THE ANGLICAN MISSION

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 937, 3 October 1910, Page 6

THE ANGLICAN MISSION

WORK IN THE PARISHES,

CROWDED CHURCHES LAST NIGHT,

The Anglican missioners from England commenced their work in various city and suburban parishes yesterday, the response of the people, as shown in the attendances at the churches, being most encouraging. The morning services were attended by -unusually large congregations, while at the special mission services in the evening the wore crowdcd in every part. The addresses of the missioners are being followed with the greatest interest, and it is. felt, to use the words of a Wellington clergyman, that' "such services as were held yesterday with their clear appeal to the bost in man's nature—thorough, reverend, and without, any trace, of sensationalism—must result in quickening and awakening the consciousness of the presence of God in the mission." The mission will be continued to-day and throughout the week. ST. PAULIS. THE NEED FOR A SENSE OF SIN. •The Bcv. Canon Ivens, M.A., Vicar of Sowerby, and Canon of Wakcßeld, is the missioner at St. Paul's, Thorndon. The iiitroduotory service was held on Saturday night, when.. communicants and workers ■ were, specially addressed. The preacher referred to the meaning ' and objects of the mission, and spoke of the Church's call, first of all to members who had grown cold, and then to those outside. Yesterday the missioner' delivered a brief address.at 8 a.m. at the Communion service. There were large attendances at the services throughout the day.'; . Cdnon Ivens- preached at matins: on "Jesus Christ as the One "Foundation of tile Christian's Life.". A men's service was held in the afternoon, , when the missioner spoke on "Some Missing Links in the Religion of Men To-day." He also addressed the children at 10.45 a.m. in the Tinakori Road Churchroom.

There was a crowded congregation at evensong, the church being full some time, before the service began. Canon Ivens preached a simple aud- impressive sermon. ..'■•'•'

"What.sayest thou of ' thyself ?"--the question which was put to St. John the Baptist by the. scribes and Phariseeswas .the'text and keynote of the- discourse/ The preacher; explained that-an examination'of oneself would be;a good beginning for the series of amission sermons which he. will preach night after night throughout the week. The,reality of/each, man's responsibility, for his actions was ] first strongly insisted upon, tho preacher scouting the; notion that one may blame ono's ancestors,. or. one's environment for one's wrongdoings. Men, if they were honest with themselves,' were conscious that they' had' the power of i freewill, and could-choose between right and wrong. One of the great,needs of to-day. was. a sense of sin,, and to evoke that sense was one ,of the first purposes of the mission. In the Church of England there was no compulsory confessional, and this was well, but' there was a danger of self-examination being neglected. -'.He urged his hearers to makV, this : week a special timefor taking stiiii of themselves, facing their. sins, and- discovering ; whether they were living an active Christian life or merely drifting with' the stream. Let it-be done in a spirit of love,/ hope, arid faith, a belief that,-there_ was; ; hope for .every, soul, and that all. gifts and graces were meant-for everyone. •/. ; '.'". '. *" -.-';' ';': ;

'. A solemn after-meeting was held. . .The following services will be held at St..'Paul's to-day :-7.30 a.m.: Holy Communion and brief address. 11 a.m.: Bible reading (first of a course if expositions of the Epistle to the Philippians). ' 3 p.m.: Service "forewomen;.subject, "Piety at Home." 7.30 J[ission ' seryico and: sermon; subject,- "My Sins."- "■ Aftermeeting., . [

BT. PETER'S,

REV. J. C. FITZGERALD'S ADDRESS

TO MEN.

: "Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold thy King cometh," was the text taken by.the Rev. J. C. Fitzgerald, of the Community of the Resurrection, for his sermon in St. Peter's Church on' Saturday night. It was the opening of the mission in that parish, and thero was a large congregation. The' inissioncr said that tho .text should be a keynote for the mission. ■ Tho Rev.' J.' C. Fitzgerald gave a striking address to men in St. Peter's Church yesterday afternoon on' "Why men should be religious." In ,an earnest, direct, and impressive manner Mr. Fitzgerald stated that men should be religious because religion,- God, and immortality" were instructive beliefs of-' humanity; because of the need for the extension of Christian influence; because of the longing for liberty for. all aspects of life,. and Christianity brought with it tho truest freedom; and because, for tho sake of the nation, right .; living was the surest foundation : for national greatness; ' Mr. Fitzgerald said he was a Democrat himself,) and always had been one,,and many of his best friends were working men;, and he felt sure that Christianity' /was the best friend of Labour. What 'was needed was a great brotherhood. of love which would win. the world for God. Speaking of religion in family life, Mr. Fitzgerald said the father should be the priest- in his own home, and he then went on to condemn' in scathing terms the growing practice of limitation of families. Ho said this was one of the greatest curses of the • Old Country, and he was shocked to find that it had got a hold in this young Dominion. If. they trusted in thomselves alone they were helpless in their struggle against evil; but Christ was able to deliver them from the power of 6in. '-.."

There was a very large congregation at the. mission service last night. • Tho missioner delivered a short instruction, and then a mission sermon. The subject of the instruction was the "Great Dividing Line," the missioner pointing out that in religion as in everything else there was the usual division of classes. Somo were on the right side and some on the wrong. Conversion was what placed them all on the.'right side,- and this was the object of a mission. Conversion was not merely a change to respectability, it was the turning of the will from sin to righteous-i ness, from the. power of Satan to God. The missioner appealed to all not to ho satisfied with going half-way, but to cross right over to the path of righteousness. The mission sermon was based on Christ's teaching that "except a man be born' again ho cannot see' tho Kingdom of God." Referring to the visit of' Nicodeirius to Christ, the preacher compared it to tho case of the ordinary person attending tho mission. How did Christ deal with Nicodemus? He spoke some hard word 9' to him, and told him he must have a new beginning. None should be discouraged if hard words were hoard at the " mission. There were _ people spiritually asleep, and tho mission was to .wake them up. The mission was a mirror in which they could see themselves in their truo light, 'and Jesus Christ was the . Reformer that coul<l transform New Zealand, because He went to the very root of things. ST. MARK'S. . IMPRESSIVE SERVICES. The parish mission began at St. Mark's ChuToh on Saturday evening, when the missioner (the Rev. G. I'\ C. de Carteret, M.A., Vicar of Christ Church, East Greenwich) was received. The service followed the linos of the prescribed form, except that tho vicar, beforo tho hymn and prayer for a blessing on tho missioner, gavo a last exhortation of preparation. The missioner then 'gavo' his first address on tho words: "Tho people woro in 'expectation." After dwelling 011 the effect produced on Christian people in Wellington'by tho Town Hall mission, lie claimed from thoso present their prayers, their friendship, their loyalty, and their confidence. About 300 people were present at this service, and a good number remained to a meeting of workers, which was hold in the Sunday School, when Mr. de Carteret was introduced, and gavo some practical advico on tho mission.

On' Sunday morning there were two celebrations of the Holy Communion at St. 'Mark's ami one at Hie Rosencnth Churchroom, and over 200 parishioners communicated. At the. second service

the missioner spoke very earnostly from the words, "Lord, what is man that Thou arc remindful of him?" and showed how tho purpose of the mission ivas in accord with the idea of man as given in the revelation of the Bible, that God has a purpose for him, tho restoration of tho original nature. '■ In tho nfternoon the church was well filled with children, who followed the missioner with- keen appreciation as he spoke of the\"little foxes that spoil the grapes," the little foxes that grow into big- ones. The children sang most heartily and tho service was most enjoyable. At 4 p.m. there was a men's service of a simplo,. yet forceful, type. Tho missioner taking as his theme the scene in Pilate's judgment hall; where the Lord turned and looked on. St. Peter, drew from it strong and clear lessons, and took the opportunity to give a straight manly address on the temptations of men. In the evening the mission addresses proper began. The church .was full to its utmost capacity, aiid after shortened evensong the missioner preached an eloquent sermon on the text, "The Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him, where are thou?" He dwelt at length on the characteristic feature of tho .Christian religion, the seeking God, and showed how. this search by God for man was the truth of the incarnation of Christ. At the end of tho service an after-meeting was held, nearly the whole congregation remaining, in which the porsonal application of the sermon was brought, home. - ■ ST. THOMAS'S. AN OPEN-AIR. SERVICE. Large numbers attended all the mission services at St. Thomas's Church, Newtown. ' , ; On Saturday at 7.45 p.m. a service of weloome was held to receive''the Eev. Preb. H. V. Stuart, M.A., who, with tho assistance of Mr. "Joe" Harris, mil conduct the parish mission during the coming week. A striking spectacle was witnessed after tho service, when' the vicar, accompanied by the : missioner, led the surpliccd choir and a number of the. congregation down to the intersection of Bintoul: and Eiddiford Streets, where an open-air service was held. The, missioner addressed .the largo crowd which collected and extended to all a hearty invitation to the services to be held in the church during the course of the mission.. ,

On Sunday Holy Communion'was celebrated at 8 and 11' a.m., a large number of people participating in the sacrament, and at 2.30 p.m. a children's service was held,- '-•.■■ i.\

At 4 p.m. over 200 men assembled to. take part in the men's service.. The missioner delivered a powerful address upon the tremendous spiritual forces of the eternal God, taking for his text, II Kings vi., 17: "And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray Thee open his eyes, that he may see, and the Lord opened the eyes of tlio young man, and he saw, and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of. fire round about Elisha."

At 7 p.ni. the Cliurch was filled to overflowing. To accommodate .the' congregation the aisles had to be lined with chairs, and forms placed in every vacant i spot; The missioner conducted a purely mission service. Speaking'from the text, Matthew xi, 28: • "Come. unto mo all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give 1 you rest," he made a deep impression upon his hearers, a largo proportion of whom stayed .behind for an after-meeting, ■ lyhen : the missioner dealt more fully with the claims of Christ and the certaiiity of our having some'day to meet'those claims.