VISIT OF THE PRIMATE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1687, 17 January 1888, Page 2

VISIT OF THE PRIMATE.

The Most Eer. the Primate of New Zealand held a Confirmation service in St. Saviour's Church, Temuka, last Sunday evening. Hearrivedin Temuka on Saturday evening, and preached an impressive and earnest sermon on Sunday morning, his text being 11. Cor., iv. 16, the subject being “ The light of the knowledge of the glory of God.” In the evening i the Church was so crowded that many were not able to gain admittance. The service consisted of the Litany and the usual Confirmation service. After the Litany the Most Eer. the Primate addressed the candidates for Confirmation. They had, he said, only a few days before celebrated the birth of Christ, in whom all their hope lay. It was, however, necessary for them to do something for themselves towards working out their own salvation, 1 as St. Paul said. They must conquer their passions, their appetites, and their evil inclinations and Confirmation would assist them in doing so, God had done a great deal for them in giving them His beloved Son, but they must do something towards working out their own salvation. Ha hoped they had come hither with a real, honest intention to put .aside what was evil and cleave to the good in future, and if they had done this God would work in them the power to do it. They would notice that the Confirmation service consisted of a prayer asking the Spirit of God to descend upon them, and if they came forward with the right intentions and desires these prayers would be answered. After the singing of hymn 349 and prayer, 23 candidates—seven males and sixteen fetnalem—were confirmed, after which His ILordship again addressed them, thei subject of his discourse being th»e Collects for the Second Sunday a fter Epiphany, These prayers were uised for 1800 years, and they would, notice that one special blessing was risked for—the blessing of peaco. Our Saviour laid great stress -on this when He said “My peace I give you.” They had to encounter great temptations from within and without, but the whole hosts of Heaven were fighting on their behalf against the hosts of wickedness. It was asked why God did not dor itroy the evil power, but this was a matter that could not be understood,. He gave us a great gift —the gift jof freewill—He did not compel us to be good; He left it to our own c »ption. It was difficult sometimes to overcome our unruly wills, but the Grace of God would assist us in subjugating it, and thus we should be given peace. They must not delude themselves with the idea that they were saved—everybody must sin, and they must confess their sins, and by doing so God would forgive them. No human being, passed a day without sinning in thought, word, or deed, so they should not pass a day without confessing their sins if they wanted to be at peace with God and with themselves. They should also be at peace with all men. They should avoid anger and everything whish would lead to disunion. He was sorry this was not observed. People insisted upon having their own way, upon following the bent of their own inclinations, although they were urged to have no dissensions amongst tfyem. Even the various branches of the Christian church disagreed—one church was against another, although they were commanded that should be aV one. ,There was not oneness, amongst them—there ought to be—and this was because they were not living up to their professions. There even were dissensions between members of the same Church, and if they wished to be at peace with God, with themselves, and with all men, they must avoid all occasions of disunion. They must live in union with each other —help and take a brotherly interest in each other—for they could do nothing more pleasing to God than to live peacefully and united through life. His Lordship left by the first train for Christchurch on Monday morning.