ADDRESS TO CHILDREN

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 609, 11 March 1929, Page 14

ADDRESS TO CHILDREN

GOVERNOR-GENERAL AT EDENDALE CHURCH

The Governor-General, Sir Charles P’ergusson, at the reopening of the Edendale Presbyterian Church yesterday, said that he was particularly glad that a service for the children had been made a feature of the rededication ceremony. His Excellency said that it helped to bring home to them, just as to older people, that they were a part of the congregation, and had work to do in furthering the Church. The Governor-General and Lady Alice Fergusson attended the afternoon service, and were welcomed by the moderator, the Rev. E. R. Harries. The service was held specially for the young people.

Addressing the children, his Excellency said life for everyone had its difficulties. Boys and girls just going out into the world often found it a very lonely place. Perhaps no troubles in the world were so real or so pathetic as those of young children. Life would indeed be very hard for all if, in whatever difficulty, there was not something solid to rest upon. The Israelites, he said, quoting the story of Joshua’s great decision, had almost reached the promised land when their great leader Moses died, and Joshua was called to take the leadership. In this great crises of his life Joshua consulted God, and having a God-directed mind he listened to the voice of duty as the voice of God. Life was just one long succession of branching paths, the difficulty being to know which one to go along. People might say that Joshua’s decision was purely a secular matter, but Joshua did not look upon it in that way. The secret of a God-directed life was the secret of a great many successful lives in the world. God entered into everything, and it was impossible for one to “rope off” part of his life as his own part as God’s. It must be remembered that the voice of God did not come by any wonderful manifestation, but was a simple everyday call. morr, * n §T and evening services the Moderator-elect of the General Assembly, the Rev. G. Budd, spoke. He was assisted in the evening by the Rev. J. D. McKenzie, and the Rev. W Lilmour.