SUNDAY READING

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 6, 7 June 1913, Page 10

SUNDAY READING

PERILS OF PROSPERITY. Sermon preached by REV. T. H. ROSEVEARE in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, New Plymouth. "Matt. 11:23-24.—"And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted into heaven, shall be brought down to hell. For if the mighty works which have been done in thee'had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. • But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for thee." Circumstances are not entirely respon»ible for the godliness or godleesness of a people. It is evident that they have an important part to play; but there are many, like Livingstone's parents, who are "poor and pious," and many, on the other hand, who are poor and degraded. There are many who are rich and utterly selfish, and many others rich and truly Christian. Some run the way of the majority, either to good or evil. Others stem the tide of popular opinion and live God-fearing lives amidst opposition, or else are vicious, despite pure and Christian surroundings. These amply illustrated facts show plainly enough that the want of opportunity and the lack of privilege will not altogether account for the downward tendency of men's lives. He would be a fool who in these days denied that there is value in securing for people comfortable circumstances and every opportunity for right living. Nevertheless, it remains a fact that privilege and opportunity are not everything, for it is quite possible to be the greater sinner by neglecting or even abusing tbese. PRIVILEGES OF CAPERNAUM. Turn now to the city named in our text, and see how it illustrates what we have been saying: "And thou,Capernaum which are exalted unto heaven." What is meant by this expression? It is clear from the context that it means, in the first place, that Capernaum had been privileged to see some of the mighty works that had been wrought by Jesus, and thus to form a correct estimate of who He was. The section begins (verse 20): "Then began Jesus." When? Possibly the time reference carries us back to Matt. 4:23, "And Jesus went about all Galilee . . healing all man-j ner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." Not many of those gracious works are recorded; only a few sample cases to indicate the kind of ! dteds with which the life of Jesus was crowded, and we could wish we knew more. These works in and around Capernaum were not done in a corner. They spoke to the people of this city of the Person who was in their midst, so that they would have an opportunity of welcoming Him. What attitude did Capernaum take up towards Him? One of opposition? No. We never read that they begged him to depart out of their coasts; we never read that thev sought to stone Him. It was left to'the Jews of Judea and Jerusalem to plot against Him. and finally secure Hi 9 arrest and crucifixion. Why, then, this anathema on Capernaum ? Because of indifference. They simply neglected. Being eye witnesses of the power and might of Christ, they simply remained apathetic and did nothing to welcome Him; acted, indeed, as though He had never crossed the horizon of their lives. And wherein are we better than they? It is true of our land that we have' been exalted to heaven with privileges to a greater degree even than Capernaum. They were witnesses to a new thing in the work of Christ, but that is not true of us. We know of those works, but we also are in a better position to estimate Christ's whole character. We know, too, of His death, resurrection and ascension. We are heirs to knowledge of a long record of Christ's saving and renewing power in the lives of men of all climes and of life. The wonderful results of missionary efforts, the marvellous transformations following the preaching of the i. gospel in slum life, all testify to the power of Jesus Christ. And we know of Him. We have learned of Him from . childhood. Our Churches, Sabbath Schools, cheap Bibles, and all other blesI sings of Christian lands are factors in our exaltation to heaven with priv-i ilpge. And what is the result? You do not oppose Christ. There are comparatively few in our land who lay themselves out to deny the existence of or impeach the character of Christ. But you treat Him with apathy and neglect. Woe unto thee, New Plymouth! If it be true that it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for Capernaum, because these cities were ready to welcome Christ on His one and only visit, may it not be said that it will be more tolerable for China, India, and the islands of the seas than for many in this favoured land? They hearing for the first time, in many cases, welcome the news, whereas may here, hearing over and over again, grow callously indifferent.

PROSPERITY OF CAPERNAUM. But is there not something more involved in this reference to Capernaum than mere privilege? These people were apathetic; but why? Perhaps we have some clue to the answer in the commercial status of the town. Nowadays it is a place of unrecognisable ruins, difficult to locate. It was not always so. At one time it was a busy city on the busy and thickly populated shores of the Sea of Galilee, lying also on the trade route to Phoenecia and such seaport towns as Tyre and Sidon. It was a prosperous town. It does not necessarily follow, however, that because it was prosperous it was therefore Godless. Indeed, the opposite is what might reasonably be expected, for, as Paul says to the Romans, "The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance."' It is when a people is prosperous that they have time to live out the full lives God intended we should enjoy. When we are free from over anxious care in the matter of our daily bread, then we can give ourselves more fully to mental development, and the pursuit of the finer arts. Tt is when we have much of earth's goods that we have the capacity to serve God more fully with our means seeing we are but stewards. But was that the case with Capernaum? I fear not. They were rich, but had become so engrossed with the trading spirit that they had no time to give to Christ, concentrated were their affections on their business that they could see and hear Christ and not be moved. Woe unto thee Capernaum!

AND WOE UNTO THEE, TARANATCI!

We, too, are a prosperous people. Ours is one of the Finest countries in the world. We have not by any means readied the limit of our production yet. Look at the amount of money represented in the farms, some of which are valued at £7O an acre and more; consider the amount sp n nt in motor cars, and motor bicvcles. Think of the amount that is being regularly spent in various kinds of amusements even in this town. To travel from one end of the land to the other, and even to other lands across the sea, is quite a usual tiling. The very best is not 100 good to be procured for dress. Indeed, the people want for nothing. We are a prosperous people. With what result? Are we more susceptible to the claims of God? I fear not. Woe unto thee, Taranaki; woe unto thee. New Plvmouth! There are struggling people who are glad to know of a Divine friend and helper, but many in this community are too well off.

There is an Abbey Willi - in Whitby, England, one side of which is exposed to the sun and the other to the stormy weather, and it is said that the sunbeaten side is more worn than the stormbeat oil one. So it is trw that the sunshine of prosperity is dragging many to ruin in the vortex of self-destruction. But run your eye down the page to the end of the chapter in which our text occurs, and listen to the gracious words of the Saviour. '.Come unto me all ye that hvbor and are lieavy laden and I will give you rest." If you feel your need, then come.