MANHOOD OF AUCKLAND

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 981, 26 May 1930, Page 16

MANHOOD OF AUCKLAND

ADDRESS TO YOUNG MEN HARRY DAWSON MISSION The fifth week of the meetings being held at the Grange Road Church commenced on Sunday night. Mr. Harry Dawson, the missioner, took for his subject “The Manhood of Auckland,” his text being ii. Samuel, 18-30, “Is the young, man Absolom safe?” “Compared with the world’s great cities, Auckland in many respects is 50 years behind the times,” said Mr. Dawson. “However, a great city was not judged by its architecture or the height of its buildings, its population, or its gifts of natural beauty, but by the character of its manhood, and you can usually judge the character of its womanhood by the character of its manhood. “Some friends on board, ship told me I would find the commercial character of Auckland on a much lower plane than Wellington and other Southern cities,’ the speaker said. ‘ I have not yet had the pleasure of crossing the straits to the oSuth Island, but, positively I have found the commercial morality of the business men of Auckland quite as high a standard as that of Wellington, and that of both cities considerably higher than many other great cities 1 have visited. The tendency of the greater cities of today, with their bright lights and their multiplicity of attractions, is to bring people from the country, where they give up their agricultural pursuits because they like city life.” r Phe statesmen of New Zealand were to be commended for their policy of de-ceutralisation, which meant smaller cities, but a stronger moral fibre and greater depth of character on the part of the citizens. What did it matter whether a city be modern or not? Tile all important thing that matters was the character of its citizens. The city of Auckland was particularly fortunate in having so many fervent preachers of consecrated gifts and outstanding ability. Their work for the city was far more constructive than that of any statesman or councillor. But in spite of these advantages there was here, as in other great cities, a trend of godlessness, infidelity and immorality that should cause the utmost concern to every right thinking man and women. “My text asks the question, ‘ls the Young Man'Safe?’” Mr. Dawson continued. “That depends on his mode of living, upon his choice of creed, as the poet says, ‘No nation can survive where wealth increases and their men decay.’ ” Mr. Dawson gave a very powerful address on the various besetments of

young men, such as alcoholic beverages, impure life, gambling, lighting up his declamations with arresting illustrations. The young man was not safe in depending upon natural virtues. The young man was not safe who was indifferent. The greatest siu a man could commit was not adultery, theft or murder, but a constant continual and final rejection of Jesus Christ the Saviour. This was the unpardonable sin and the Bible declared, “My spirit shall not always strive with man.” They could so “no,” as God’s spirit strives for the last time and it forever sealed their doom. At the beginning of each service requests for prayer are read to the gathering. An unsigned petition from the country was sent to the Rev. A. S. Wilson for a family feeling the stress of poverty. Two pounds were handed in at the close of the meeting for this family, but as no name was given except the towmship, the money waits.