CALL TO CHRISTIANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 June 1939, Page 8

CALL TO CHRISTIANS

THE CHURCH’S STRUGGLE. ADDRESS BY CANON WATSON. Two statements, pregnant with meaning, made in recent years by men keenly interested in the welfare of the Church and of religion, wore riuoted by the Rev. Canon H. Watson (formerly Vicar of St. Matthew’s Church, Masterton) in the concluding address of his mission of “Recall to Religion” at St. Jude’.s Church, Lyall Bay. He said that the secretary of a leading church body had stated that “We -have got to realise the Christian Church is in a serious position,” while at a great congress at Oxford of delegates from many countries the main theme was “The Life and Death Struggle of Religion with Anti-God. Forces.” While the position in the Old World was desperate New Zealand was perhaps fortunate in that she had no such combined opposition, but “a tremendous indifference to God, who was crowded out of people’s lives.” It was up to each Christian to begin afresh and go out “as a missionary in a pagan world.” Christ wanted everyone with Him, and actually the only way to reach these people was through the Church.”

In a moving and eloquent peroration, the missioner said he wished to impress on all that “We are the only link between God and the outside world. Let us, therefore, be up and doing so that Christ may reach the people who are indifferent. We must be a congregation of witnesses, drawing others to Christ. For surely there could be no greater honour than to serve Him who gave His life for us. Let us remember the challenge of St Quentin to his foes, ‘We have a King, and so go forth to conquer the world.” The Canon said he would like to close the mission, as he had begun, on a note of friendship, and he appealed to allto keep one outstanding condition of friendship, “to do what He commands. Our service is our test of friendship.’ After the service all present signed the card of membership of the Fellowship of Prayer and Witness, binding themselves to meet for prayer, to bear witness for Christ, and asking Him to take my mind and think through it, my lips and speak through them, and my heart and set it on-fire with love for Thee.”