SPIRIT OF SERVICE

Evening Star, Issue 21749, 18 June 1934, Page 14

SPIRIT OF SERVICE

FOUND IN CHRISTIAN COUNTRIES DR NORWOOD'S EVENING SERMON Under the auspices of the Methodist Central Mission a church service at which Dr F. W. Norwood delivered the sermon was held in the Town Hall last evening. There was an attendance that tilled the great hall. The visitor was introduced by the I’ev. Leslie B. Neale, who said it was pleasing to see so many taking that final opportunity of hearing so outstanding a speaker. On belialf of the people of Dunedin ho wished to thank Dr Norwood for coming to Now Zealand ami giving them the benefit of his knowledge. He hoped that Dr Norwood’s work in London would long continue to prosper. Dr Norwood took his text from St. John, chapter xiii., verse 12; “ So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments, and was sat down again, He said unto them; Know ye what 1 have done to you? - ’ *• 1 have felt for a long time that this incident was intended to do far mom than merely inculcate humility,'’ said the preacher. “it occupies a more central place in the philosophy of the writer. Of the twenty-one chapters in the Gospel of St. John six ai'e devoted to a description of the final meeting of the Lord with His chosen friends on that night of tragedy. All the teaching of the book leads up to that incident. and all the rest flows from it. That incident was the supreme effort of .lesus.” He had been travelling a great deal during the last year, Dr Norwood continued, and he thought that the great difference between Christian and nonChristian lands was the absence in the latter of this spirit of service. Wherever it was found to-day it was imbibed from Christianity. Unless men and women could be brought to live in that spirit there was no hope for the world, no hope for society. The spirit of service was the supreme test of discipleship. In the Gospel there were two men who were influenced by the act of Jesus. Both were profoundly impressed, though in different ways. He went on to analyse the reactions of Simon Peter and Judas Iscariot—the one horrified but being persuaded to see the act from Christ’s point of view, and the other with treachery in his heart. The latter’s act of betrayal was fully discussed, and in some measure explained. Several years ago in Jerusalem, the speaker said, he had spent much time trying to see right through the implications of this story, and he had come to the conclusion that Jesus had set the stage for his own crucifixion.

Dr Norwood went on to relate the events leading up to Calvary, and said he was induced more and more to ievolt against that conception of Jesus winch surrounded Him with wistful pathos. Jesus was the most vital man in the world. He organised no material force, He had no money, and He did not seek the patronage of the great. He challenged men for all time and drew men for all time. How He had over come to bo depicted as that limp figure so often seen on crosses was more than the speaker could understand. He refused the opiate offered to Him when He was on the Cross. Ho was the embodiment of a spiritual power which was infinitely greater than any material force.

“ The world is in its present state of chaos,” said Dr Norwood, “ because it has surrendered itself to material things. It thought it could blast its way through, but the only way out is a rediscovery of the spiritual power of Christ. Judas Iscariot was not the world’s most guilty man—he was just the average man. He revered the Man, hut failed to appreciate the Spirit. Many people in the world to-day are acting in just the same way.”

The man who was ready to make what was called wealth, despite his conscience, was acting as Judas had acted. People were now looking round for some Divine revelation which would save humanity. The revelation was there. The spirit which Jesus had exemplified on that night was still what was needed. The voice of Christ was pulsing through the world to-day. He wanted them all to believe that the love principle was the life principle. It was the only principle which could save the world from chaos.