INTERCESSORY SERVICES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1814, 16 April 1918, Page 2

INTERCESSORY SERVICES.

Special intercessory services on behalf of the war wore held at the local Presbyterian Church in com,mon with the Presbyterian Churches throughout the Dominion on Sunday. The service of praise was in keeping with the occasion, and there were good attendances both at the morning and evening services. During the course of the evening service the minister, Rev. J. H. Bredin, said for the day of humiliation and prayer they had a precedent in God’s word. The instance of the Ninevites will occur lo us: “They proclaimed a fast, and they put on sackcloth from the greatest even to the least of them. And God relented of the evil that lie said lie would do unto them, and He did it not.” In this and similar instances we must admit that it was the sincerity of the humiliation that gave to it its value. We wore summoned to humble ourselves before God because we are engaged in a w;w. - involving tremendous, world-wide issueh, a war which has caused unparalleled loss of life and property, a war which has reached its crisis, a war the termination of which no man can forsee, and because it rests with the Almighty alone lo give the victory which we desire to our armies and our fleets. Consider the words of our text: “Neither shall they learn war any more.” They shall not only enjoy peace; they shall bo so secure of peace being permanent that the study of military tactics shall cease. How expressive of the greatness of human corruption is the fact that war .is set forth as an art, that men have actually erected into a science the destruction of their fellow creatures. All war is not unlawful for a Christian people, but all war is hideous and to be condemned when considered as an art. There is, we must confess, a necessity for learning war, but what shall we say of the passions of cruelty and lust that must conspire to create such a necessity. Could one people place faith in the word of another, and were all guilty ambition stamped out, military schools would be closed, and armies would be disbanded. If all nations were Christianised, brought to the feet of Jesus,.imbued with the spirit of Christ, then with all safety we might beat our swords into ploughshares. There is a power in the gospel of Christ which is able to conquer those passions which are the producing causes of war, and in proportion as Christianity is wanting war prevails. Look at the present war, and what but the insatiable, unprincipled ambition of one monarch has caused nation to rise against nation and cast a blight upon the world which will only be removed when rivers of blood has been shed. Christianity would have prevented this, but Christianity had no place. AVe see our great duty on this day of humiliation and prayer, for if Christianity is to rule in the world it must first have full sway in our hearts. Let us humble ourselves therefore before God, ip repentance and faith, confessing our own sins and (lip sips of the nation, beseeching God that He will turn awqy His judgment from us, stay the How. pf human blood, and restore the .blessings of peace. God has richly blessed us as a nation. He has greatly favoured us in the past, but we have not rendered unto the Lord for allliis benefits, and Ho has allowed a tyrannical power to force war upon-us, and we have too much reason to fear that our resources will be drained and the blood of the prime of our nation spilt. But i( may not be too late to turn lo God end seek His presence and His help. There may yet be time for humiliation, time for intercession, and the war-cry may be hushed and the cry of misery cease. Let it be our earnest prayer not only on this occasion, but in our daily approaches to the source of strength and consolation that He may be pleased to speedily bring to an end this cruel war, that He would hasten the accomplishment of His mighty purposes so that precious lives may be spared, that He would vouchsafe to those who fight our battles by sea or by land, or in the air, that courage which is acquired by humble faith in Him, that while He blesses with success, our fleets and our armies, Ho will guide with His n'isd°m the counsels of our rulers to that course of action which will be most likely under His favour jo restore the blessings of peace to our nation and to all the nations of the earth.