WESLEYAN CHURCH, TEMUKA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1622, 18 August 1887, Page 2

WESLEYAN CHURCH, TEMUKA.

Od Tuesday evening, at the Wesleyan Church, Trmuka, the Rev, Thos. E. Jones delivered nnaddress on the “Danger of dealing with enticements to sin," The address was prefaced by a shortservlce. The rev. gentleman took for his text Proverbs, 6th chapter, and 27th and 28th verses—“ Can a man take fire in his bo-om aud his cloihes not be burned f Cau one go upon hot coals and not bo burned V and commenced by urging upon his hearers, and more especially (he younger portion of them, to refrain from

oven the appearance of evil. To phy with temptation to any evil shoved that the mind was in a degree biassed towards that particular evil, and gradually the influence of the evil would become’so grca f as to d-fy control. By this moans our first parents, who were us originally pure as it was possible to bo, foil and -ince their fall man had always been more or less subject to the temptations of hia pas'-ions. Temptations to drink and sin were fe’t by the soberest and purest of ram, and iheirsolo safeguard was to learn to hate the sin, and Ihus hate the temptaCo,lld s *y was

(emp<ed of God, and in proportion to the enrnes'nesa of his love towards God would become bis hatred of evil. If a man once allowed evil thoughts or desires to enter h:s heart Ins power over himsilf would gradually become weaker, and considerations alone would make him frain from the commissions of sin. Each man had a prediliction lowards some particular sin. To some dancing offered attractions that were irreaisible. He warned his hearers against indulgence in i's de ights, Others w-re fond of reading novels, end this was a most insidious form of vice. He himself could' well recollect ■he first novel he ever read,one that he tiad to procure from Eng'and. Ii left an impression np-m Ids mind that could n»ver be <ff ceand he fe't that the reading of u was a .tain upon his life that years would not bani.b. He, exhorted young people to avoid this and every sin and come to their refuge in Christ. Let them each remember that G6d had created

them all, and bestowed upon each a soul and its welfare should be their first dim. Men relying on their good constitutions frequently abused them in every shape and form, and finally were cut off in their prime, and then realised that they had neglected their sou’s’ health, and discovered the meaning of the words “ Too late.” Mothers should guard their children. Frequently the first temptation to sin in the matter of drinking came from a parent’s hand. Let them avoid the first temptation either to drink or to read impure books. The latter was the curse of the nation. In some families there was a natural tendency towards certain sins, and certain organisations tended to incite men to particular sins. Where such was the case let them not p'ay with temptation. The primary evil was to allow the tempter to lodge in the mind. Balaam of old was an instance of this. The danger of sin, too, was that it made an impression on the pleasurable side, and people’s weaknesses were flattered. Gambling was an insidious form of vice, and was perhaps nowhere so prevalent as in New Zealand. Temuka itself, from what he had heard, was one of the most sinful towns in the land, and to what could it be ascribed except to dancing, drinking, and gambling, which were the ruling vices of the whole country. At one place in the North Island, which the speaker had visited, his Committee found it impossible to engage a hall for the only night he bad at liberty, on account of there being a dancing assembly. At that assembly there were no less than 55 young girls, and he was assured that every domestic servant in the place claimed the right to attend these dances and balls. In conclusion Im earnestly exhorted his hearers to shun evil in every form, and guard not only chemselves but their children from yielding to the enticements to sin. Mr Jones illustrated his address by several graphically told narratives, and he was listened to with great attention. At its dose, in accordance with a promise made on the previous evening, he sang a verse of two Welsh hymns. A collection was made to defray expenses. At the conclusion a prayer meeting was held, which was attended by the majority of the congregation,