LOYALTY WANTED, NOT MIRACLES

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 26, 23 October 1937, Page 12

LOYALTY WANTED, NOT MIRACLES

Much is heard nowadays about depleted congregations and declinihg statistics. But let us think of the other side. Ther ara enough actual church members to make every church in the land alive with eager and expectant Christian testimony. No miracle from on higli is required to make our organisation eifective, but otily loyal consecrated effort on the part of those who have already acknowledged Christ. If every cliurch member faced the obligations of his position in tlie church we could stifle the criticism witli wliich we began. It would tlien be apparent that Christ' s servants were desperately in earnest- about the Kingdom. A group of medical students had beeh coiisiderering tlie Acts of the Apostles. At the cnd commeiits wefe invited, and this is the commeiit from one of theiu that oonstantly recurs to ine: ' 'Those eariy Uliristiuns seein to have beeh miglity keen about the business." Aliglity koen I lt was not stated verv theologically, but it Was stated tt'uiy. Would that the samo commcnt could be made about Christ's modern foliowers! We are keen enough about our orders, and our traditions, and the Welfare of the organisatioh. Are We as keen to subofdinate every intcrest to tlie pfogress of the Kingdom ?' Keen to have the Jesug of the Gospeis standihg atiiong us, not as in the cold beauty oi a stained glass windCw, but in the throbbing life of His foliowers : not in an ancient litany, but in a modern testimony ? Keen to keep the gospel of fedemption in the forefront of our preaching, so that however interested and instrticted our hearers may bo they never fail to be challenged by tlie Christ who still lives and Calls tiiemP