The Oamaru Mail MONDAY, APRIL 5, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1237, 5 April 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail MONDAY, APRIL 5, 1880.

We were shown to-day, in Mr. Maudes 1 office, a very fine sample of wheat, grown at Waikaura (Mr. M 'Masters farm at Boundary Creek). In color and plumpness it is all that could be desired. We understand that it is a parcel from a crop that has just been threshed out, and which has given the grand result of 62$ bushels per acre. This is as high as, if not h : gher than, any yield in the district that has yet come under our notice. The talented Lynch Family, bellringers and vocalists, and English combination troupe, gave one of their clever drawingroom entertainments at the Mechanics Institute, Hampden, on Saturday evening. There was a very large and appreciative attendance, and from first to last tho performance thoroughly enraptured those present. Owing to the number of encores the entertainment was not over till a late hour; but the Bellringers expressed themselves as well pleased with the visit, and promised a return performance, if possible, before their departure 'from the Colony.

The new Primitive Methodist Chapel in Eden-street was opened for divine service yesterday, the three services being attended by congregations that filled the small but comfortable building. The services in the morning and afternoon were conducted by the Rev. J. Dumbell, of Timaru, the sermon in the morning being based upon text from Genesis xxviii., 11th to 22nd verses, and in the afternoon upon 32nd verse of John xii. In the evening the Rev. A. B. Todd was the officiating minister, and preached from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans, xii., Ist verse. The collections amounted to L 6 9s. 6d. This evening a tea meeting will be held, to be followed by a public meeting, at which addresses will be delivered by a number of clergymen.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court, today, the adjoiirned case against Mr. P. Blakesley for selling quantities o£ beer without a license was again called on. The case had been adjourned for the purpose of allowing the defendant an opportunity of taking out a license, his previous selling of beer having been carried on under the impression that he was entitled to sell under the license held by Messrs. Lintotfc and Otterson, whose beer he sold and on whose premises he carried on business. Inspector Thompson stated that Mr. Blakesley had taken out a license, and the case was then withdrawn. A Warden's Court will be held at Livingstone to-morrow.

Yesterday a thanksgiving service was held in St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, which was well attended. The minister, the Rev. A. B. Todd, officiated. The psalms and hymns seemed very appropriate for the occasion, being the 145 th Psalm, Alford's hymn " Come, ye thankful people, come," and Addison's well-known hymn " When all thy mercies, 0 my God." The scriptures read were the Gsth Psalm and a part of our Lord's Sermon on the Mount. The text was in Acts xiv. 17> "Nevertheless God left not Himself without witness, in that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." The preacher commenced by stating that while the main business of the minister was to preach Christ and Him

crucified, he was not bound to confine himself to a few of the doctrines of Christianity. His range of subject was as wide as the Bible itself, in all its falnes3 and rich variety. His model was Jesus Christ, who travelled over the whole region of nature in bi3 teaching, who made the troths of natural religion avenues to the mysteries of the gospel of peace. The apostles pursued the .same course, of which Paul was an example in thi3 address. In speaking to the inhabitants of Lystra, he showed that their idolatry was inexcusable, 33 God had given witness of His existence and goodness to all men, sending rain from Heaven and fruitful seasons. The same God continues to bear witness of Himself to all mankind, and it becomes us to listen to His voice, to cherish and e,xpres3 our thankfulness to Him for all His bounties, and specially for the harvest being gathered in. Pursuing this line of thought, the preacher showed that the works of creation and providence bear witness to the existence and character of God—bear witness to the fact that there is a Great Supreme Being—that He is righteous, true, and good, and that the recognition of God's relation to us as the Almighty Creator, the loving possessor and. righteous ruler is fitted to produce in men conviction of sin, and to lead them to the Cross for pardon and purity and peace. Then, when men have attained the knowledge of the true God and of Jesus Christ, they will render double thanksgiving for the blessings of grace as well as of providence. The service closed by the congregation singing the beautiful hymn of Shirley, "Dismiss us 'with thy blessing, Lord."

Among the heroes of the Cabul war must be ranked the drummer boy of the 92nd Highlanders, who refused to fall out on the march to Cabul. Aa he was plodding wearily through the sand of the Loger Valley an officer advised him to fall out, but the reply c rae back prompt and stout, "Xae, nae, II! nae fa" oir till I've washed my hands i' the Caspian !" The laddie's geography, it may be, was rather at fanlt, but his heart was right enough.—Court Journal. Apropos of the importation of foreign I meat from Australia, it is stated that duriug the last two years no fewer than seven companies have been formed to bring fresh meat to England from abroad —from Texas, from Hungary, from Spain, and elsewhere. Over „L50,G00 has been spent in promoters'fee3, advertising, and other initial expenses ; but hardly -i of meat has been brought in;o the country by auy of these companies. The number Of such enterprises, however, is sl pretty sure sign that there is a good market in England for fresh foreign beef if a supply can be obtained.—European Mail, •