BUNYAN'S "PILGRIM'S PROGRESS."

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3221, 19 June 1909, Page 7

BUNYAN'S "PILGRIM'S PROGRESS."

ADDRESS BY THE REV. C. E. PORTER. The mid-week service in connection with the Methodist Church—which is held on Wednesday evenings—-is steadily growing in numbers and influence. On Wednssday evening last there were about sixty people present. The service is now being held in the Church, instead of the Schoolroom as formerly. The Kev. C. E. Porter was in charge, and delivered his second lecture on the "Interpreter's House." The speaker took his congregation into the room in which were two children, one called "Passion," and the other "Patience." "Passion" would have all his good things now. He was not prepared to wait for them. ,?A bag of treasure was therefore emptied before him, and by the end of the year he had squandered all and was clothed in rags. "Patience," as his name suggests, was content to wait for his good things, and when "Passion" had nothing he had plenty. "Passion" represents the men to whom thines present and temporal are of the first importance. Their favourite proverb is "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." The material things are substantial and valuable, the spiritual things are ' shadowy and of no consequence. They are of, a-nd live for, this world. They ignore, if they do not deny, the reality of the other world. "Patience" represents those who, 1 whilst they are not indifferent to the material realities, place the spiritual realities in the fore-iront of their lives. They do not look upon material good as the ch:ef thing. They are nrepared, if need be, to divest themselves of the good things of this world if they stand in the way of their obtaining the better and Dest things of the world that is to come. They give earnest heed to the question of Christ, "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world'and lose his own soul?" "Patience" represents those men and women who place "filrst things first." Patience as a virtue was touched upon in passing. The speaker urged his hearers to have great patience with others—especially those who were slow to learn the great lessons and reveal the excellencies of the Christian life. He illustrated the wondrous patience of God with nisn from til? pp.tience Jesus displayed towards His discljileß, and the people to whom He spoke, and amongst whom He lived. After this scene the speaker showed his audience the fire that was burning near a wall, which refused to go out in spite of the fact that a man was throwing buckets of water upon it; this being explained by the further fact that there was hidden away another man, who continually and secretly fed the fire with oil. This scene was used to illustrate the work of Divine Grace in the hearts of men. When men and women became Christians the love of God enters the heart and is like the kindling of a fire. That fire increases in intensity and power. Its heat and light transforms the whole inner life and powerfully influences all the outer life and conduct. When John Wesley was converted "he felt his heart strangely warmed." It was the kindling of the holy fire. The late Hugh Price Hughes was called the "Methodist Firebrand;" and such he was. He was on fire for God and humanity, and he kindled thousands of others. The man with the bucket of water represents those who cannot do with enthusiastic and earnest Christianity. r.unyan says he represented the devil. But the devil has an immense number of servants who are skilled in the art of throwing water on the fiery followers of Christ. The world needs firebrands to counteract the wet blankets. The secret of keeping one's fire burning is to continually pour on the oil. By this is meant the observance of much secret prayer, and the sympathetic arid expectant reading of the scriptures. It is in the secret place that wr. obtain that which alone can withstand the cold water of the world. Church members who keep the fire burning create an atmosphere in the Church in which Christ. can do His mighty works. The lecturer referred briefly to the man in the iron cage of despair. and closed with some remarks on the last thing "Christian" saw in the "Interpreter's House." He was shown a man rising from his bed in a great state of excitement, and on whose face horror was depicted. I This was caused by a dream he had and which had awakened him. fie thought the Day of Judgment had j arrived. He saw the great white i throne and the Judge seated thereon. He could not get away from the awful eyes of that Judge. His sins were unconfessed, and therefore unforgiven. He saw Hell opening at his fedt waiting to receive him. The speaker referred to the fact that to the men of Bunyan's day "Judgment to come" was a terrible reality. It haunted them. To them there was much in God to fear. To them the final results of a good and bad life could iiot possible be the same. Back jof the words "Heaven" and "Hell" < there were tremendous realities. In ! these days we have to a very large extent lost this vision of Judgment. • We will never develop strong and ! iioble characters until we live with the consciousness that we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of J, Chiist to give account for the deeds ; done in the body. 5 Mr Porter states that these Wednesday evening services are open to all. The singing is hearty, and ail who are attending are realising them to be most helpful. Next Wednesday evening Mr Porter intends to show the contents of the "Burden" the Pilgrim had upon his shoulders, and to explain how that burden rolled away.