SUNDAY READING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2652, 6 November 1909, Page 4 (Supplement)

SUNDAY READING.

"A NOTE OF WARNING.” (A. G. Brown.) If this be so, is not a way of escape necessary? I do trust that perhaps some are now saying, "What shall I do, then, to be saved? If it is a fact that/ sin has its punishment—if it be true* that, go wherever I may, my sin follows me and will find me out —how am Ito he saved?” I will tell you. You say, "How can I do that?” Discover it by the law. If you have any doubt whether you are a sinner or not, run through the ten commandments, and then look at them in a spiritual light, remembering that lie who sins in desire virtually sins in action. Then turn to the 3rd chapter of Romans, and see whether it condemns you or not. Do not spare yourself. Drag your sins out of their hidingplaces. Call them 'by their right names. Say to the iniquity of, your heart, "Come sin, if I do not find you out you will find me out. If Ido not drag you from your lurking-place you will drag me into perdition.” Out with your sin and judge yourself as in the sight of God. And then, when you have settled the question that you are a sinner, and a sinner who deserves punishment, go and take all the hideous load to Christ. This is the only way a man can be saved. Get your sins found out; and when you have seen, them, though they appear like a very mountain of guilt, say, in the language of the hymn, "I lay my sins on Jesus, The spotless Lamb of God.” He will save you, and that in perfect accordance with justice. I said that every sin must have its 'punishment. So every sin has. Those of us who are saved have been punished. There is not a sia that I have committed, if I am a believer, but has had its full due. Jesus Christ has had the wrath —my. due. God does not wink at sin. Every saved one here is saved because Christ has borne his sins’ penalty; and now my sins cannot find me out. Why? Because Jesus bore them in His own body, on the tree. He bore their curse and He received their doom, and so sin has bad its full due; and, the moment I trust Him, all tlie merits of His death belong to me, and His righteousness is imputed to me. My sin can never find me out, for Christ has made an end of it—put it clean away for ever. .

Dr C. F. Aked, on the eve of returning to New York after a visit to England, made a most interesting statement about the "intellect” of the Old Country and America. Alluding to the difference between Nonconformity in_ the Old Country and Amerca, he said the Conditions in the former wanted readjustment." He thought the churches themselves were ill-condition-ed and their. services required brightening up very much. They were very unattractive, whereas in America a large amount of the wealth of the community was spent upon religious endeavor "and external beautification. There was far more intellect gathered in the churches of, America than in England. One reason to account for this was that the best intellect of British life was drained into public bodies, where only good of tlie country—municipal and parliamentary'—was considered,' and no payment was made for such services. In America the payment for such work drew men of a lower type into public, life for the sake of emoluments. while the higher class of citizens did not require or wish for it. Thus, intellect being, as it were, barred from high places in these spheres in America, wealthy, and good men found scope for their spare energies in religious endeavor, and, if one m .~»'J call it so, religious luxury.

During the past fortnight there closed in Pittsburgh,; U.3.A., the international convention 'ancl centennial of the Churches of Christ.'- About 50.000 delegates from all over the world, among them President Taft, had expressed their intention of being present'. It is claimed that the gathering was ".more apostolic and’ more nearly representative of New Testament ideals than any other since the first century.” 7

Muscular Christianity has an earnest exponent in the Rev. L. W. Munhall, D.D., a Methodist evangelist of Germantown, Pennsylvania, says the New York correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times.” . Quite recently from his pulpit Dr Munhall, who is sixty-four years old, issued, a-sweeping challenge'to all drinking men to meet him in ten athletic. contests. The evangelist made this “defi” to prove his contention that a man who indulges in stimulants is not the .physical equal to one who abstains from them. “I want to challenge any man between the ages of twenty-one and sixty-four who has been a moderate drinker to meet me at any time and at any place which suits his convenience in ten contests of strength, agility and endurance.” The contests for which Dr Munhall has thrown down the gauntlet are as follows: —Standing broad jump running broad jump, running hop, skip and jump, putting 101 b shot, throwing 151 b hammer, 50 yds dash, five-mile walk, handling a 501 b dumb-bell, and a bicycle ride of eightyfour miles. As yet no one has come forth to take up the challenge.

The annual meeting of tlie Society of Friends throughout Australia has just concluded at Adelaide. There was a record attendance. Many representatives were present from the other States and- New Zealand. The special feature of the gathering was the presence of the English representatives, including Dr Hodgkin. In a minute on Peace and Arbitration, “the constant preparation for a possible strife, 5 it was urged, kept a nation sensitive and restless, creating an atmosphere which developed discord, when its temper should be one of calm judgment and courtesy. Deliberate judgment was to be preferred to force, with its attendant horrors.' The result of a conviction of this fact would make the settlement of international dissensions by a court of nations seem as natural an evolution as the settlement of private diffex-enco in the civil courts. In another minute it was stated that the Society desired to strengthen the hands of the Commonwealth Government m its present policy of absolutely preventing tlie importation of opium.

The Application Too Soon.—A carping old woman once said' to her; pastor : “Dear me, ministers male’ mueklo adoo aboot their hard work; but what’s twa bits of sermons in the week toe male’ up P I could, do’t mysel’.” “Well, Janet,” said the minister, good humoredly, “let’s hear you try’t.”' “Come avva’ wi’ a text then,” quoth she. He repeated with emphasis: “It is better to dwell in the corner of the house-top than with a brawling woman and in a wide house.” Janet fired up instantly. “What’s that ye say, sir? Dae ye .intend ony thing personal?” “Stop! stop ” broke in her pastor; “you would never do for a minister.” “And what for no?” said ,<fke. “Because, Janet, you come owsr soon to the application.”