BISHOP SPROTT AT ST. PETER'S.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1908, 17 November 1913, Page 6

BISHOP SPROTT AT ST. PETER'S.

THE CHRISTIAN UFE AND THE WORLD'S WORK. Yesterday afternoon the Bishop of Wellington, tho Right Rev. Dr. Kprott, administered confirmation to fifty ftindi- ■ dates at St. Peter's Church, Willis 1 Stroot. The church Was occupied .by many parents rtnd friends of the candi- . dates. Archdeacon Harper presented . tho candidates, who wero all. of St. Peter's Parish. Dr. Sprott's address to tho candidates was simple and direct. The preacher pointed out that confirma- . tion carried oji and reaffirmed the obligations arising from baptism. '■ It conferred upon ' those ooming forward a strengthened : grace of ' God, which enabled thorn to fulfil those obligations. .'The preacher theft' dwelt to some length on the diAicnJties »ud tempi ations with which, ihi path of , lifo was beset. The Bishop also preached at tho evening service at St. Peter's, His text was : "I pray not that Thou shouldst take them out of tho world, but that Tiiou shouldst, keep thorn from tiio evil" . (St. John xvilj lo). Tho Bishop said tho text showed that Christ. did not consider tho world a place to tie despaired of or abandoned, but a placo to bo hoped for .and redeemed. .Sbnie , people thought that as tho world's work ' was- a.t present, organised it was ini-" possible to take a slia.ro ill it and keep from evil. So'mo. were' ■therefore: clamouring for tho ■,whijlo thing jjo bo 1 radically altered, Ho did not intend to deal with that aspect of tho question, hut lie had .doubts abbut._these grand schemes for the regeneration 'of' tho _ world. It was certainly difficult. to live a Christian life under existing ' conditions, but. all noble work was difficult'. Still it was not impossible to livcv, in tho world, and vet keep from the, evil. ,In order to live ' the Christian life it was, of course, necessary to mako t sacrifices, and to take up tho Cross," and perhaps to seo oneself outstripped b,v those who refused to bear the Cross.. They should regard their daily wjork as a calling from God, and such work must bo 'awful, and tend to promote Imman well-being, not ill-beii)g. Selfinterest ntiist not bo the .only, motive, hut our lives should .ho characterised fey a love of justice, truth,. and' fairdealing. The Christian standard of life i fostered a spirit of noble contentment. This did not mean a sluggish disposition, but was the opposite of the pecv- ; isli craving to possess, They ought .not regard tliemso^vos'' ais the ' s'ibio porters of tile results of tljeir toil, so that they could do what they pleased with their wealth: hut as stewards responsible to God. If tlicy acted' on these ■.principles they could engago in the ■world's work and keep from evil. Christ's prayer showed that Ho considered this was possible. It must bo possible. ' :