Mr Byron de Winton as a Preacher.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 84, 3 October 1894, Page 3

Mr Byron de Winton as a Preacher.

On Sunday evening last, at the AsBembly Rooms, Mr de Winton gave his first sermon in Feilding to a largo gathering. He took his text from St. Luke XI chapter and 2nd verse. In a clear and forcible manner he insisted on the practical side of Christianity and had no sympathy with the high and ornate services of the churches, maintaining that each man should be a priest to himself and in his own household, illustrating his meaning by an account oia, service he had been a spectator of in Ireland, where in a rude bog hut, with open Bible, the father, surrounded by his wife and family, conducted simple yet heartfelt worship in wbich one and all could join. Mr de Winton pleaded strongly for great consideration to be shown the drunkard, the thief, and the outcast, saying that in most instances they were rather the victims of hereditary sins than wilful violators of the law. In each face he asserted something of the human Christ could be traced, and that it wanted but to be appealed to in the right way to bring about a reformation in life. To the parents present Mr de Winton urged that any indication given by a child as to its fitness for certain occupations should be carefully watched and every effort made to enable such a child to follow out in after life the bent of its inclination. He concluded an earnest address by urging his hearers to be true to themselves and their own individuality, as they would thus avoid that monotony which was inevitable in life which resulted from the practice of doing things and looking at things simply because others did so. Mr de Winton will preach again next Sunday evening, taking as his subject the Death and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and will also touch upon the Athenasiau Creed.