GOOD FRIDAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1102, 15 April 1911, Page 6

GOOD FRIDAY.

CHURCH SERVICES. Yesterday the sacred character of flood Friday was more especially observed at tho Anglican, lionian Catholic and Presbyterian Chinches. Tho attendances were large, notwithstanding tho iinpropitioiis weather. ANGLICAN. Preaching at St. Paul's Pro-C'alhedral yesterday morning, the Rev. T. 11. .Sprott took as his text U Corinthians, 11 and 15. "We thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead ; and that Ho died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves." Mr. Sprott said the principle of sacrifice was better known today than ever before owing to the researches of students of comparative religion. Tho sub-eonscious idea which the human race in all ages and places strove to express in tlieir sacrificial customs, in spite of all errors and perversion;, was fellowship with God. Some people to-day sremod to think that sacrifice, meant the appeasing of an angry God by blood and death, but, of course, that was a mistake. Tho earliest form of sacrifice, the peace offering, was a banquet for which a sacred animal was killed. It was symbolical of joyous fellowship and friendship with God. As man's ideas becamo more moralised, it was seen that in order to have this fellowship with God a life- in accordance with His will was necessary, and this idea was expressed in the burnt-offering. These two forms of sacrifice contain the. fundamental principle of religion and morality—fellowship with mid obedience to* God. The next step in tho process of moralisatinn produced the sin offering, symbolising man's death to bis lower self. All these conceptions were summed up in the perfect sacrifice of Christ as tho representative of humanity, and each one must individually realise this sacriiico in his own life by the death of his lower nature, and by ceasing to live, unto himself. Living for self was anti-sacrificial, and living for others was the true sacrificial principle.

At St. Peter's Church, where the vicar, Archdeacon C. C. Harper was :n charge, morning service was held, ami the three-hours' devotional service foilo'.vcd. At this the attendance throughout was large. The choir, boys and members of the C.M.S. went out into the. street and hold an open-air service at Veitch and Allan's corner. In the evening the, choir rendered Staincr's Crucifixion.

.At St. Mark's Church Antc-Commu-mon cervico was held at 8.30 a.m.; Matins, at.10.30 a.m.; an dtho throehours' service at 12 o'clock. The vicar, Rev. A. M. Johnson, who conducted the services, preached on the Seven Words from the Cross. The attendances were large. .Evensong was held lat 7 o'clock, and the "Story of the Cross," to a setting by Mr. L. F. Watkins, organist, was sung. ROMAN CATHOLIC. . Well-attended services were held throughout the day at all of tho city and suburban Catholic Churches. At the Church of the Sacred Heart at !) a.m. the lirst portion of (he ceremony of the IJiivoiling of the Cross was. heir!, and Solemn Mass was conducted by his Grace Archbishop Redwood. In the afternoon tiie Service of the Stations nf tho Cross was held, and in the evening the service Tenebrao was followed by a sermon on the Passion of Our Lord,' bv Monsignor Fowler. PRESBYTERIAN. . , A special service was conducted - at tho In Momoriam Church, Island Ba-v, yesterday morning by the Rev. W. Shirer. In the orening'jUr. Shiror held a service in St. James Church, Adelaide Bond, the subject of his sermon being. "Three Grrat Days." the Day of ■ Incarnation, the Day of Crucifixion, aud the Day of Resurrection. A special Easter service was conducted at St. John's Church yesterday morning by the Rev. Dr. Gibb, who spoke on Iho text, Luke xxiii, 16, "Having said this He gave up the Ghost." The death of Jesus, said Dr. Gibb.. in the course of his sermon, was unique in its calm majesty and self-control, and its spiritual sublimity. Tho wonderful mastery of all the torments of His body and all the nnguish of His spirit was noticeable not only on the Cross, but in an incident which occurred immediately prior to the Crucifixion, when Christ was offered a cup of spiced wine to lessen the panes of the Crucifixion. Christ lasted tho wine, and immediately set down the cup. Ho would not have his senses \wv liis mind clouded. He would To fully master of Himself, and would n-'o through the valley of the shadow with every faculty in unclouded clearness. MISSIONS TO SEAMEN. There was a large congregation at the service at the Missions to Seamen Church on Good Friday morning, when Mr. G. Castle preached from St. John xix., 1C: "Then delivered be Him therefore unto them to bo crucified." In the evening a limelight lantern service was held in the institute, a large congregation being present. Mr. J. S. Cuimnings read the service, aud the Rev. B. H. \Varrt spoko of incidents in tho life of Christ, and the lessons gained from them. Ho explained the views shown of Jerusalem, Bethany, and other places, where Jesus Christ spent most of His time while on earth, and views of tho crucifixion were also shown. Miss Loiz took the solo, "Calvary," and tho choir and congregation sang special hymns. Mr. G. W. Barltrop managed the lantern, and Mr. W. Gardner presided at the organ.