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THE CANADIAN GAP

In the midst of a very happy ministry in Prince Edward Island, I had been active among the youth of the place. Visiting numerous farm-houses, it had seemed to me that the importance of NOT JOINING THE CHURCH should be stressed to the young.

They had not had a Minister for some years, and the place was entirely rural amidst, in Winter, snows that made the Australian heart amazed! On one occasion, I had set out to visit when a seemingly trifling thing, a snow-storm had visited my little car. Progressing with proper Australian fortitude, I soon found this not to be enough. The roads... began to DISAPPEAR; and one thing it is important to have when driving, is something clear on which to place the vehicle.

Thus visiting in this place had a joy and a delight of its own. On one occasion, moving a little off the path towards a front door, I had found myself immerse in snow up to somewhere near the waist. Clearly a sense of direction was important.

So was it for the youngsters there. There was of course a reason for my advice NOT to join the church. Not - that is, UNLESS they were Christians! As to that, it seemed that the understanding associated with this was far lost or never there, on the part of many. Hence we formed a class to help discernment about this thing - WHO WERE CHRISTIANS, and who would proceed to this end ?

Over weeks, if not months, we had our weekly class, and gradually the concepts and the call became more apparent. Now we come to the case which I find so refreshing in the Lord, and which I should like to share with you.

One young school-teacher felt - bless his heart - that he was NOT GOOD ENOUGH to be a Christian. I do not know if I have often met this approach before, certainly I do not recall it in the YOUNG before, and never do I recall it in Australia. Rather we tend to hear, "Nobody is perfect!", as if this obvious fact - God and His angels of light excluded - made it somehow different if one did not know God. Imperfection in heaven is an absentee!

To the young school-teacher, I replied: Are you good enough to be a sinner?

YES! came the reply.

And are you bad enough to need a Saviour ?

YES!

Then why don't you take Him?

And to the best of my understanding and belief, he did, just then!

Praise God for His own enlightenment (cf. Matthew 16:17, 11;25-27).