MISSION SERVICES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1512, 29 May 1886, Page 2

MISSION SERVICES.

TEMUBA. The Church of England mission was opened at 7.30 p.m. last Thursday, in St. Saviour’s Church, Temuka. There was a large attendance, amongst whom w« noticed the Rev. T. Jasper-Smythe, of Pleasant Point. The service com- ; menced by the singing of a hymn, after which the Rev. the Incumbent offered up prayers, and read an address of welcome to (be Missioner, and commended to him the care and faithful teaching of the”souls of those who would attend the mission. The lord’s Prayer was said, Psalm 51 was chanced, and the usual evening service ending at 3rd Collect was conducted by the Incumbent. It was then announced that every day during the mission services would be held at 7,30 a.m. (communion), 10 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7.30 p.m. The Rev. Mr Bodington then preached from Mark L, verse 1. The first thing, he said, we meet with in the Bible was that God made heaven and earth. God needed no heaven nad no earth, but He made them out of love to man. Next, God blessed oil His creatures. Evil was not of God ; it was a disorganisation, a wrong use of free will, that brought Adam under the influence of sin. Before the Gospel was the law of God, which was a knowledge of sin. “ Know thyself ” said an old heathen, but n) heathen could know himself, for a knowleJg| of the law of God was necessary. The law of God was a knowledge of evil, but the Gospel was a knowledge of the remedy for evil. It was a small consolation to know a disease without knowing the remedy. They must possess a knowledge of sin and its remedy. There were many who never thought of sin or its consequences, but he would ask them to reflect. Each of them had received -the grace of God at baptism, but they had lost it through sin, and he would ask them to think of the consequences. Let them think that they could not part with their Lord, and yet inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Let them ask themselves, Why they turned away T What was their besetting sin t Did they pray, partake of communion, and resist temptation ? Let them go home that night and think of these things, and ask themselves what was the cause of their downfall. Let them makei * resolution to give up bad companions, and' whatever else 'ed to their fall from grace, and try, henceforth, to live like Christians with the love of God in their hearts. After the singing of a hymn and prayors, the rev. Misssioner asked them all to kneel do* n, and while thus kneeling he moved up and down (he aisle of the Church speaking to them, not in* dividually but collectively, telling them what they ought to reflect on, aad what they ought to do. After about ten minutes thus spent he gave them bis blessing, and the service came to a close. The Rev. Mr Bodington is apparently between 45 and 50 years of age. His style of preaching is peculiarly pleasing and effective. He speaks in a quiet undemonstrative way, he uses beautiful language without the slightest effort, and any. attempt to produce effect is never observable. He speaks more in a conversational sort of way than in the usual pulpit style, his discourse is consecutively logical, and there is an earnestness alout him which cannot fail to go home to his hearers. He is at once one of the most pleasing, most earnest, must effective, and at the same time least demonstrative preacher we have heard for a long time, and we would strongly recommend our readers to hear him. Yesterday communion service was held in the Church at 7.30 a.m., morning prayers at 10, and afternoon prayers at 3 p.m., and a special mission service last evening. The afternoon and evening services were well attended. The rev. Missioner conducted the service, and preached another telling sermon, and afterwards spoke to the people as on the previous evening. The mission will last until next Tuesday. -. GERALDINE. A mission in connection with the Anglican Church, at Geraldine, was commenced at Geraldine on Thursday evening by the Rev. G. B. Mason, assisted by the Rev. Ja?. Preston, Incumbent of the Church. The Church was fairly well filled, a good proportion of young people being present. The - service opened with the singing of the 9Sth hymn in the Mission Hymn Book, and prayer. The rev. Missioner took for his text t Matthew xi., from the 23th verse to the end of tiie chapter, and preached an excellent and impressive discourse, which was listened to with great attention by those present. At the conclusion of the first meeting an after meeting was held, to which the whole congregation remained. Mr Mason descended from the reading desk, and addressed those present from the aisle, expressing hi| pleasure at seeing so many present at the first meeting, especially of young people, and urged upon his hearers the necessity of coming regularly to the services. He also . asked the parents present to teach their children to pray for the success of the mis- , sion. He then again reminded his hsarers of the hours when the services would bo held, and intimated that it was proposed to hold an open air service the following day somewhere about Mr R, Morrison’s store. Yesterday the services were continued at 7.30 a.m., and also in the. afternoon at half-past three, when the attendance was fair, ladies predominating. The rev. gentleman stated that he wourd at the afternoon services take ' the following subjects upon which to found his discourse, namely, The Bible, and Prayer,. the Sacrament of Confirmation, and the Communion: ' For that service he . took the Bible and Prayer, ' upon which subject he delivered a mos 1 ; eloquent and instructive address which Was listened to with rapt attention by those present. Mr Mason is a fluent with ,

excellent command of language, but he hardly spoke loud enough to be heard by those sitting at the back of the Church, to whom many of his words were lost.