THE UNKNOWN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 550, 31 December 1928, Page 14

THE UNKNOWN

EXPLORERS’ FAITH IN GOD SERMON AT ONEHUNGA “Feats of adventure into the unknown have always, attracted the interest of man,” said the Rev. D. L>. Scott at the Presbyteriarf Church, Onehunga, last evening. At the present time, he said, the fconquest of the air had captured the imagination and flights over leagues of sea required a courage that was not easily daunted by the aspect ©f dangerous possibilities. Choosing his text from Joshua iii., 4: 4 Ye have not passed this way heretofore,” Mr. Scott alluded to the fact that men of our own generation had the earth, and such feats were watched been the first to reach the poles of ■with admiring wonder by multitudes, lu the nineteenth century the imagination was stirred by the daring feats of those explorers who crossed the hitherto unknown tracts of Africa, South America and Australia, or took up their abode with the savages of the Pacific islands. Earlier still were the men who received their inspiration from Columbus and who charted unknown seas, thereby adding to human knowledge and enterprise. Nor should we forget those darir.g voyagers who peopled the islands of New Zealand. The splendour of such achievements, however, should not make us indifferent to adventures in spheres where attention is not so readily directed. The imagination was capable of flights of its own. The intellect may move among absorbing wonders and when an apostle spoke of being caught up to the hird heaven and hearing there unspeakable words, he was not living in the realm cf pure fancy; he was feeling rather to what heights liis demotion impelled him. Adventures of a geographical nature were but a small portion of man’s discoveries. Similar thrills had been felt in science, philosophy and religion. Men of imagination like Virgil, Milton, Shakespeare and Bunyan were adventurers, too, and proved that imagination had flights of its own. Wherever man had diligently pryed into the mysteries of Nature, he had been rewarded. Wherever man had explored, he had hi ways found the world to be bigger than he thought it was. The Mediterranean of the ancients was only a hint of the vast oceans which lay beyond. The atom had been found to be so complex that it oelied its name. Twinkling stars had disclosed God’s creation which baffled our comprehension. Discovery had always followed adventure, and was analagous to revelation. Revelation was the movement from God’s side, just as discovery was the movement from man’s *?ide. These two meet. Great explorers had great faith and bur faith in God was a reasonable venture which prompted to discovery. It was ho mere guess, or a leap in the dark. Some faith entered into the efforts of those who charted unknown seas, explored unknown lands, or unravelled the mysteries of nature. When John /Robinson, the Puritan, addressed the Pilgrim Fathers on their departure from Holland, he used words which were true, not only of the Gospel of Christ, but were also true of all God s ways—“ The Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth from His Holy word.” God called us forward, added the speaker. He had more for us to see in Jesus Christ and more for us to do in advancing His kingdom. He was continually revealing Himself and His works. He was still speaking to man and faith impelled us to have confidence in the future. He expected man to take ventures, to apply to our lives what He had made known of Himself. “Be good standard-bearers and be not with those who waver,” concluded Mr. Scott. “Look forward with hope. There is no darkness, but all is light where God is.”