Wellingborough News, 3rd October 1890, transcribed by Kay Collins
NEW WESLEYAN CHAPELThe opening services of this chapel were continued on Sunday, when the pulpit was occupied by the Rev. J. Ernest Clapham, of London. Large congregations were present throughout the day. In the morning the rev. gentleman based his remarks on Matthew xxviii, 20, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." In the evening he founded an excellent discourse upon the words found in. Luke iv., 18 and 19, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me". The preacher, after describing the circumstances under which Christ made this wonderful declaration, in the place where he was brought up and everybody knew him, said the words of the text were the manifesto or the programme of the new prophecy. After quoting Mazzini's words that Christ was the greatest revolutionary the world had ever seen, he said that while not taking Mazzini's words as literal, yet it was a revolution to set souls right, not only individually, but in the aggregate. Not only was it a social revolution, but a political one, worked on novel methods, as given the text. Proceeding, the preacher said the age had not yet come in which Christianity had been adequately conceived: it had been misconceived and different meanings put upon it. The French revolution was the result of a misconception of religion, the people judging it by Louis XIV, and his contemporaries. The same remark applied to-day, and it was through misconception that the masses of Rushden and of East London and other places were outside the pale of religion. Might it be granted that the millions might be won to it. Speaking of the many sections of the Christian church, he would say that the reason so many existed was that each saw more fully than the others some particular part of the great circumference of truth. The sects were all great divisionsarmy corpseach doing their own work, but not opposite forces; and the time would come when the party walls would crumble away, and all would be gathered into one fold. But one church could not represent all the truth, any more than one individual could represent all the graces. He claimed that Christianity now stood higher in the world than ever it had done before. Never were there so many earnest and determined workers as to-day. There was no charm for the masses of the people like the charm of Christianity, and if Christian people worked with kindness, gentleness, and charity, there would be such a revival as the world never saw; away with class feeling, and substitute love, the winning power of hearts. By anecdotes he illustrated the power of kindness, and in concluding an earnest discourse asked his hearers,parents, masters, mistresses, and employers of labour, what they were doing for their servants, and entreated them to put aside all indifference and coldness, and exert their influence with those under them.The choir sang special anthems during the day, and the amount realized was £12 3s. 6d.
|