THE
DECEMBER CONVENTION.
“IMPRESSIONS.”
As I try to recall the last five
days of 1963 the days of our Convention the words of the psalmist - ‘‘The lines
are fallen unto me in pleasant places. Yea I have a goodly heritage’ Ps.16:6
flash through my mind. Yes, it did me good to be present in the Saraswathi hall during those five days. The Convention
was in very truth a good one. To me it seemed the best since I came to
Pentecost. A friend who exchanged thoughts with me says“Many are the lasting impressions.
The solemnity of the morning services was
very mark and give to them a feature unknown before. The inspiring
testimonies, especially of the poor folk
‘who showed a childlike gratitude to God, as he
had actually helped them, were a blessing to many. Those. particularly
of a poor old mother, and of an old man touched our hearts, because of their
unaffected simplicity.
The testimony of the worker who
spoke of the bitter experiences he bad to pass through as he had rejected the
call to Service at first, should have sounded a note of warning to those who
have been postponing coming to serve the Lord, although convinced of the call.’
The hymn with their concepts of praise and prayer were like ignition
wires that caused the sparks which ignited the mind to find in a message of the
different preachers edifying thoughts and valuable exhortations.
It is not possible to dwell on all
the messages as one should ’l like. but I deem it good to look at a few of the
“pleasant places” that were opened up in the power of the Spirit by the
preachers. The boldness with which each one spoke showed us who listened, that
they were conscious that the message had come from God. There flowed forth
rivers of living water.
Our chief pastor in his quiet persuasive
manner, on the evening of the first day, opened for us the familiar door of
God’s love God’s purpose in sending .Jesus Crist in to this world of sin was
his love for man. It was no “cheap grace” that brought salvation to man. With
authority pastor Freddy declared the sdemn words which made my to tremble. “The
value of a man’s soul in God’s sight is the BLOOD of Jesus”
How costly is our salvation. Could
we neglect it? Before the empty tomb we stood a while and looking up from there
we saw the RISEN CHRIST—He who is able to save to the uttermost those that come
to God through Him, for He ever liveth to make intercession for them.
St. Matthew’s story of the piece of
money in the mouth of the fish (Chp. 17:24-27) was the topic of another
evening. That the “stater” or half shekel was Jesus Christ Himself, was a new
thought to me! The miracle then worked, delivered Peter from embarrassment, and
the Pharisees were paid the temple tax, but the true redemption money was Jesus
Himself. He would bring fallen man back to God said Pastor Freddy.
It was good to be taken to the shores
of Galilee where our Pastor made us stand with the backslidden. Peter and his
six mates and face Jesus who put the question to us, as He did to Peter that
morning, “Do you fondly love me?” Agape not “Philos.” The latter, an
ego-centric love patterned on human love, evoked and motivated, not
spontaneous, but “Agape” that higher love, sacrificial, unselfish, creating
value in its object spontaneous, overflowing, unmotivated. This is the love of
God which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
“A goodly heritage:’ too is ours the
Psalmist says. The chief pastor set before our eyes this pleasing prospect,
Taking his New year message from the words of Haggai the prophet to the
discouraged people of this time. “The glory of the latter house shall be
greater than of the former.” Pastor Freddy appealed to us to rise up and build
the temple. God’s desire today, is the
same as it was in Haggai’s day, to enhance the glory of the latter house
– so forgetting the things that are behind, if we reach forward to the things
that are before and co-operating with
God we start to build, God will bless us. We build not in brick and mortar.
Temple is the church the Body- of Christ build of “Living stones” of men and women baptized of
one spirit into one Body.
This is our heritage and it is for us
to make it a reality. We thank God for a blessed Convention May the Lord give
us grace to utilies the blessings we received for the building up of His church
in this land.
‘‘Come Holy Spirit, come like a flood,
Come with Thy blessing, with scepter and rod.
Burdened
for sinners through Thee I’ll prevail.
Wipe
Thou my tears, when trials assail
“Two
thankful ones.
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