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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 715, 19 February 1853, Page 3

“ Waiting hy the Same Rulea Sermon , by the laic Rev. John Frederick Cucrtox, Colonial Chaplain. Williamson and Wilson, pp. 1(5. In addition lo the value of (his Discourse in itself, it derives a peculiar and melancholy interest from its having been preached by its lamented author not only on (he Twelfth Anniversary of his ministry in* Auckland, but also on Urn last Sunday morning on which he officiated in Si. Paul’s. If will therefore he read —especially by those who heard it delivered —with feelings solemnized hy the reflection that the voice of the preacher, which had so often spoken to them words of instruction, correction, or consolation, is now silent in the grave. The Text is Philippians, 3 ch, 16 v., “Whereto we have already attained, let ns walk by the same rule ; lot us mind the same tiling and the subject is the unity which should subsist between (lie members of Christ's Church Universal, ami, more particularly, between the members of the same branch of that Church,—or, as Mr. Churlon expressed it, giving the principle “a domestic application,” so that. “ forming, as we do, a chamber in the Church of Christ, we may he, in this our chamber, at unity among ourselves.” The immediate occasion of some local references is made sufficiently plain in a nolehy the author; hut we do not obtrude any opinion whatever on this point. in selecting a brief extract, we with pleasure quote such a passage as the following, in which (he catholicity ofMr.Churlon's views and feelings towards Ills fellow Christians of other denominations is admirably manifested : “ In the Holy Scriptures ami the Holy Spirit , we have all the same one blessed truth, and all She same one blessed light to read it by. ‘They shall he, all, (aught of God.’ 4 The Spirit of Truth shall guide you into all truth.’ Then here is (he national standard of our common Christianity ; here is the law and rule for our general 4 unity’—here is ground open and common to all. From this Church, from (hat Church, under all our diversities of administration and denomination, yet we may soar above our fences and our brickwork and on the sacred ground of Holy Scripture we may meet in holy happy 4 unity.’ On many a Sabbath I have looked around exactly at this hour, and 1 have known, with grateful joy, that hundreds are occupied in prayer, are, spiritually ‘ together and have all things common and that whilst walls and furlongs separate us here, yel, like the ' enfranchised soul ascending from the body, so all these prayers ascend as one large, common, sacrifice; and God hears (hem all, no Label confusion of tongues, but the veriest sacred music, and —as a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ —God hears the one harmonious language of one common faith ; and my heart has gone lo them for the minifies it could spare; it has gone into their sanctuaries, and joined in their worship, because 5 knew we were ‘‘united’ on the common consecrated ground of Holy Scripture. And, again, within the compass of a lew square feet, T have joined with mutual comfort and profit, the members of four several Churches, separate, indeed, as Churches, yet we could all meet in 4 unify’ upon that common ground of Holy Scripture. Now, such is the great application, the practical reality of (his Scripture before us, ‘ Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing 1 ” ’