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Temuka Leader, Issue 1498, 27 April 1886, Page 2

ST. MARY’S CHURCH, GERALDINE. The Rev. J. Preston conducted the Easter service at this Church on Sunday morning. The Church was moat beautifu'ly decorated with ferns, flowers, evergreens, tois-tois grass, etc. The display of flowers was most profuse, considering the lateness of the season. The altar, font, lectern, desk, and organ were beautifully decorated, while the lamps in the centre of the Chinch presented a pretty appearance, being festooned with ferns and bright flowers. The service was opened with the singing of the Easter Anthem, which was well sung by the choir. The rev. gentleman chose for his text the words “ The Lord is risen indeed,” Luke xxiv., 34, and preached a very able sermon. He spoke of the sorrows of Christ’s disciples during the throe days He rested in the tomb, and of the joy they felt on finding He had risen from the dead. He described the circumstances attending the Resurrection of our Saviour, and mentioned a 4 * evidences of it: His appearing to His disciples ; His iving among them for so tn-my days ; His eating in their presence ; His displaying His wounds, as in the case of Thomas; His invitation to them to examine Him, and see if He were a spirit or not, ns a spirit had not flesh and blood ; His appearing to five hundred at ouce, many of whom were living in St. Paul’s day ; and the t-athnony of S'. Paul himself, who s'ated Ch'ist had been seen by him also as one born out of du • time. The evidence of the Resurrection ofCurist was of a satisfactory and overwhelming natur«. And yet bo (the preacher) was sorry to see that at the present day there were nrmv wbo were losing their hold on the littb* fai'h they once possessed ; t iey were bke Thomas, and refused to believe unless they could put their fingers into the print of the nails and rhrusl their hands in the side. The disciples boldly proclaimed the Resurrection of Christ in the face of dangers of which no idea coull fce formed at the present day. As a consequence many of thus** very people wbo bad cried “ Away with H'm ” were convinced of the sin they had committed, and repent-d truly, and believed the r’sm Saviour as the true Messiah. Ho would ask his heareis were 'here any doubt- 1 ingoriog in their minds that morning ? Wore they not conviuc-d that Christ died and rose again from th« dead 1 or were t hey ? like Thomas, refusing to believu | Were they saying they would not b-lieve unless Christ appeared to them in person. Ho would remind them of L z irus, and of the statement of Abraham : That if they refused to bear

tl-e written word they would not ba perjinuifid though one rone from the dead. The rev. gautleman urged them to awake to their responsibilities) and privileges in Olirist, and strive to live as heirs of eternal life. I In the evening Dr Fish conducted the services- in this church. There was a S<-o 1 congrega'i’ii. He reviewed the evidences of Christ’s Resurrection, and the benefits accruing to the world thersby. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, GERALDI\E. Mass was celebrated in the above Church on Easter Sunday, at II a.m., by the Rev. Fataer Keane. The Church was crowded to exo-ss. The Rev. Father Keane delivered a very able and exhnus-l tUe sermon on the Resurrection of our Saviour, taking sis his lext the first seven vt-raea of the 16 h chapter of St. Mark. The significance of the d-y they were ce ebrating whs contained in these verses. Jesus had died for the iniquities-of mankind, and on Easter Sunday He rose again, glorious and immortal, and as He had risen, so, also, would all .men. But diey would not all rise to enjoy the happiness which Christ had purchased with His blood for them. Some of them would, through their own sins, rise to tiieir own condemnation. As they lived so would they in all probability die, and. he raised up by-andby ; a* they sowed so would they reap. Let them ba extremely careful to avoid sin, and to avoid anything like impurity and intemperance, that fearful sin that brought every evil with it. flo described the happiness of the mao who abstained from strong drink, from alcoholic poison, and the wretchedness of him who indulged m strong, drink. The indulgence in this was not the thing to prepare them for a happy resurrection. He could only ask God to help them to d® that which they knew they ought to do, and ask them to remember how they might come to a happy resurrection by-and-by, namely by doing the will of God, believing the rules of their holy religion, attaching themselves to and keeping all the rules of the Church, and approaching those Sacraments which the Church provides for them. This would bring them to a happy end and lead to a happy resurrection. The rev. gentleman urged hie hearers to be like those who rose like Christ and not like those who die in sin and bad not repented. In conclusion, the Rev. gentleman read over to his congregation a portion of the Bishop’s pastoral letter u r ging upon his flock the great duty of abstaining from intemper unce and the sacred duty of family prayer. The eff-rtories for the morning amounted to £SO. ST. JOSEPH'* ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, TEMUKA. Mass was celebrated at the usual hours, viz., 8 a.m. and 10.30 a.m., in the above e-iurch, the Rev, Father Fauvel officiating. The church looked exquisitely beautiful. During the previous week the Rev. Father Fauvel had placed in position the Adoring Angels, and the Crucifix recently received by him from (.yens, in France, and thereby added greatly to the beauty of the church. These consist of nine almost life-size statues, representing the nine choirs of Heaven. They have been placed on the ton of the walls on the-two sides of the a’t-r, five of them on the left hand side, •iml four, together with the Crucifix, on the right. The statues of the angels are -xtremely beautiful. They are made of terracotta, and painted in various light colors of extreme delicacy, the drapery being liberally adorned with gold. They are all kneeling on what appear to be purple-colored, gold-bound, velvet cushions, resting on whitish clouds, and are looking down on the high altar with an expression of awe and reverence that must be seen to be realised. As works of art they are really exquisTe, and add greatly to the beauty of this already handsome church. They were made in Lynns,to the order of Father Fauvel, and co.-t £lO4 i6a. The Crucifix is life size, and represents Our Saviour nailed on the Cross. It was made at the same place as the statues of the angels, and has been splendidly executed, the cost being £l6, without taking into account the cost of erecting it in the church. On th« altars were also laid garnitures of pure lace, highly ornamented with gold. They presented an extremely handsome appearance, and added much to the brilliancy of their surroundings. These cost £lO. All these have been purchased by the Rev. Father Fauvel outof hisown private purse, and given by him to the church. When on last Sunday all the beautiful oramental flowers were brought out and placed on the three altars, the scene was certainly brilliant, and such as could not be equalled in any church south of the line. At 10.30 a.m. high mass was celebrated by the Rev. Father Fauvel. Miss Qaffaney presided efficiently at the harmonium, and the choir sang splendidly. The Rev. Father Fauvel preached a very able and appropriate sermon, dwelling specially on the Resurrection, He pictured the happiness of the elect, and the miseries of the condemned, and said that if these who repeated the Apostle’s Creed reflected on what was contained in it, they would make greater efforts to save their souls. In the evening Vespers and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament were held. The choir sang very efficiently, the voices blending well together, and considering this is the first time Vespers were sung great credit is due to the Sister who has trained the choir so well. There were very large congregations at each of the three services.

PRESBYTBRI tN CHURCH, TBMUKA. A service whs held at 11 a.tn. in the above church, the Rsv, Mr Cecil officiating. The prayers of the congregation were offered up on behalf of the Rev. Mr Mackintosh, who is seriously indisposed. The text was Collossians iii., I—3: “ Therefore if you bo risen with Christ, seek the things that ate above,” etc. The eubj-ct was very abiy handled, and the rev. nreacher delivered a very eloquent sermon The choir, under ihe leadership of Miss McNair, Miss Blyth presiding at the harmonium, sang the Easter and several appropriate hymns. Another service was held in the evening. ST. SAVIOUR’S CHURCH, TEMUKA. Services were held in the above church at the usual hours, the Rev. T. A. Hamilton oil}'dating in the morning, and Mr A, W, Ga»e in the evening. The church whs beautifully decorated with evergreens and flowers. All round the wall ran the i

text ‘‘ Now is Christ rissn from the .dead and become the first fruit* of them that slept.” The decoration of the chancel arch, which were designed and executed by Mr 0. J. Raynor, were most noticeable for their extreme beauty. The words “Christ is risen” were firet formed in skeleton letter*, and then tastefully clothed with evergreen* interwoven with red berries and flowers. The space between the text and the apex of the arch was filled in with pampas grass worked into gothic arches, the whole presenting a very pleasing and effective appearance. On the whole the decoration* were superior to any in past years, and reflected great credit on the ladies and gentlemen who carried them out. There was every large attendance at the 11 a.m. service, and 46 remained to Holy Communion. The Rev. Mr Hamilton preached from the text Matthew xxviii., 6, “ Ha is risen as Ho said,” a very able and eloquent sermon. Christ had declared before his crucifixion, that he would rise again, giving his enemies the sign of the Prophet Jonah. His rising again “As He said” proved that He was not an impostor, but really and truly the Son of God, and that lie had voluntarily laid down Hi* life and taken it up again, and that He w«* master of death and the grave. Hi* resurrection was a pledge of our resurrection and a future life beyond the; grave, [lobbed of this hope what would be left for man to look but to be classed with the beasts that perish. He urged them to cling to this hope, and regenerate the world in -the power of a risen life. He wound up with the following sentence “ Let ns pray that we may know 'the power of His resurrection,’ and hereafter serve and please Him in newness of life, and finally, through the grave and gate of death, pas* to our joyful resurrection. ” In the evening Mr Gaze read a sermon on the Resurrection, by. Canon Kingsley. Services were also held by tha Rev. Mr Hamilton at Waitohi at 2.30 p.m., and at Winchetsar at 6.30. Thare were largo congregations at all tha services, and the offertories were handed' to the Incumbent in accordance with ancient custom.