CHURCH OF ENGLAND, GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2864, 5 September 1895, Page 2

CHURCH OF ENGLAND, GERALDINE.

In connection with the Right Rev. Bishop Julius's visit to the parish of Geraldine a social was held at the Drill Hall on Monday evening, when every seat in the hall was occupied. The Rev. J. Preston, who presided, made a few introductory remarks relative to the bishop's visit to Geraldine. Some, no doubt, thought that a bishop had easy times of it, but they could not say that with regard to the bishop's work here. Ho had held three services on Sunday, and on Monday he had been all day hard at work mending the church harmonium, which had refused to do its duty on Sunday evening. He (Mr Preston) was thankful that the instrument was kind enough to wait till the end of a verse before it gave out. (Laughter). As regards the bishop's visit he had asked His Lordship some three months ago to coma to Geraldine, but not till the present had he found time to do so. The proceeds from the present social would go towards the expense of repairing the old church building. The musical part of the programme was opened with a hymn, after which Miss Maggie Morrison gave a very pleasing renderiug of " The Lost Chord," but Mr Sugden's accompaniment was rather heavy for it. The following item was a glee, " Oh, by Rivers," by Mrd Hardy, Misses Andrews, Boswell, Masliu, and Messrs R. Borrows, E. Robson, and T. Shorratt. Mrs Hardy sang "Cavalry" very sweetly, and was loudly applauded. A trio, " Shepherd Tell Us," was nicely sung by Messrs P. D. Herdmau, Borrows, and E. Robson. " The Holy City" was well rendered by Miss Audrews. The Glee Company sang " Calm be Thy Slumbers," and Miss Gibson closed the programme with " I was Dreaming," which elicited loud applause. Miss A. Fish acted as accompanist during the evening.

An interval was then made of half an hour for those present to have a social talk amongst themselves and indulge in refreshments, a capital Bupply of which was served out at a tabic uear the entrance of the hall. The table was under the charge of Mesdames Macdouald, Brettargh, Hislop, and Misses Macdonald and Preston.

When everyone waß agair. seated His Lordship the Bishop came forward and delivered an interesting and amusing address on "Encouragement." He ridiculed with much irony those people who are continually discouraging their neighbours and everyone they come near. A man would buy a farm, and his friends would come and tell him " What a fearfully bad bit of land you have git hold of," and thus they would cheer the man up so that he could make a good start. Then there was the young mother regarding her first infant with infinite tenderness and love, when in would come the ladies and talk about " thrush, and teething, and measlos, how all thoso things wore hanging about, and how Mrs Jones's baby down the had just gone off with a run." And thus the ladies would cheer the young mother up, and encourage her until the poor girl would bring out her handkerchief and have an awful time of it. This was the way in which we encouraged one another, if a man was too cheerful that was the time we tried to " let hii>; 'own," forgetting that we need all the t •: .-ouragement we can get in this world, and that nothing helped a man over a stile so much as tho little bit of encouragement that he looked for and ought to got from his neighbours and friends. First of all he would say " My dear peoplo, for God's sake encourage your children." If a boy was a bit of a blockhead tho father would say " Tho boy's a fool," and that would be great help to tho lad when he came to a hard problem in euclid. For his part he likod a good honest blockhead, and a little encouragement wont a long way with such. He could never uuderstuid why tho Inspectors of Schools in England made a practice of reducing children to a stato of terror and imbecility beforo they proceoded to examine thorn. But was not this exactly what tho parents themselves did 'I For lesson number two he would say " Encourage your wives, gentlemen." He was sure they could stand a good lot of it, aud get very little. The husband had a grand idea that tho wife had nothing to do all day. Ho had all tho work and thinking, a-id tho wife only puttered about the house. This was not the case, for tho wife had a good many troubles, and tne husband was not tho least of them. The wife's life was rather prosaic when thoy came to think of it ; thuro :v:>s plenty of work but little praise. Tho n.-xt lesson would bo" Ladies encourage your husbands." (Laughter). Then next lie would apply his subject to ii most important matter and that was " \ly dear people, pray encourage your clergy." Ho bad had a good many yoars' experience, and he could say "how much easier it would bo for a parish priest to do his work with a little bit cf encouragement now and again." He knew a sort of churchwarden that was always " lotting down " his pariah priest. There was always something wrong, until the poor

clergyman was reduced to the necessary depths of misery. In conclusion he would say '• Dear, good people, encourage one another."

Bis Lordship sat down amidst prolonged applause. The address was illustrated here and there with a number of well-told anecdotes—in the telling of which the Bishop is a master —and the audience was adroitly led evory now and again from extreme humor into the serious aspect of things, when good sound advice was administered to one and all. The Rev. Mr Preston said he was extremely obliged to His Lordship for his address, and would call on Major Moore to thank tho Bishop. Major Moore, in thanking the Bishop for his instructive address, assured him that his visit to Geraldine had given much encouragement and hope to the parishioners, by which they would all profit. They all thanked him heartily for the address that evening, and he could say '• Wherever you go, my Lord, you will not receive a warmer welcome in any part of your diocese than you will always receive at Geraldine." (Applause.) The Rev. Mr Preston moved a sincere vote of thanks to the choir, and ladies and gentlemen, who had assisted in the musical part of the programme; to Mr Sherratt, who had conducted tho performance ; and to the ladies who had helped at the tables and had given provisions. The singing during the evening was led by a united choir from the several churches. The social was brought to an end about 10 o'clock with the Evening Hymn.