MISSION SERVICES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1938, 3 September 1889, Page 3

MISSION SERVICES.

The first of a series of Mission services in connection with the Presbyterian Church, Temuka, was held yesterday evening. There, was only a moderate attendance. The Rev. J. Dickson opened the meeting with pnyer, after which the old Hundredth Psalm was sung. Devotional exercises were then engaged in by the Rev, H. Irwin, the leader of the mission, and Mr J. Bates, a Divinity student, assisting him. Selected passages from the Gaspel of St, Luke and the Acts of the Apostles were read, descriptive of the outpouring of the Spirit upon the Day of Pentecost, after which the Rev, J. Irwin preached from Proverbs ii., 30— “He that winneth souls is wise.' Addressing himself to professing Christians, he urged them to strive to convey to others the benefits they themselves received. It was not only upon the ministers and office bearers of the church that the burden of souls was laid, but it was incumbent upon each member of the congregation to assist in drawing erring brethren to salvation. In the first place they should themselves be strengthened to win souls, “they must be wise unto solvation.” Next, they must keep clear consciences. Thirdly, they must adapt themselves to the capacity of those they desired to win; and, finally, they must rely upon the Spirit of Cod as their agent. The speaker urged his hearors to devote themselves for one week to the object of the mission, and begged that they would use their personal efforts to further the movement, so that a shore of the spiritual blessings now being received in Christchurch might be showered upon their own district. He intimated that it was intended to hold morning prayer-meetings at ten o'clock during the week, to which ail wore invited, and that to-night he would give an account of the conversion of Mr Sullivan, now preaching in Christchurch, and Mr Bates would give a brief narrative of his own conversion, Messrs Stewart and McCully then engaged in prayer, after which the meeting terminated with the pronouncing of the Benediction.