HOLY TRINITY CHURCH.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 305, 8 September 1875, Page 2

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH.

On Sunday evening last a large congregation attended Holy Trinity Church, Gisborne, to hear the Rev. E. Williams who had arrived with his family from the the South on the morning of that day, but too late to conduct the morning service.” The reverend gentleman took the text of his discourse from the 4th chapter of the Ist Epistle of Corinthians, Ist and 2nd verses. “ Let a man so account Jof us, as of the Ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that a man b 6 found faithful.” The syllabus comprised four heads, namely: —• Faithfulness, Diligence, and Preparedness, to which might be added Purity of intention, on each of which Mr. Williams dwelt with warmth and earnestness. In introducing his subject, he said he had purposely chosen the text as a means of intimating to his hearers the line of duty he had marked out for himself in his future relations with them as their newly appointed pastor. It was his opinion that a Steward and Minister of God’s word,, should be found faithful in all things, especially in the discharge of that particular duty which involved the eternal spiritual welfare of the souls committed to his charge. To this end then it was essential that there should be a mutuality of action as well as of interest. If it were encumbent on him to be faithful to his trust, it was none the less unnecessary that his congregation should be faithful too, for they had a trust confided to their keeping of no less importance than that confided to their Minister. In the discharge of his duty it might often happen that he had to use , what would appear to be a severe strictness in keeping the element of that faithfulness constantly in sight, or, to use the reverend gentleman’s own words, he “might, in his endeavour to uproot here and there ar cherished sin, feel obliged to tread on some very tender corns.” The watchful eye to detect must keep time with the hand of diligence, which requires the attribute of moral courage to perform ; and herein lay the intention, for, noble as he considered the possession of a manly, moral, courage to be, it is useless unless the motive be based upon Christianity. These duties require a constant preparedness, both -for the daily labor and the Sunday worship. He deprecated the cold indifference infused into the scientific religion of the present day by materialists and scoffers of that old fashion religion which our forefathers had been content to find in the bible alone; for we must follow in the beaten track, and have mutual confidence and faith in each other. Mr. Williams ended his eloquent address with an exhortation, which evidently came from the heart, that all should set aboqt an instant preparedness for the journey heavenward, and for that spiritual communion with, and partaking of the body and blood of Christ provided by Him for our sustenance and consolation ; and, continued the preacher, “ I earnestly hope that, by the aid of your prayers, and by the Grace of God helping me, I may faithfully perform my part to His Honor and Glory.” The reverend gentleman was listened to throughout with wrapt attention.