ANNIVERSARY SERVICE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 236, 28 June 1915, Page 5

ANNIVERSARY SERVICE.

METHODIST CHURCH. Anniversary services were held at the Methodist Church yesterday, the Rev. Lester Mini he conducting both morning and evening services. Special singing by the choir was rendered and in thp evening the solo, “Seek ye the Lord,’’ was effectively contributed by Mr Gordon Firth, of Auckland. At the evening service Mr Minifie delivered a most interesting and impressive sermon, taking as his subject tlto question, “If there were no Church. What then?” The Rev. Minifie stated that th e average man ,was indifferent to the Church, but if other people took an interest in it, well, they wore at liberty to do so. An American paper had asked what would be the effect of closing the churches? Would it have a detrimental effect? The speaker said they need only look at history to prcv e that the Church had had a great influence on nations of the world. He asked: Would the .moral standard ot the community be detrimentally, affected by the lois of the Church? He knew they could not deny that it would be, and it would also affect the civil government of the country. They could make 'laws but they would be useless if the people were not trained to obey them. This also applied to nations. The Church had always had a great influence in maintaining a standard of morality, and if the Church had not trained 1 people to observe moral and civil laws, the moral standard of the people would not be what it was to-day. Then, charitable institutions were largely the result of the Christian Church; History had proved that Christian nations had progressed morally and commercially, and in other directions had ascended over other nations. , If they took China, Persia and India, for instance, they would find that those countries had not established any charitable institutions. The speaker said, ■in his opinion, every Christian should b e a Socialist in so far as the Christian doctrines were concerned. The spirit of modern times was too selfish, and men were too wont to say: “Look after yourself; damn the other man.” Until that spirit, was crushed, they would never be able to.'TJovo thy neighbour as thyself.” It was, therefore, very evident that th 0 Church was absolutely necessary, and as everyone benfited by the existence of th e Church, ti should bo encouraged and supported by all.