“Bridge Builders” is First Oxford Group Film

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 16, 20 January 1937, Page 6

“Bridge Builders” is First Oxford Group Film

PRIVATE SCREENING IN THE CITY. DEMONSTRATION OF SPIRITUAL POWER. Since the week-end there have been in the city five members of an Oxford group team, three from Australia and two from Papua, some of whom came to New Zealand with team mates who had been attending an Oxford group gathering in Melbourne at Christmas. Yesterday a unique opportunity was afforded members and sympathisers of the movement when a practical demonstration of what has been accomplished in Denmark in twelve months was given by means of a film entitled • Bridge Builders,' * screened for the first time in the Dominion at the State Theatre. It was an amazing revelation of a spiritual revolution on a colossal scale which made a profound impression on those privileged to witness it. Prior to the screening brief statements were made by a Hawke’s Bay sheep-farmer and an Australian business man, as to what the Oxford group is and what it stands fcr. It had been called the greatest bridge builder in the world and in the opinion of a Danish statesman was a spiritual revolution, building spiritual bridges between individuals and nations, bridging hate and envy, national superiority and the suspicions and fears that divide the nations. An American lady who had been in Oilerup at the time tlie film was screened, told the story of how the Oxford group had gone to Denmark, stating that in the picture the audience would see sure evidence of a nation becoming conscious of God’s plan for itself. The miracle of Denmark hud been possible because one woman over 80 years of age, saw that spiritual bridges between nations would end diplomatic intrigue, fear and suspicion which divide, and make world peace a vague dream. Through her decision to let God run her life the Prime Minister of Norway became convinced and invited 100 of his own friends to meet a team of Oxford groupers. By the end of one week thousands of Norwegians became conscious of God's plan. A newspaper editor in Oslo surrendered his life to God then made public apology for the bitter feeling he had promoted in his newspaper against Denmark. Because of this action a team was invited to go to Denmark and “Bridge Builders ” wa3 an evidence of what had happened in one year. * Between 14,000 and 15,000 people had come from all over Denmark in special trains, by air and in ships. Three hundred had cycled 90 miles from Copenhagen to attend a religious gathering. Three hundred and twenty Dutch came by special ship from Holland, a ship load of Danes had come from Jutland, all arriving, not to see football or watch a race, but to hear that God has a plan and that when man listens God speaks. In closing, the speaker said the world had never been in such peril and the only way out was by a spiritual revolution in which ordinary men and women would become wholly committed to God’s plan to become an army of life changers round the world. When God captures men, men capture the world for God, the speaker concluded. It was mentioned that the movement had spread round the world and was growing in Palmerston North as *vell for those who desired to get in touch. The musical motif of tho film was the group song of the same name, the chorus of which is “To build together what none shall sever, bridges from man to man, the whole round earth to span. ’ 9 At this first anniversary flags of many nations intermingled. Dr. Frank Buckman, founder of the movement said Denmark's achievement

offered a challenge, whoever held the secret of changing individuals also held the secret of changing nations, the final scene of an unfinished bridge, bearing mute testimony of the work to be done.