St. John's Church, Feilding.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 26, 31 July 1893, Page 2

St. John's Church, Feilding.

There was a very large congregation at the English Church yesterday evening, when the Rev. A. Hermon preached his farewell sermon. The Rev. H. Hermon assisted, and read the prayers for the day. The hymns 300, 295, 281, and 228, from Hymns Ancient and Modern were sung during the service. The reverend gentleman took for his text : Numbers VI., 24, 25 and 26th verses :— "The Lord bless you and keep you ; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto , you ; The Lord lift up the light of His ' countenance upon you and give you peace." This blessing he said, gave the crowning seal to Israel during their march to the Holy Land. This blessing was a solemn form to be used only by the priests at the tabernacle, and was very suitable for them who had met there to worship together for the last time. The promise to Abraham and to his seed was that they should become as the sand on the seashore. Behold how the Lord had blessed them and kept them, individually and collectively. Had He not during the past twenty years given them this Church |to worship in ? A temple worthy of Him, being larger and better than any country church in the Wellington diocese. The Lord is able, and would at all times keep them — by day and by night. Justification and santiacaiion were offered through faith in Him. Are they willing to walk henceforth worthy of Him ? The preacher in bidding his hearers a final farewell, prayed in the words of his text that the blessing of the Lord might rest upon them, and that they might meet again, if not in this world, still it was his fervent and heartfelt prayer that it might be in Heaven above. The choir sang the hymns in an excellent manner, the congregation joining in very well, and the service throughout was most earnest and impressive. Mrs Hermon was made the recipient of a very handsome present by the scholars of St. John's Sunday School yesterday afternoon, in the form of a book of New Zealand ferns, the cover of the book being composed of New Zealand woods, beautitifully inlaid. Mr Dyer, superintendent of the Sunday School, presented the book on behalf of the scholars, and spoke in a touching manner of the love and affection which the scholars had for Mrs Hermon. In trying to reply for his wife, Mr Hermon was unable to say more than "Thank you very much, and God bless jou all."