DESERT OF PAGANISM

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 November 1941, Page 6

DESERT OF PAGANISM

NEED OF EVANGELISM STRESSED BY DELEGATES. CAMPAIGN OF WITNESS PLANNED. Moving the reception of the Life and Work Committee’s report at the Presbyterian General Assembly, the Rev. John Hubbard (Palmerston North) said that this was the day for direct evangelism. Anti-Christian faiths were seeking to destroy the Citadel of God in the soul of man. “We live in the midst of a desert of paganism and apathetic indifference,” said Mr. Hubbard, “and the only antidote is a passionate proclamation of the Gospel. We have an educated ministry but we lack passion and fire.” The Rev. A. A. Brash (Wanganui), seconding the report, said that today the church was facing a new situation which she must understand. “More people than ever before,” he said, “are aware of God today but they are not expressing it through the old forms.” Mr. Brash said that the widespread use of the “dedicated minute” was a significant trend. Dr. J. D. Salmond (Dunedin) said he recognised the importance of personal evangelism, but he felt that wise stress should be placed on the congregation as a family. “The church,” said Dr. Salmond, “must find a positive alternative to the collectivist systems of our day and this she has in her doctrine of the church as a redeeming fellowship, a community of friends. If the church expects to win the returned soldier she must display some of the fellowship spirit displayed by the army. If she is to wiri youth, she must give youth a cause and a leader.” The Rev. L. F. Gunn (Christchurch) Appealed to the Assembly, on behalf of the National Council of Churches, for the co-operation of the Presbyterian churches in a national campaign of Christian witness to be launched next year. . --

The National Council is located in Christchurch and consists of representatives of the Anglican, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Church of Christ and Conrgegational churches. The president is Archbishop West-Watson. “The important thing today,” said Mr Gunn, “is that the churches must pray, plan and work together in the work of seeking to make the Gospel relevant to our situation today.”

The plan is that each church shall do its own job in its own way, seeking first of all to put its own house in order. Until August of next year ministers and people will seek to prepare themselves and the whole movement will be organised from Christchurch and under the direction of the National Council. A director and organiser will be appointed. It is hoped that the movement will initiate an era of spiritual' achievement in N.Z.