LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2701, 22 February 1916, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

FREE TRAM RIDES. ■F IV ,',' fr ? e tram rid es for returned soldiers. Just a week ago in your paper the Mayor was reported to have said that lie was afraid of overcrowding the trams if the desired concessions were granted, which is about the most absurd and inadequate excuse lie could make. I liavo waited a few days in the uopo that some abler pen than mine would take the matter up; but 110 one seems to take sufficient interest in the matter to make a protest. There does n ?t s ecm to be any good reason for withholding the .privilege csked for. The Alayor by his par-siminious attitude is depriving the returned soldiers of benefits which they are entitled to, and which, if granted now while the warm weather. lasts, would probably hasten their return to health, as they would be able to avail themselves of trips to the seaside, and enjoy some bathing, several qtlier towns in New Zealand have granted the concession, and 6urely tile capital city should have led the way.—l am, oto., M.A.C. l'eoruary 19, 1916. PRAYER AND VICTORY. Sii'i Apparently there are many who are awaking to the fact that the timo has arrived for "God to shake terribly the earth (Isaiah ii., iy-21), if they then those who are praying that a great wave of national repentance may sweep across our country" with their petition, for (rod has already commenced to "bring the nations to repentance," but as God s ways are not our ways, we do not appreciate the means employed. "Ho is like a refiner's fire, and He shall purge them as gold that they may offer unto the Lord an. offering in righteousness" (Malachi iii). Work (presenting the body a living sacrifice) and the prayerful study of God's word is the Christian's need today. There is too much "prayer" and too httle Christianity. This frightful war is tho commencement of a refining process, through which the world is about to pass, and"'excopt those days bs shortened, there should no fesh be saved."

Said the prophet Isaiah, "When Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of tho world will learn righteousness" (Isaiah xxvi., 9). Let the people study Deuteronomy xxviii and Leviticus y.xvi., and see God's attitude toward sill. Deuteronomy xxviii, verse 27, is being _ literally fulfilled throughout the British Empire to-day, and Leviticus xxvi, 23 ; to 25, is being literally fulfilled in Europe. The world in a.t>. 1016 is in a similar state as was Jerusalem in 612 8.C., recorded in Jeremiah v, 1 to 9. If you don't bllievo it, ask a soldier, a returned one for preference. In 609 8.C., the prophet told the people what would shortly befall Jerusalem, and 21 years afterwords the prophecy was fulfilled (Jeremiah Hi). The whole world is groaning -under its weight of sin, and consequent degradation, disease, and death, God has been calling for 2525 years. "0 earth, earth, earth, Jieur the word of tho Lord" (Jeremiah xxii) (you will also find the 23rd chapter interesting), but the traffic in human souls goes hand in hand with idolatry and the _ worship of the Golden Calf. This spirit of "commercialism" is not moro prevalent in the world than in the Church. The work before us, then, is to clear ourselves up, and that right quickly,' here and now, foi God says, 'My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them My indignation, all' My fierce anger" (Zeph. xxxviii). God's word reveals many wondrou'a things regarding the present day. :It is no use holding prayer and intercessory meetings for deliverance until we can tell God that -we have put away tho abominations from us which aro the cause of the "fierceness of His anger" (Nahum x, 6). "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any, that your Father also, wliieli is-in heaven, may forgive von ■ your trespasses, but if yo do not forgive, neither will your Father, which is in heaven, forgive you your trespasses" (Mark xi,- 25). _ These are the only terms upon which God's children can approach Him, and if they won't accent them, they may as well enlist and fight on, and do the best they can for themselves. _ Seoing that we have so signally failed to obey God and keep His commandments, the Lord Jehovah is taking us in hand, and there is going to bo a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation. "It is time to seek the Lord" (Hosea x, 12 to 15). "Alas for tho day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almi<rhtv shall it come" (Joel i, 15). For the'truo child of God there is in all this no cause for fear. AVe are entirely safe In His keeping, and as we look out upon tho darkening .scene, our hearts go out in love and gratitude to Almighty God for His groat salvation, through which we will be delivered from "the wrath to come." May we, with our lamps trimmed and burning, be ever found on the watch, for soon we shall hear the assembling shout of our glorious coining Lord. Behold the signs of the times I—l am, otc,, JOHN PLOUGHMAN. February 21, 1916.