The Church's Charter W

ila5ttalailan Volume 57 WARBURTON, VICTORIA, JULY 13, 1953 Number 28 The Church's Charter W. E. BATTYE, President, Trans-Tasman Union Conference N one of the larger churches of a Protestant denomina- who has the greatest capacity for doing good. I would tion, the conference was greatly depressed by the choose rather to be an evangelist than a cabinet minister or I continual reports of decrease in membership. Suddenly a millionaire." a new note was struck when one centre reported sub- The Apostle Paul was a great evangelist. No other stantial increase in membership. The chairman desired matters engaged his attention. He had no side-lines, but to know the reason. The young minister who was respon- with a single purpose and with a devotion that never sible said, "The explanation is just this. We have had a palled, he gave his strength to the message of the evangel. campaign, and the increase is due to the preaching of the We may think of the apostle as a great logician, as one who evangel." For a moment there was silence, and then with sets forth the atonement of Christ and His priesthood a touch of sarcasm, the chairman said, "What do you clearly and in masterly lines; but in it all he declared: mean by 'the evangel'?" "This one thing I do"; "Necessity is laid upon me"; "Woe I suppose if we answered the question we would say, is me if I preach not the gospel." We observe his ardour "The evangel is the gospel, the good news of God's grace and fervour of spirit as he writes to the Greek, Roman, that brings us freedom from sin, and the hope of eternal and Galatian churches of the coming apostasy. Hear again life." The Archbishop's commission defines' it, "To evan- the turbulent words of warning, counsel, and entreaty as gelize is so to present Christ Jesus in the power of the Holy they pour forth from his hot heart: "I could wish that Spirit that men shall come_to put their trust in God through myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren." Rom. Him, to accept Him as their Saviour, and to serve Him 9: 3. "By the space of three years I ceased not to warn as their King." everyone night and day with tears." Acts 20: 31. "I have "Evangelism," says Dr. Rattenbury, "is to proclaim to told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they the lost, the last, and the least, the gospel of salvation. And are the enemies of the cross of Christ." Phil. 3: 18. "My it is more than a proclamation; it is a passionate seeking for little children, of whom I travail' in birth again until Christ them until they be found." be formed in you." Gal. 4: 19. "I will very gladly spend My conception of evangelism has always been a flaming and be spent for you." 2 Cor. 12: 15. Or as Moffatt puts heart. Lord Beaverbrook said, "The evangelist is the man it, "For your souls I will certainly spend my all and be (Registered at the G.P.O., Sydney, for transmission by post as a newspaper} [2] 13/7/53 THE AUSTRALASIAN RECORD spent myself." Then in the same book any soul unless the fires are burning in under the banner of Christ."—Id., page he declares, "For the love of Christ con- our own. "If the church would be pure, 246. straineth us." the church must be passionate. Elevation Let us, therefore, go forth in His name There was no labour too exacting, no of character depends upon warmth of into the fullness of the blessing of Christ.. task too arduous, no work too strenuous affection. A fiery heart, by the energy Is not this the church's charter? Is not for this man who was impelled by a divine of its own heat, creates a self-preserving this its grand task and its mighty mis- enthusiasm for his Lord. So he could say atmosphere against the devil." God has sion? Let us go forth, then, with confident to the Corinthian brethren, "Be ye fol- no place in His church for a refrigerator. faith. lowers of me, even as I also am of Christ." One church was giving its annual report, Facing a task unfinished, 1 Cor. 11: 1. which read, "Added none, dropped none. That drives us to our knees, Jesus was the great evangelist. John We are all united in our church," and as the delegate took his seat, he remarked A need that undiminished said of Him, "He shall baptize you with Rebukes our slothful ease; the Holy Ghost, and with fire." Jesus in an undertone to a neighbour, "frozen together." We who rejoice to know Thee, was not phlegmatic. They compared Him Renew before Thy throne with Elijah, the prophet of fire, and with Is it not time that we gird un our The solemn pledge we owe Thee, John the Baptist in His fervent utter- minds, and have done with lesser things? To go and make Thee known. ances, whom Jesus called "A burning and "The work that centuries might have a shining light." John 5: 35. He pos- done, must crowd the hour of setting sun." Where other lords beside Thee sessed a grand enthusiasm, a fervent zeal. Is it not time that we put on the armour Hold their unhindered sway, See how He was moved to fiery indigna- of Christ's righteousness and march for- Where forces that defied Thee, tion and imperious haste when He drove ward to meet the entrenched legions of Defy Thee still today; out the money-changers and overthrew darkness in a glorious crusade against the With none to heed their crying their tables. They were, so terrified that world, the flesh, and the devil? Is it not For life, and love, and light, they fled from His blazing indignation, time that we take the offensive in the Unnumbered souls are dying, and the impression made, at least upon field, instead of being on the defensive? Is And pass into the night. one of the disciples, recalled to him the it not time the church of God fulfilled her scripture: "The zeal of Thine house hath mission to the world and manifested all We bear the torch that, flaming, eaten Me up." her glory, "fair as the moon, clear as the Fell from the hands of those sun, and terrible as an army with ban- Frequently we read of the surging emo- Who gave their lives proclaiming tions that poured forth from His soul, ners"? Is it not clear that we must engage That Jesus died and rose; in the battle, if we are to share in the where it says, "He was moved with com- Ours is the same commission, victory? passion." The same glad message ours, "Not one in a hundred among us is Fired by the same ambition "Let me look at the crowd as my Saviour doing anything beyond engaging in com- To Thee we yield our powers. did, mon, worldly enterprises. We are not half Till mine eyes with tears grow dim. awake to the worth of the souls for whom O Father who sustained them! Let me look till I pity the wandering Christ died."—"Testimonies," Vol. VIII, 0 Spirit who inspired! sheep page 148. Saviour whose love constrained them And love them for love of Him. "If lay members of the church will To toil with zeal untired; arouse to do the work that they can do, From cowardice defend us, "I want a passionate power of prayer going on a warfare at their own charges, From lethargy awake! That yearns for the great crowd's each seeing how much he can accomplish Forth on Thine errand send us soul; in winning souls to Jesus, we shall see To labour for Thy sake. want to go 'mong, the fainting sheep I many leaving the ranks of Satan to stand —Bishop Frank Houghton. And tell them my Lord makes whole." Jesus was never ashamed of His emo- tions. We very often are afraid to ex- lieve that they have been raised up of press them. Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Faith Plus Works Unearths We scarcely find time to weep for our- God in fulfilment of prophecy to do a selves. He was enthusiastic; we are too Prophetic Evidence great work for Him, they are willing to dare and to sacrifice to accomplish that self-controlled. He was eager; we are too F. D. NICHOL detached. We have all the light that work. is being poured upon this generation. We Last week we called attention to the have abundance of light, but not enough significant article, published recently in Attempts to Make 1844 Look Ridiculous heat. In some way we will have to regain the "Review" for April 30 ["Record," June Great has been the wrath of the dragon the fine fervour, the enthusiastic zeal, that 15], which told of the evidence found to against this movement. He is a student moved in the heart of our Lord and His support firmly the date 457 B.C. as the of prophecy and well knows that the Ad- apostles. John Knox was a firebrand for beginning date of the 2300-day prophecy, ventist claim that it is God's last move- God. One of his friends said, "So mighty and thus A.D. 1844 as the date of its end- ment in the world is interlocked with a was he in his yearning that I thought he ing.

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