THE CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 28, 28 October 1907, Page 4

THE CHURCHES.

:• ;', REV., J, J.. NORTH IN'EXPLANATIbN.;.';:'" : ..' REMARKS ABOUT WELLINGTON:'"' 1 ';. At the Baptist Church Inst -evening! .the Rev. .->* J. J. North made the following- statement .—,- -"My 'attention'has been called since'toy re-' tiirir home to certain excerpts-'frfon-a'speech.-''-I made in Auckjand, w.hich appeared,- together \. .' with vigorous cbmmentary, in the local Press... I owe it both to you and to myself 'that I should say this much about the affair. -The>' meeting Jn question was, one of the,best men'e . meetings that have been held in Auckland. Its special object was' the' discussion '"or" "'•' sociah questions' arid, of the relations of fhe Ghurcli-thereto..'. I referred to the Land Quo*;;..tion, and to urbau land, concerning which the Government declines "to legislate. I pointed out that Wellington was working * out. a, diictio ad absurdum in, this regard. .1 t01d.0f.,, the conditions which every one knows to exist, , ' ' of- cruel rents, of families" herd«l under • ono , ' ropf, of yards .with~barely■.breathing,■ space.'-in.•.., thorn, of suburbs exploited by land- syndicates; to the•'prii'el'.loss'of working.meii. 'Arid , T'said'- ,, '' 'that in regard to tho land question, and in view of tlio youth and i prospects of the city, ; We_llingtori ! iwas..iqno' of: the .'scandalsTof-!.'the i Universe.'" I sUid it feeling it to be very true and very pertinent to the question in hand. The direct bearings of the question on religion cannot bo overlooked! .'A'riba'dly-honsed''people l will tend to, become an immoral people. You as a'Churcli quite-'believe this, and whilo the business ■', of. a 1 Minister, is to. preach Gospel you'believe that a Minister'deserves to be'unffobked.v if I '.he suffer ■ great ■'■ wrongs.>" to'■■■• grow:without (.recording . his '..emphatic ■ protest. It ■ Scorns to me to bo .almost too sad for speech' that" in , these new lands'we should be build- ; ing old-world cities.-and repeating, the. follies-; which have cramped the lives and spoiled the earth for one million of our feliow-men. ' "Some people haye been at pains to suggest a wicked malice' ' in 1 Bayinß such 'things iii Auckland. I had to speak iii Auckland on this question, it was not riiy "choice. I spoke of Wellington only because, L know, it:;best," .and to speak of what one knows is a first'duty. I yield to no man iu love for this city, and I am not possessedof that stupid-provincial jealousy which s'o mars colonial life.. No other city has a geography-.like oiirs, or conditions like Mr;' North stated; in conclusion, that it was necessary to ■ .recognise evils,, and to labour fiercely for their redress. \ , ' ' ..j'.'.,'. ( .-:■■. ■-. '■'. .:.-.»■ : ' '■ .-•• ■; ■.%■■■'■'■ |!"r ■;•'. .-.: .- TERRACE- CONGREGATIONAL'--CHURCH - ■

.'•-■■ ' ■•■;; [ '' "I 'consider the anniversary services'Vβ hav»' held to-day to be the finest we have ever had," J. BvGlasspni-yester-day, at the cpnclusion of the evening service. In honour'of'the church's sixty-third anniversary; tho' building' had- been ' beautifully decorated, 'arid a: special- chorus of .children: augmented the- church choir... At ;the morning 'service the sermon was. , addressed , principally to the young people, the Rev.'Mr.Glasson taking, for/his subject the Joseph; in Egypt, always an attractive/.theme to children. The afternoon service was conducted the Rov."Macdonald-Aspland. Jn tho evening, the church,was crowded, , and ; the Key.. Mγ.Glasson again occupied tho pulpit, taking for his text the words': "'Only beYthou strong anil very courageous . . ~" from the first chapter of Joshua, .verse, Raven.; The .keynote of tho sermon. Was Mor'ps,' the; great leader had gone; , - and' Joshua 'reigned .111.his stead, inspired and strengthened by 1 the Divine. Voice. A recent critic, observed Mr. (ilasson, had'said that they wore living in the midst of ' a generation. .of. cravens ijand, cowards, People word afraid, of hardship;- poverty, afraid even of having, children. ' Statesmen lacked tho nerve to face unpopularity-at Home, and shuddered at the. "yellow Peril" abroad. He referred to the , remarks of two men, who, personally/ wore curiously contrasted; the late G. P. Watts, the great painter, and Mr. tr. Bernard, Shaw, critic' and' playwright. Both those men held that courage, deliberate ..and steadfast, was' among theMughestPof; huinhn The preacher, concluded -an spiriting address" .by reciting., T.ennysou's "CroßsinK the: Bar."' The musical 'portion* of the' services' 'was v exceptionally Jgooi/and ; m the evening the. large ,well-trained , choir, excelled itself. -.Mr. Horace Hunt presided at the.organ, ;.' , , , . . '.-.;, '''".

■; !, I STi'JOHN'S CHURCH, v ; : ' . ; Tlierb were lnree'CorigregWibns at bothser. vices at St. John's Churcliv yesterday. Jn. the evening Dγ GibVs text. was, ' The Mnlhblo 100 "tho man who'se way is right in his own evesV He said, it,was generally,.held.that, tfc W no.hope- for.such >.. man, would not have takon lum as, thelUeme,.of, hie discourse: if that,wore lur. opinion. As ;r pi r"I, Bnch: men wore obstinate .to' a-.degwe ...a* all cost they stood by their °° n "f °.°«v, n T >S was.nothing more admirable and desirable, thau decision of character- and. firmness, of,will; but to }iis convictions they had been tested' by aIL the.mcthods;.of setting, at. the truth.. Firmness\wasione thing. Endl pighcadedMss another. Especially , woe .the infalliblo fool narrow and stupid;,on, religions qucstions-tho greatest of all questions., if he read on the subject, his reading was limited to books written ' by - the' enemies ol the Church, no would not accept human counsel, and, by .neglecting ttf ask counsel-of £od, he committed the createst bf;alUfqlliesr By a simple appeal to Him and reverent obedience to His commandments wo would avoid all evils and all dangers to which wo were exposed. ".In the long run," said Dr. Gibb, in cob< elusion, "it will bo seen that every man witj out exception is a fool who leaves; AJmignt;. God, out of his reckonings and > does not. son ; tianally. strive to bring las hfe. into harmon. , with Divino ! requirements:" '.' v ■

■ ■■' MEMORIAL'. SERVICE.' •'■ ;■ "At tlio Primitive' Methodist Church,, Thorn, v . don, Inst evening a special memorial, service-; was hold for.-'tho late Mrs. Haddqn, who was. •' for thirty-four years'd member of'the church.-' The K-cv.. K. C. Ward preaching on-thefct.. "The memory of the just is blessed;" dwelt? on' ! . the deceased's Christian character, stating' thnt' , she remained steadfast and true. to the last.:-.-; Hen religion, he raid,'"gave-her serenity.in- j life, patience in' difficulty,' endurance, m/' trial, hope and assurance in. death." ■'- ' '