THE PRIMATE'S VISIT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2025, 31 December 1888, Page 2

THE PRIMATE'S VISIT.

The Mont Rev the Primate, Bishop Harpar, haa just p%H what, Id view of bia Intended retirement from tho notlvo discharge of oplaoopal dutioa, will, m all probabUßy, be hi. IQBtl QB t visit to Ashbarton as Bishop of tho Dioooee. HU Lnrdohlp, who bean tho burden of 85 yeata wonder rally well, looka, we are glad to bob, as hale aod hearty as ever, but Boffars from Inoreaßlng deaf neon. His vci:o fa. h>wevoiv Btill fir m aod atmng, and hla ©yes nndlmmed, and it la heartily hopad that ho may yet bo Bpnred for ycues to glv» the Oiaroh the benefit of hln rfpo oxpntiofcce, and to throw upon tho path of his people tho light of his consisted, binnacle™ Ohriatlan oxampFe. Alwaya an early rlaor Hl» Lordship eota an example to oar youth, for, dospUe his great oga, he rleea at nix or balf-paat s;x o'otook and often nndorgooa groat fatfgae la a long day devoted t > his Maater'a work. Od Sanday he took part m the morning service at Ht Stophen a Oharoh, preaohlDg a good aound ■ermon and officiating at the ssorament. In the afternoon he administered bapliam, and m tho evenlog the rite of cor.firmatlon to 3 male and 16 fomale osndidatoa. The Ohuroh was orowded m every part, not only all the pewa being coonpled, but every foot of apaoe on whlofi & form or chair ooald be placed. The oonfirmore oooapiad as asual the front pews m the navo, the fem»l» oandidatei being nearly all dresaed m white with tt| c head droeiep, and tome of them wore much affected by the solemnity of the ooramonioa whloh were oondnoted very Impressively. The Litany having boon aald the Bishop doJlvered an ad.4rea« to the candidates oooohed m the moßt affectionate and foithfnl terma, In whloh he aot plainly before them tho rcaponalbilltiea and prlvlloxaa of a Christian life, and many of th.c congregation were greatly moved by the appeal of the reverend father iv God «o help tboie who Were DOW maldag • profoasion of their faith by their prayers and by the example of their own consistent Hvoa. A few moment j wore thon«pent m silent prayor, followod by tho conßrmatlon hymn, tho candidates , Btill knoollog, aftor wljloh tho qaentlons j preeoribcd by the Oharoh wcro pnttooaeh i o*ndldate In turn and having been otatrerod In thenffirmativ^theconfirmoes aclvauoed to «ho allar rails where the B'ahop laid handa upon them commending tticm'othohelpandbleaalngofG.d. After the alnglng of another hymn, Hta Lordahlp then advanoed to the chancel steps and dolivored a most eloquent addroao, taking for hit text the first three verses of the 3rd ehaptor of the First Epistle of Joho.and urging upon the oonfirmeea and upon all theoongregation an momborn of tho Ohnroh of Ohrlit, the duty of not only loading outwardly t-ure lives, but cf keeping themselves pare fn hoart and thoqght and conversation. He qrged thorn to esohew all aßßoolatlon with the impure, to be onrnfal at to their companionships, to avoid the ana of idle word*, and lndalgenoo m aoindal, aod to read ro books whloh woro of an immoral tone, and to set boforo thorn tho Great Exemplar as the tqcdel of tholr lives, aoeking to b,o pure eyen as He m pure. The address was listened to with a reverent attention, and there was a general feeling of regret ffiat It was, perhaps, the last that those present might oxpeot to hear Irura those venerable lips. The final hymn was than ?u,og and the Kplaoopsl benediction haying been pronotraoed, tho congregation, which nqmbered 44Q, dlaperaed. To-tday His Lordship consecrated the Church and oometoty at Waterton.