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New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 732, 20 April 1853, Page 3

The Duke. —The following is an extract from a sermon by the Itev. Dr. Gumming, at the Scottish. National Church, Crown-court, Covent Garden, on Sunday, the 19th September,—“ The great hero kings and cabinets vied m ith each other adequately to honour —whose likeness painters, sculptors, and artists felt it an honour to embody—whose eagle-eye scanned the lines of Torres Vedras, and arranged the victorious squares of Waterloo, whose heroic heart quailed at no peril, and despaired amid no difficulties, because conscious of doing the right work for right ends, and in the right way—the conqueror of Napoleon is taken from us. I doubt not that if the world has lost a hero, Britain a champion, and our Queen a servant, whose name has no plural and his career no parallel, the “ better country” has received a new subject, not because he wore a. victorious sword, but because he believed in Jesus. No public man ever lived whose life was so slightly shapen by outer inliuences. There is not a proof in these four-score years and four that self aggrandisement, or thirst of glory, gave tone or direction to the conduct of Wellington. In this respect hj stands out in perfect contrast to ancient and r ' J ceding heroes, philosophers, and statesmen. r ‘* emistocles could not sleep for envy of those who preceded him or were his contemporaries ; Alexander sighed for more worlds to conquer ; Caesar wept, because at Alexander’s age he had conquered nothing; Napoleon was scorched with an ambition sometimes childish—sometimes demoniac—always insatiable; but Wellington, with purity of motive, singleness of eye, and simplicity of purpose, insensible to praise or censure, followed duty only. He sought noble ends, by noble means, from noble motives. Fame might follow him. lie had neither taste nor time to follow her. lam not the eulogist of war. But surely if one would defend a cotton mill from lawless assault it cannot be less dutiful to defend one’s country, kith, and borne from hostile invasion or destruction. lie lias no heart who sits, and sleeps, and draws his revenue under the overshadowing peace which Wellington and his brave comrades won for us at Waterloo, and yet speaks disdainfully of what they did, or indulges in mere eloquent denunciations of war. Had Napoleon gained the day, it is not improbable that England would have been now an appendage of France, and our Protestant Church under the 'domination of the Vatican. Let us pray and toil as Christians that there may be less and loss necessity for the soldier’s miss’on; but when the unsheathing of the sword is demanded, that many may inherit the mantle of Wellington. May our country always bo victorious; but victorious or vanquished, may she be always in the right!”

Early Closing Association. —The annual reunion of the members of the various committees and friends of the society was held on Tuesday night, at the Exeter Hall Hotel, Strand; W. D. Owen, Esq., in the chair. The mooting Was most numerously and respectably attended, notwithstanding the unpropitious state of the weather. Tea and coffee, &c., were liberally supplied to the company.—Mr. Lilwall then rose and said that since they met last year, the association had greatly improved with regard to the finances. Last year the association was in debt to the extent of nearly £.‘loo. It was then suggested that each one (there being (50 present) should collect £5. Their princely and Christian friend Mr. Hitchcock, in order to give strength, to that recommendation, offered that whatever sum might he collected he would double it. The result of the proposition which had been made was that they raised a sum of £40(5. A deputation then waited with great diffidence upon Mr. Hitchcock, and told him of the result of their proceedings, upon which that gentleman drew a cheque for a corresponding amount. Thus, after paying off the debt of £OOO, they had a balance of £SOO. The hours of business had been considerable abridged in London, and on this point a great advance had been made in the past year. Some highly-respectable firms had become converts to the necessity of early closing. Comparing the year 1019 with 1052, there was an increase of 49 houses closing at earlier hours. He would next refer to the emigration movement. Prior to that fact there was such a superfluity of young men to be had that it was monstrous to call them or to suppose that they were free agents. But the case now was no longer so. If young men were prudent and took advantage of the present aspect of affairs, they could not fail to maintain a good position. Then, as to what was proposed to be done in the approaching year ; it was intended to hold district meetings, to which proposition the ministers of religion gave their sanction ; also to hold a great central meeting, possibly in Exeter Hall, or ia Covent-garden Theatre. And lie might state that it was very probable that this meeting would lie followed up by a meeting of the employers of London. He believed that nine tenths of the employers desired fo adopt the early closing system. —The Chairman, in an eloquent address, dwelt on the inestimable blessings to be derived from the adoption of the early closing movement. —Mr. Nicholson next addressed the meeting on the probable 1 covings of the early closing movement on the social, intellectual, and moral condition of the tradesmen of the United Kingdom —After a vote of thanks to the chairman, the meeting broke up.