ANGLICAN CHURCH JUBILEE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2110, 19 June 1907, Page 4

ANGLICAN CHURCH JUBILEE

A ST HIRING SERMON. ■ At tho morning soryico at Holy Trinity Church on Sunday Inst, tho Itov. F. AV. Chnttortdn took ns his text Zncharinli viii., 9. Tho place of this prophecy in tho development ot Jewish history was, ho snicl, well known. Judnh hnd passed through its period of captivity, and 111 icsponso to tho edict' of Cyrus, a remnant of Jows under tho leadership of Zorubbnbol and Joshua had gono back to Jorusaloni, and tho first act of tho returned exiles was to rebuild tho brazen altar for the daily offering of t'lio morning and ovomng sacrifice, and to lay the foundation of the temple, ns a recognition of their desire to honor God at the commencement of this now period in their national lifo. Opposition, liowovor, from without, and pro-occupation with their own material interests within, damped thoir enthusiasm and this was followed by lnxness and indifference, so that for somo years absolutely no progress was made. Through the inspired utterances, howovor, of two prophets, Zochariali anil Haggni, whom God sont to nrouso them from their lotlinrgy, fresh encouragement was given them, “and with renewed onorgy tlioy sot to work again, and soon tho work was completed, and there was general rejoicing when the second tomplo was finished. The text was ono of those inspiring utterances of the prophet Zochariali, which served t'o arouse the peoplo to a sense of thoir duty, and it is an appropriate messago to us on this special occasion “Let your hands bo strong.” Our present jubilee recalls a stage in tho organisation of our Church. Some may think we attach too much value to organisation. AVhatever its value, it is of course subordinate to the inner spirit of which it is tho outward manifestation. None recognised this more clearly than tho groat statesman bishop to whom, under God, wo owe so much in our ecclesiastical organisation. In his address to the first General Synod he draws special attention to this, while at the samo time showing that this is no roason for disparaging organisation. These aro his weighty words: “There is hut ono doubt of any importance, which I liavo heard oxpiossod on tho subject, of Church constitutions, and that is, • that wo may be tempted to roly on mere external and material organisation, instead of resting on the ono foundation stone of Jesus Christ, and seeking for tho quickening influences of His Holy Spirit. But is not this a danger inseparable from our mixed nature in its fallen stato? As tho flesh lusteth .against tho spirit, and tl eso are contrary tho ono to the other, so must everything that is outward and visible endanger tho purity and vitality of that which is spiritual. The word of God may be the lottor that killetli, instead of the Spirit that givoth lifo: the saviour of death unto death instead of the saviour of life unto lifo. AVo may have tho form of godliness while wo deny the power thereof. The tables of stone may draw away on thoughts from tho liolv law of God written on tho tablets of the . heart. Prayor, baptism, confirmation, communion, every ordinanco that lias a form of words, or an outward sign, is liable to tho same danger; and even where no form of words is used, the lips may still draw near to God, while the heart is far from Him. If every sacramental sign were removed, formality would still grow up from tho dead heart within. The danger, then, which is feared, of trusting to external organisation, rather than to the inward life of the spirit-, is not-. peculiar to our present work, but is the besetting danger attendant upon every religious ordinance, and common tt> the Church at large, and to all its members. It would bo vain, then, to seek for spiritual life by rejecting outward organisation.” Let us now think of the work which as a Church we are called upon to fulfil. The Church is Christ’s visible representative upon earth, His body. AVhat He' did when on this earth, His Church must carry on now. And that work is to convey a message of pardon and hope to the penitent ; to minister comfort to the sorrowful; to stand by the weak and the oppressed ; to illumine the dark places of the earth with Gospel light; to raise the standard of morality in the world, in home life, municipal life, commercial fife, national life; in short, to train God-like characters. The Church has sometimes succeeded and sometimes failed in this great work. To succeed it is necessary to keep in closo contact with the highest and purest light. Truth is manifested in many forms, and through many channels—scientific truth as well asi revealed truth must bo welcomed."

The prophetic voice must be listened to, if tlie work for which the Church exists is to be accomplished, “Thus saitli tho Lord of Hosts, ‘Le't your hands be strong.’ ” AVe must have organisation ; yes, and we must have buildings, but more, we must have ideals, we must have enthusiasm, an enthusiasm begotten of spiritual energy supplied by the Spirit of God. You are asked to-day to give evidence that that enthusiasm is -not wanting: that tho quiet but irresistible enthusiasm which animated our forefathers is not exhausted, but still abides in the Church to-day, and waits only for an opportunity . to manifest itself. Ono such opportunity you have to-day. God grant it may be seized, and it will mark an epoch in the advance of tlie Church in Gisborne.