they would never find tlio truth by-sitting ill with lidded.hands. They must go forward in. their search for truth---frotii-tile point to' which, their 1 own belief tooll Hiein—for they must start with solne belief—and they would find .the truth revealed to them. Ho concluded an do?, quent appeal lo young men and young; women to, acknowledge. Chlist by asking church members .to. stand. !A- largo num. 'bar' in the audience stood, and. Dr. Chapman:" mid. he' had never -.known such- -fine work -being '-.done among voung. .men" and- women ias ; was kiiug done in tho Bible tteees in Wellington. last of all'..ho asked those,wfip : wck> anxious In beconi,o Christians to hold Up.their hands.' A numbsr, probably a luuuhi'd,- young; women and - girl?, and ', voting' men' and boy>', held up their hands, and he. asked theiiU4o .como forward to I he-platform while lie- prayed for them. ;.About, a hundred responded;to.his appeal, and practically all of then}-. subsequently mad? the .public', acknowledgment : for which the. ]irea;:h-r Imd..appealed. It was subsequently,atiinum.ed .that" ninety-five j:sjpiu had coni'sssd Christ in. tlio Hfter- , noon.' . ■■ -i ■ - - ■ . At the meeting later in Iho evening the hall'was thronged, and people who''could find no space'.elsewhere sat;.on* .the platform step,-, wliilo huodWds of others could find no seats'at all. It was a crowd after Mr. Alexander's own heart,, and in his own inunif.-ibli- way he made that huge, crowd sing hftirliiy.'-.Tho singing of. some • of the well-known hymn j tunes :chosen'- ; Was remarkably fine and iihpressivc. Dr. Chapmiin,chose as <lhe text for a brief address. -tlio words from. St. Luke's Gospel, "Jesufi of NazacetJi passeth .by."' •lie sketched graphically fe scene in old Jericho, when the ivoi'd-was passed among tho ivaiting blind beggars that the Galilean prophet was goii\g;b,y, and when tlio blind'man Barlftiicijs'! received -his sight. Then he.drew a parallel between tha.case of the man, blind ;in" the eyes of the flesh, who could not see Jesus as ho; ■ passed, with . that of ; those, ..blind in It he.'eyes oftlio spirit,', Who.'.would not sen Jesus.. Jesus oi Nazareth was still passing by, appealing lo them ■all in a hundred ways, .mid they ought to consider his appeal, arid accept, him as their. personal Saviour, i "You can do three things," he said in ii final appeal.. '."First you can be indifferent; you can stay as y.jii are, ,-inci turn your face awav from Him. Bui how can you do l.hat"? I think I see Mini bowinj; beneath, tlio shades of those old trees, in Ueths-enifine, sweating griat drops of blond. How can you be indifferent:' I .sceii.Him ; slagger-"-. ing beneath 'the .'weight, Of -liisT .Crotes—: how can .you-lie indifferent? '['see Him .stretched out oh the Cross with nails in T-fis hands and feel, .a spear afterwards thrust in ,His side, and before the.v did that I. can hear Mini say: 'My God, My God,' and. then He Imwed'His head and said. Ml: is, finished.' How can you bo indifferent? Or, in the second place, you may reject Him. i'ou cimvsay this evening, M will not receive Him.-" God pity you if you do. Mind you, .[ should be afraid to think of you doing it; If you take Jlim into yonr home, it can become liko heaven for you. Let Hiiii into your life, and you will have power to resist evil. Jf'tyou take Itim into your life, God '■ will blot, out your sins. Jlow can you reject him? On the authority of this Book which,. I hold/in my blind,' which is God's Book, if you will accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you will achieve three things: First, your past sins will be'blotted out;: second, when God blots them out He will forget, tlmm. If you accept Him, lie will strengthenyou. He will fight,your battles, lie will hold you when the burdens.crush you, He will fight- back (lie'demons"that would overthrow you. How can you refuse Him? If .ton will .accept Him as your Saviour Me will stand for you before Gnil Hin,self. Take him! -Come, take him!' You young nieil, we long to.sec yon comelo Christ. Yon in'on in New Zealand h'nvo gotten hold of me as me'ii in no oilier part of the world have except fho' nten tn;my own country. God help you and , bring you to. Christ." Afterwards Dr. Chapman asked those who wished to. make the : declaration to bold lip their hands, and- there were numerous hands hold up.- , '. To-day there will be ono service ojily, and that at 7.30 p.m.- Dr. Channian'men--tioued yesterday that ho would speak tonight on that sin, mentioned in somo places in the Bible, and hinted at ill others, the. most grievous of all sins, "for which there'could be no forgiveness." To-morroiv morning will be held tho last of tlio series of morning meetings.