THINK OF HIGH THINGS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 875, 20 January 1930, Page 14

THINK OF HIGH THINGS

SMALL THOUGHTS SHOULD BE PUT AWAY WHAT WORLD NEEDS TODAY “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest. . . . The Dayspring from on high hath visited us.” On these scriptural words Pastor Reuben E. Dowle based his sermon in the Mount Roskill Congregational Church yesterday. “When considering Holy Scripture, we at once rise into the realms of the highest possible thought, and this thought is free from the limitations of human intellect," said the preacher. “St. Pari refers to the fact that ‘without controversy great is the mystery of godliness.’ “The passages before us were spoken concerning John the Baptist, who came as the forerunner of the Messiah, and at whose presentation in the Temple, Zacharias, the priest, on seeing him, exclaimed: ‘And thou,, child, shait be called the prophet of the Highest.’ Proceding, he gives as a cause of rejoicing ‘The Dayspring from on high hath visited us.' “Later on, in confirmation of this phophecy of his father, John said, on first seeing Jesus, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.’ Evidently Zacharias regarded the advent of Christ the same as did the Angelic Host, ‘Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.’ “John's mission was to preach the doctrine of repentance for sin, and to establish the Kingdom of God on the earth. This was thinking in the highest. In modern days, unfortunately, sordid thought is occupying lqen’s minds far too much,” said Mr. Ddwle. “There can be no advancement as individuals or as a State till the Dayspring is given His rightful position in the hearts and lives of the people. The prophet of the Highest has redeemed his people. He has brought salvation from sin and misery in this life, and by faith will give us an inheritance among the saints of light. "If mankind would cease from cultivating self-righteousness and intellectual conceit, the world in every department would advance. There would be no ‘complaining in our sheets.’ It is righteousness that exalts a nation, while sin is a reproach to any people. Christ the Dayspring from on high has visited us. Let us welcome Him into our lives-. Then sorrow and sighing will flee away.” CARE OF LEPERS ARMY’S WORK IN DUTCH EAST INDIES Treatment of the 75,000 lepers in the Dutch East Indies was described by Commissioner J. Cunningham addressing a large assemblage in the Salvation Army Congress Hall yesterday afternoon. The commissioner said that a large proportion of the 50,000,000 people in the Dutch East Indies suffered from malaria, but leprosy constituted the worst scourge.

The establishment of the Army in these islands 35 years ago, he said, was preceded by a marked divergence of opinion among the white population concerning its effect on the Mohammedan population. Two members of the Army entered the Held and were shortly afterward joined by a Danish eye specialist, a new recruit to the Army’s ranks. The medico’s successful treatment of thousands of islanders, among whom eye troubles were very prevalent, conquered prejudice and gained goodwill toward the Army. Today there were four leper colonies supervised by the Army. Prior to the advent, of the Army, lepers were in some districts driven out into the jungle to be the prey for wild beasts and in others were set adrift in leaky mats. Now, on the discovery of lepers, the victims were sent to one of the colonies, where they were given the best treatment and care. NEW VICAR FOR NORTHCOTE The Rev. F. W. Wilkes, late vicar of Morrinsville, Waikato Diocese, who has been appointed to the parish of Northcote, will be instituted on Thursday evening in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Northcote. The ceremony will be performed by the Archbishop of New Zealand, the Right. Rev. Dr. A. W. Averill. Canon E. J. McFarland, Bishop’s Chaplain, who has been in temporary charge of the parish for a year, intends to return to Parnell.