A PREACHER’S PLEA

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 437, 20 August 1928, Page 14

A PREACHER’S PLEA

MEN WHO STILL DOUBT FORBEARANCE NECESSARY "It is wasted effort on the part of anyone to-day to imagine that he has made an ultra-modern discovery in saying ‘There is no God,’” said Mr. H. R. Urquhart, M.A., in the course of a sermon at the Church of Christ, Ponsonby Road, last evening. “Before the time of Christ the Psalmist made use of the words—‘The fool hath said in his heart, “There is no God.” ’ ” Mr. Urquhart referred briefly to men of outstanding ability, such as Charles Bradlaugh, Robert Ingersoll and Robert Blatchford. In view of the accomplishments of men like these. one could hardly call them fools; and yet they believed not in the existence of God. The speaker asked his hearers to use Christian forbearance, when in contact with those who could not see eye to eye with them regarding God, and advised them to show that forbearance by living as God would have His followers live. In every deed, there was a God of Love ruling the destinies of man. The services yesterday were marked by good attendances, and at the communion service in the morning Mr. E. Vickery took as his text: Psalm lxxiii., verses 23 and 24. He said that these were really a seventh chapter of the letter to the Romans, in that they revealed the “Triumph of Faith over Law.” He went on to deal with the “Nevertheless of Scripture,” the leading points being: “The nevertheless of prayer,” as in the case of the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in the time of Nehemiah. “The Nevertheless of Assurance” was the belief in God’s word—that He would do that which He has promised—the assurance which the Apostle Paul manifested, when he said, “I know in whom I have believed.” Also, there was “The Nevertheless of Obedinece,” exemplified by the fact that as Samuel was obedient to the cf M of God, so the Christian must give retidy obedience to the voice of God. “The Nevertheless of Submission” was shown by the words of Christ, as the Cross was looming larger—“ Not My will, but Thine, O Lord, be done.” “The Nevertheless of Comfort” meant that there should be no chafing because of the present, although it might seem to be grievous; comfort followed, for we were made partakers of Christ’s glory.