MAGNETIC PERSONALITY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 703, 1 July 1929, Page 14

MAGNETIC PERSONALITY

INFLUENCE OF CHRIST SERMON IN PITT ST. CHURCH Tli© magnetic personality of Christ and his influence on youth was the basis of a sermon by the Rev. W. Walker, preaching: last evening: in the Pitt Street Methodist Church from Mark xii., 34, “Thou are not far from the Kingdom of God.” The preacher stated that Jesus had a very magnetic personality, which drew people to Him. He had all the enthusiasm of one inspired by the vision of a new social order. He arrested attention wherever He went. People who saw Him were impressed by the majesty of His bearing. Young men came to Him for advice on all manner of questions relating to life and religion. He turned none away. He was glad to find people who were dissatisfied by the condition of things. In His discussions He got down to basic principles. He imparted light upon all vital problems, not only of His day but of all ages, for life in its deeper aspects is much the same among all classes of people. “That is why Jesus is so universal.” said the preacher. “He speaks with authority to the great heart of humanity. A young man came to Him to ask which was the great commandment of the law. Jesus told him that true religion had to do with the whole of life. It demanded the affections of the heart, the aspirations of the soul, the faculties of the mind, and all the strength of character. To this definition of religion the young man cordially agreed, but Jesus informed him that more than an intellectual assent was needed before he could enter the kingdom of God.” Mr. Walker made a parallel between that young man and the youth of today. He was honest. upright and cultured. The fact that he was interested in religion revealed that materialism had not gripped him. There was within him a deep soul hunger. He dared to face up to the problems of his age and grapple with them. The question he brought to Jesus was a very worthy one, far removed from the trifling riddles brought by the Pharisees. Hr. Johnson once said that if a man would think deeply he would think religiously, and the same applied today. The weakness of this young man was his failure to realise the appalling nature of sin and his need for Divine forgiveness, also that Jesus was the true Messiah. It was a sad thing to be near to the kingdom of God, and yet' fail to enter. The conditions of entrance were moral and not intellectual. Mr. Walker made an earnest plea to bring life with its unrealised powers to Jesus, to consecrate all to His service.

A duet was given by Mr. and Mrs. W. Leather. Retiring offerings were taken on behalf of the earthquake relief fund.