War Heroes Remembered

GREATER LOVE

In the city of Melbourne, Australia, there is a very impressive shrine in memory of those from the state of Victoria who gave their lives for their country in times of war. The shrine was built between July 1928 and November 1934 in memory of the thousands from Victoria who served and died in the 1914 -1918 war. It has been a growing monument with other memorials added to the site as Australian soldiers fought in various campaigns. Queen Elizabeth II dedicated the forecourt in 1954 to those who served in the 1939 - 1945 war. There is a prominent inscription that declares, "Let all men know that this is holy ground". This is recognition that there is something very special about those who died on behalf of others.

Sought and Found

SOUGHT AND FOUND

In February 2013, an 18-year-old British backpacker went missing in the Australian outback for three days. He was young, healthy and very fit, since he was a keen long-distance runner. He had been working on a cattle station in Queensland and decided to go for a jog. In the heat of some 40oC he became disorientated and instead of running back to the cattle station and safety, he was going in the opposite direction. Thankfully, there were folks searching for him and he was found during a helicopter search of the region. It must have been a dreadful ordeal for this man and his family; almost unimaginable.

Disappearance

The news media frequently reports stories of people and things that have disappeared or gone missing. Often these stories run for a while as explanations are sought or the lost is found. We can think of children who have inexplicably disappeared; in Northern Ireland some, who seemingly have been abducted by terrorists, are termed ‘the disappeared’; recently an aircraft left Malaysia to go to China and it mysteriously disappeared. Some of these stories, while unexplainable, hold a certain fascination as we try to understand the whys and wherefores.

For a Christian believer the greatest disappearance of all is that of sins. The Word of God, the Holy Bible, states, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” John 1.29. Undoubtedly, the greatest problem the world ever faced was that of sin. All other problems, whether family, financial, physical, may affect some people, but sin affects us all. Every other difficulty is the result of sin and none can escape its consequences. This is what the Bible declares, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” Romans 5.12. Notice the word ‘all’ is mentioned twice. We cannot escape this truth.

It may be reasoned that if we are all in the same situation, why worry? That kind of reasoning would hardly have been a comfort to those who were on the aircraft that disappeared! It would not have helped those who were drowned when the famous ship ‘Titanic’ went below the icy waters!

The reason why you need to worry is this: “Because He [God] hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead” Acts 17.31. If we are to escape the judgment of God against our sins, then our sins have to disappear. This can only happen on one basis: “… the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” 1John 1.7. It was wonderful of God to send His own Son into this world to die on the cross of Calvary for sinners: “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5.8. When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour, God has promised, “… their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” Hebrews 10.17.

For all whose sins have been banished, there is another disappearance that to them is delightful. The Saviour has promised, “… I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” John 14.3. The apostle Paul records in his letter to the young church in Thessalonica, “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” 1Thessalonians 4.16,17.

National and international events, natural and physical calamities, increasing immorality and vice, cruelty and violence all point to the fact that Jesus Christ is coming again. We do not know when, but we believe it will be soon and then all those whose sins have been cleansed, will be snatched away to heaven to be forever with the Lord. What a glorious prospect! Unfortunately, it is not shared by all. Those whose sins are not forgiven will be left for the judicial dealings of God. Little wonder we are instructed, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” Matthew 24.44.

This blog was written by a Guest Blogger. For more blogs, podcasts or videos explaining "Truth u Can Trust" or to get in touch visit Seek the Truth Bible Media at www.seekthetruth.org.uk

Eternity

The proverb ‘Time and tide wait for no man’ is first credited in another form to St. Maher in 1225, but we all get the point that time is marching on and none of us can stop it. To me, it seems like only yesterday that we were celebrating the new millennium with many brilliant displays seen on TV from all over the world. One of the first to appear when the clock chimed twelve was Australia, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Amidst the illuminations on the Bridge the word ETERNITY stood out in bold copperplate writing, a replica of the word that Arthur Stace wrote on the pavements of Sydney for over thirty-five years.

 Who was Arthur Stace?  According to Wikipedia ‘Arthur Malcolm Stace (9 February 1884 – 30 July 1967), otherwise known as Mr Eternity, was an Australian reformed alcoholic who converted to Christianity and spread his form of gospel by writing the word "Eternity'" in chalk on footpaths in Sydney over a period of approximately 35 years. Stace was born in Balmain, in the inner-west of Sydney. The child of alcoholics, he was brought up in poverty. In order to survive, he resorted to stealing bread and milk and searching for scraps of food in bins. By the age of 12, Stace, with virtually no formal schooling, had become a ward of the state. As a teenager, he became an alcoholic and was subsequently sent to jail at 15. Afterwards, he worked as a "cockatoo" or a look-out for a Two-up "school". In his twenties, he was a scout for his sisters' brothels. In March 1916, at age 26, he enlisted for World War I with the 19th Battalion 5th Brigade AIF, entering with the 16th Reinforcements, service number 5934. He suffered recurring bouts of bronchitis and pleurisy, which led to his medical discharge on 2 April 1919. 

Stace converted to Christianity on the night of 6 August 1930, after hearing an inspirational sermon by the Reverend R. B. S. Hammond at St. Barnabas Church, Broadway. Inspired by the words, he became enamoured of the notion of eternity. Two years later, on 14 November 1932, Arthur was further inspired by the preaching of evangelist John G. Ridley,^[3] MC on "The echoes of Eternity" from Isaiah 57:15:"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

John Ridley's words,"Eternity, Eternity, I wish that I could sound or shout that word to everyone in the streets of Sydney. You've got to meet it, where will you spend Eternity?" proved crucial in Stace's decision to tell others about his faith. In an interview, Stace said, "Eternity went ringing through my brain and suddenly I began crying and felt a powerful call from the Lord to write Eternity." Even though he was illiterate and could hardly write his own name Arthur, legibly, "the word 'Eternity' came out smoothly, in a beautiful copperplate script. I couldn't understand it, and I still can't."

The Sydney City Council brought him to the attention of the police as they had rules about the defacing of pavements, so much so that he narrowly avoided arrest around twenty-four times. Each time he was caught, he responded with, "But I had permission from a higher source".

Several mornings a week for the next 35 years, Stace left his wife, Pearl and their home in Bulwarra Road, Pyrmont around 5am to go around the streets of Sydney and chalk the word "Eternity" on footpaths, train station entrances and anywhere else he could think of. It is estimated that he wrote the word around 500,000 times over the 35 years. Workers arriving in the city would see the word freshly written, but not the writer, and so, "The man who writes Eternity" became a legend in Sydney. The mystery was solved when Reverend Lisle M. Thompson, who preached at the church where Stace worked as a cleaner, saw him take a piece of chalk from his pocket and write the word on the footpath.

Thompson wrote about Stace's life and an interview was published in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph on 21 June 1956’. 

Arthur Stace left his mark upon Sydney and all the world with the word ‘Eternity’.

Eternity, like God Himself has no beginning and no end. The word eternity is found only once in the Bible (Isa. 57:15) quoted above but the word eternal is found 47 times (twice in Old Testament and 45 in the NT) 21 of these present the fact of eternal life, and John’s writings have 15 of these. 

In John 3:14 to 16 we read, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 

‘Eternal’ and ‘everlasting’ in those verses are the same Greek word so can be interchangeable. Christ’s death on the cross is the only way to obtain eternal life and faith in Him is the only means of receiving it, for sinners like you and me.

 John Ridley’s words, "Eternity, Eternity, I wish that I could sound or shout that word to everyone in the streets of Sydney. You've got to meet it, where will you spend Eternity?" were aimed locally, but they apply globally. Have you got eternal life? If not, then before you do anything else, tell God about your sin and ask His forgiveness. He will save you and give you eternal life. God bless.

Written for FTMP by a Guest Blogger

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