SUNDAY READING.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1915, Page 9 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

SERMON IPREACHED AT ST. MARY'S CHURCH, NEW PLYMOUTH, on Sunday evening, November 2S, by DR. AVEHILL, BISHOP OF AUCKLAND. (Epliesians, v. 17-18.) Christ did not look down with scorn and contempt upon the social side of life, for lie recognised it as part of man's education and development. He did not scorn the marriage feast of C'ana, nor the dinner in the house of Zacchaeus or the Pharisee, nor did he repudiate the charge that He came "eating and drinking." But we cannot imagine His leaving the wilderness for a marriage feast in Jericho, or Gethsemane for a social gathering in Jerusalem. There was a proper time and place for everything; a proper sense of proportion. Me was a man, with the instincts of a man, and it was impossible to ignore the social instincts of man. The Church, as the Body of Christ, must maintain the same attitude. The Church must insist upon a proper sense of proportion, without frowning upon social liie. There arc times for rejoicing, but there are times when rejoicing is vulgar, harjmful, demoralising, soul-deadening, giving evidence of a lack of refinement of spirit. The Church is the friend and not the enemy of light-heartcdness, of high spirits, and of innocent pleasures. The Bible and history warns us of the danger of abusing this freedom. Tliis liberty may deteriorate into licentiousness, just as ultra Puritanism may deteriorate into the banningof lawful pleasures and recreations. The tendency' to-day is towards an abuse of this freedom, with the substitution of license for liberty. The sense of proportion is lacking, because the true refinement of spirit is lacking, understanding is darkened, the mind and the spirit are alienated from the life of Cod, and there is a lack of sense of what is fitting and congruous. The accidents of life cannot give a man the spirit of a .gentleman, for the spirit of a gentleman consists not in tho abundance of the things which he possesseth, but in the refinement of mind and soul. A gentleman is the man who is J not the man who possesses, and he reveals himself not in what he docs, but how he does it. A gentleman !s always considerate of the feelings and even of the weaknesses of others. Jesus was par excellence the gentleman, possessing perfect refinement of soul. Without that spirit of refinement it is quite possible to lacerate where desirous to heal, and to wound deeply where anxious to alleviate. Only men and women of refined soul can soothe the world's sorrows and "bind up broken hearts. For fifty years this parish enjoyed the inestimable privilege of the ministry and Work of a vicar of true refinement of mind and 90ul, and doubtless this parish will reflect something of this spirit. It is right and fitting that such a life should be commemorated. And surely if the death of a dear one draws out all our refinement of soul, so the deaths of many of our boys at the front—members of the great family of the Empire—must develop in us the same refined feelings. A refinement of the soul is needed—an attitude of mind which cannot sink to the vulgar in the use of its liberty—to grasp the real meaning of the text, "Be not drunken with wine," etc. There is a legitimate craving for excitement in human nature, and for enthusiasm, to lift us above the drab and prosaic. The spirit perverted in the desire of the drunkard to escape from himself—from the narrow environment of a little circumscribed world —is exactly the same spirit, if analysed, which lies behind an inordinate love and craving for new and even newer excitements. It is abuse, 'degradation of holy and legitimate desire, a desire perverted into a lust, WHAT IS THE CAUSE? ■Life has lost its true centre and its true meaning—its magnetic pole is not its true pole. Like a ship dragging its anchor and breaking adrift, it seeks to find some repose and satisfaction, to counteract its own aimlessness and monotony. It wants a new sensation > its wants to be ministered to, it wants prose translated into poetry—it wants to get away from itself. Think liow many of our men at the front have found their true selves, liecause they liavo found a real meaning and purpose in life. We can well understand the appeals of our men from the trenches to come over and help them. We can well understand their amazement that the racecourse is as popular as ever when hundreds are dying to save the Empire and New Zealand from practical slavery. Do you remember the story of Sirens in the Creeklegend? The Sirens were young maidens inhabiting a certain island. When they saw a ship passing they sang with beautiful sweetness. They varied their songs and adapted them to the nature of the persons they wished to capture. By these songs passing sailors were allured near to shore—a very dangerous one —only to meet their death. Ulysses, when about to pass this spot, ordered the ears of the sailors to be stopped with wax. lie had himself lashed to the mast, and stated that he was not to be unbound if he gave orders to that effect. It is told that the Argonauts passed in safety owing to the superior enchantments of Orpheus on board, who sang to his harp the praises of the gods and drowned the voices of the Sirens. So destructive had the Sirens been that the shores of the island appeared even at a distance white with bones of unburicd victims. There is the sweet music of Orpheus, the delusive music of the Sirens —it is a legend, but there is a deep lesson in it. The Siren voices call loudly and the thoughtless eagerly follow. They must drown dull care, prevent thought, get away from the prosaic life of duty, keep up their spirits, and so plunge into rounds of excitement and gaiety. "And these have 110 root in themselves."

Can we be altogether surprised tlu'.t tile French people wonder whether we are really in earnest, really understand? The 'Siren voices are so enchantii!.L'--tii >y seem so harmless. Ulysses is the 'Killjoy; he is 'behind the times. Why should lie interfere with the liberty of the sailors"? They can take care of themselves. So the warning voices have been unheeded and are being still unheeded. We resent advice. ''And the shores of their island were white with bones of unburied victims." The shore of the island of modern Sirens is strewn iv.th wrecks of broken lives, ruined characters, lured to destruction by voices which seemed so beautiful, so harmless. God forbid that the Church in the British Krnpire should be hypnotised and gagged as 'the church in Germany has been! God forbid that she should only echo the whims and wishes of kings or politicians or parties, and be dragged at the chariot wheels of public opinion, however debased. The Church must utter a warning note against ABUSE OF LIBERTY,

the abuse of an instinct of human nature. The clergy, as well as the police and magistrates, know something of life be-

low tlie surface—blighted lives and homes —and can estimate at its true value and cost to character of the insano gratification of this instinct, this undue craving for excitement, 'publicity and limelight. We are reaping to-day the result of carelessness and indifference of so many parents in not instilling into children right and noble ideals of life. What is the substitute for this intoxication of excitement? To "be filled with the spirit." The legend of Orpheus has a true counterpart in the work of tlie Holy Spirit in creating enthusiasm for truth, righteousness, honor, Christ, God. God wants enthusiasm, hut for the highest and noblest purposes. When the Spirit of God lays hold of a man he rises above petty and paltry tilings, he is touched with a divine glow and enthusiasm for Christ and His service—he desires to do something with his life for he sees in Him, His life of love and service and sacrifice, His determination to do God's will ifnd uplift humanity. His Cross and Passion—that which is life indeed. In touch with Christ, we see the emptiness, hollowness of a life in which is no enthusiasm, no passion for God and things which really matter; see what is really worth lighting for and dying- for; just to help God one little bit and use our talent in unselfish service. Surely this grand solid church ought to speak to us of th« need for stable and enduring characters based upon a stable and enduring foundation of right and noble ideals of life! Those noble Devonshire pioneers who built this church should inspire us — those devoted men, clergy and laity. They prayed, "Show thy servants thy work," and to-day their children see "Thy glory." Surely the work of those men at the front and the work which God is doing in them, should inspire us. An officer wrote: "I buried one of my boys last week; he was only a little Bermondsey gutter-snipe, but he gave all he had, and God knows.'' "Tt is not the length of existence that counts," wrote Mr. Gladstone, "but what is achieved throughout existence, however short." Don't be afraid of Christian joy—it is one of the fruits of spirit. This life is not meant to be a long-drawn-out penitential Litany or a funeral procession, but life brimming over with thankfulness and happiness in being allowed to do something, to follow at whatever distance the example of perfect life. And then out of the abundance of the heart the mouth must speak, and worship, instead of being a drudgery, becomes a joy and delight, and our enthusiasm becomes infectious and brightens the lives of those around us. This is God's antidote for undue worldly excitement. He does not desire to check enthusiam, but to control and sanctify it, and direct it into useful channels for His own honor and the highest welfare of humanity.