RELIGIOUS READING.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 237, 22 December 1916, Page 4 (Supplement)

RELIGIOUS READING.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon Ins shoulder; and his name shall be railed Wonderful Counsellor. The Mighty God, Tin- Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.— Isaiah 9: Gvs.

We are hearing a great deal to-day about Governments and Powers, and some think we are on tlite eve of the fulfilment of expectations and hopes >f Peace amongst the European nations. Be that as it may, we all hope and pray for Peace. We behVve it will come sooner or later. But let us make no mistakes, as to how peace is to lie established, in the way that some would have us think of as a "lasting peace." The world and his wife must, 1,;. brought under the government of that One, whom my text describes as Wonderful Councillor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, llie Prince of Peace. The greatest hindrance to a universal Peace, is the confusion amongst the leaders or undershopherds in the various subgovernment of the Church to-day, with the opposition amongst the thoughtless and indifferent to al It-hat conrtenis His Reign over His right royal kingdom ot the human race; These things must l>e righted l>efore we can expect this universal Peace; at the same time, it is coming. The Government shall ho upon His shoulders. The Lord Jesus Chris!) must be elected Prime Minister of the British nation, as well as of all the other nations. And lie must be given a free hand to govern after Hi? own Wonderful Wisdom. We may not yet, on account of our own depraved will and avarice and selfishness, understand His superior and divine council to us and the nations of the world at the present time, but we shall do 50 one- day. Just as every one wishes to have some share in our Christmas pleasures —let them be ever so l>esotted with sin, some with white sin> of self-opinion-ation; and some with the blackest rf all sins, immoral conduct, vice, crime, ungodliness—so there is that innate longing in every breast after the High and Holy, l'e Innocen,, the Pure, the True, the 0 ood, —that one Councillor Who ea-nmt err in judgment, nor yet fail in Hs councillorship or brief that Ho may have for downtrodden and needy men and nations.

It is just this fact the world will not acknowledge at this time. There are those that will appeal to His Holinesthe Pope buforc they will appeal to this Wise Rightful Governor and Everlasting Father of the human race. The cry of the people—of the citizens of all nations — is for unity and community or fraternity of action . But do not let it be understood that our Great Moral Governor is to come down to satisfy every wlum that any body of men may have. He will, on the other hand,, lift up all classes to His high and wise idea's of Government. And I believe it is here where His Wisdom will shine as the gun; the one sun of this solar system. We have no room for two suns in our system. Jupiter, being so tremendously large, has a need of four moons —but only one sun. We have room for only one Infinite, Mighty God. It is true, Jesus Christ is mighty to save. He is abundantly able to save. 11 is this Child that is l>orn, this son that is given, Who is to work such wonders. It is as nv say at Christum time "The coming of the Child.' - Wfc like to see the whole commercial world held up, to make room for this coming of the Child Jesus. We hail it with joy; it appeals to all classes and conditions of men, just as the well-known pcture of the whole of the London traffic near the Mansion House held up by the hand of a policeman to make room for a Nurse and a child to pass, appeaiL'd to every one who saw it, and won for the painter a great name. The difficulty is to get every citizen to see that his only salvation is in the Coming of the Child. The swirl of the world's traffic— the farces of evil are so great that it is only the coming of the Mighty God iu this Child, that can make a way for wayfaring men to pass. We hear a great deal in our day about the sword, as the instrument of God, and certain nations a:e this instrument to punish other nations. Well, it docs not correspond with this teat . We hear, also, of the opposing forces, and the long casualty lists. Britain alone had about four hundred thousand casualties in the four months of the big push. If we are His instrument, it is a terrible loss!

Why not let the government be upon His shoulders —Who shall fight wit!) the sword of His mouth—the word of the living God. He has also all natural! flo/rcert ut Hs commamd, typhoons and whirlwinds, earthquakes etc. The people in Essex who saw the burning Zeppelin a short time ago, have recently been visited by one of these typhoons, when houses were unroofed and walls blown down in a few minutes. The people have yet to learn that the Saviour of the Wor'd is "The MightyGod." They have all been or less attacking this divine doctrine of the Incarnation and setting up theories—idoK of their own in its place. We must get back to this great truth that it is Immanuel, "God will us," in every cottage home, in every street of every city i.i the world, guiding, governing, counselling every individual in these homes, as The Everlasting Father. One who provides, cares for, loves and is concorned about every one individually in tlieso homes. What a unifying process to go on amongst aK nations and classe, of men—surely it is an ideal big enough for one and all to see: and benevolent enough for one and all to admire. This is the secret of ail Christmas happiness—admiration. No mother or father ever looked into their baby's eyes without admiration. It is the hall mark of divinity stamped there. Oh, we must admire and worship the coming and the condescension of God in this child Jesus of Bethlehem in the beginning of his manhood and fatheihood of God. Of course the thought hero is progressive. When all nations have learnt the truth about this Everlasting Father of the human race; when heavenly views and the heavenly places are made manifest to the eycV. <;' faith, as the home and abode of those that love God and' love each other; and Je>us Christ is seen as the Everlasting Eathor of all peoples and rations and tongues—then will come thy age of Peace and good-will amongst HTML And then we shall understand that Jesus Christ, this wonderful Child of to-dny has become the Prince of Pe:no over all nations and peoples—because disc ('rd has become annihilated. The. great Adversary has been cast out, the world has become illuminated with iiis divine love and goodwill. One is our God and Fa.ther, all we are brethren. .

T hear someone savins "Much has to bo done yet." Yes, but it will be done, and wv had all better learn how it is to be done. I/e,t us act the man and fall in line with the spirit of ( 1 -imi-, God's best gift the wor'.'J. Admire, worship and surrender onr-elvos to His service to do away w : th all sin or rather to do our part +o bring about that age of pe_!,ce and goodv. i ! ! anions men. cms.