Untitled

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 904, 13 October 1910, Page 2

As the local Mission of Help, held under the auspices of the Anglican Church, is drawing to a close, vve may be excused for making brief references to same. We believe that missions are essential to the spiritual life of every branch of the Christian Church. There are seasons when it becomes necessary to arouse the people to a sense of their individual responsibility to God. Fach section of the Christian Church may adopt its own methods in this connection, but the object is identical. Christian people are travelling towards a common goal, but by several routes. Some are lagging by the wayside and others have got right off t the track. The Missioner comes to stir up and revive the laggard and search out the “lost.” Once get a man or woman on the right track and the route by which they choose to travel is a secondary matter. To some the thought of a mission is not pleasant: it doesn’t harmonise with the ■ ordinary set service and the Missioner says things which wound the pride ; he exposes ugly things which we had tried to believe were pretty and harmless. Missions are, therefore, essential to the quickening of spiritual life out of which grows that righteousness in the individual, which not only exalts himself but the nation. The Mis* sioner, who has conducted the local mission, is a manly type of man and his services have been conducted with a simpleness ar.d sincerity that has appealed to his hearers. There has been an entire absence of emotionalism. That he has accomplished a good work locally is undoubted, and the effect should be felt in other denominations other than the Anglican Church. We wish the Rev Mr Colvile every success in other parts of the Dominion and hope he may be permitted to re-visit Foxton at no distant date.