SERMON BY BISHOP.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 275, 14 February 1929, Page 4

SERMON BY BISHOP.

COMBINED SERVICE. In St. Paul’s CKurch. On Sunday night a combined service was held in St. Paul’s Anglican Church, when there was a crowded congregation. The preacher was the Bishop of Waikato, who took as his text tlfe verse, “ If I speak with the

tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I am become sounding brass.”—Corinthians 1, chapt. 13, v. 1. The preacher stated he did not know how those present had been brought up so far as religion was concerned, but a good deal depended on' what they had' been taught in early life. One 'could only speak as religious truth had filtered through the brain or had been assimilated from study or life. If a man gave out a truth which he had not grasped or convinced himself of, he was not likely to convince anyone else. In his own life, after preaching very nearly every Sunday for 30 years, he generally could find inspiration by looking at the epistles and gospels for the week. These portions of the Bible were chosen years before the majority of people- could read or write, and were used by most parts of the Christian church ever since the New Testament was written.

The first versa struck a note as to what they should think in a church dedicated to St. Paul. The strength of any feeling in regard to religion or politics could be tested by the distance people were prepared to go to in support of their belief. St. Paul at 35 was the hope of his country. A brilliant, able and capable member of the Sanhedrin, he had been taught in the University of Tarsus, and his father had been given the gift of the freedom of the Roman Empire. St. Paul, as a Roman citizen, had thus to be treated with respect. A brilliant future lay before him. He had been brought up in the strictest set and was of a lineage which went back to Benjiman. He was a righteous, God-fearing Jew. He was given the task of chasing and committing to prison those who had fallen from Judism. After his vision he went into the wilderness for three years, where his strength was tested. Then followed ten years of work, after which he was called to Antoil. In a few years he visited Athens, Corinth, Rome, Thessolonica, and there was not a single town or. country which had not heard of St. Paul or his message.

Half the New Testament was -written by St. Paul, and more than half, counting the writing he had influenced'. Two main points in his Epistle to the Ephesians were unitv and freedom. Those present had proved their belief in the need for unity by coming miles on a warm night to worship together, ar.d the Christian community would never progress or win the world to Christ unless they taught and believed in unity. Singly the Christian fight was hard, but united it was easy. In regard to freedom, St. Paul’s message in this direction was extraordinary when one recalled the narrow lines on which he had been brought up. He was a Pharisee amongst Pharisees, of the strictest, straightest and narrowest type, yet none breathed freedom such as he did.

A certain body of Jews condemned St. Paul’s message, holding none could be saved unless the whole of the Old Testament was accepted. St. Paul replied by speaking of the foolish Galatians and would not have anything imposed, as of necessity, upon his message of the need for a belief in Jesus Christ and the supreme need for following His teachings. Thus if one was a lover of Christ there was no need for rules and regulations as they would not be happy unless doing the right thing. Three things marked St. Paul. Firstly, he was l-eal, or intense, or sincere. He lived what he preached. There was a great need to-day for a greater sincerity and depth in religion which would inspire in dark days as well as bright ones. Secondly, St. Paul practised loyalty. Once he was convinced on the road to Damascus he never swerved by a hair’s-broadth. Some people to-day talked of High Church arid Low Church the while they were losing that evangelical devotion which was the essence of the necessary devotion to Jesus Christ. The chupch with all its sacraments and saints days was but a means to an end which was for them to set their faces at the feet of Jesus Christ. Lastly, there was St. Paul’s boundless enthusiasm, which word meant set on fire by God. The sin of lukewarmness should be avoided. They should remember -Ihg.f" St. Paul

could not have suffered as he did were he not set on fire. Nothing daunted or hindered him from his endeavours to bring the world to the feet of his Saviour. There was a wave of zeal in the Putaruru parish, and he hoped it would be God’s wish and there would also be a greater depth of sincerity, loyalty and devotion. After the service a reception was held in the Presbyterian hall.