REV. D. J. MURRAY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIX, Issue 8115, 9 April 1906, Page 5

REV. D. J. MURRAY.

FAREWELL SERMONS. The Rev. D. J. Murray preached bis] farewell sermons, yesterday, in the Masterton Wesley an Church. A large congregation assembled at each service. The choir was led by Mr S. H. Ralph, and, with the assistance of the orchestra, rendered splendid service. Mr Murray took his text in the morning from Acts xx, 24th verse. He showed that Paul's idea of the ministry was that of the priest, whose work is to give comfort to the grieved and wounded | hearts there are in the world, it I was, also, that of the prophet, to I denounce sin and warn men of evil I and danger, and to arouse them to a sense of duty. The ideal minister was also a servant and witness. In dealing with these thoughts, Mr Murray uttered some telling truths, and oonoluded an admirable aermon by saying that the man who lives in closest touch with his fellowmen is the truest minister of Jesus Christ. We want two things to-day, the secularization of the ministry and the socialization of the Churoh. The minister muat throw off his professionalism or perish ;and the Ohuroh must throw off her ideals of respectability. We waut men to-day, as preaohers, who know life as it is, who are fau iliar with its swiftest currents and deepest difficulties, men who are possessed of a broad understanding or men and of a catholic spirit, who are not afraid to mix with all sorts and conditions of men and in whom all aloofness of a separate class has perished. The preacher said that in his Masterton ministry he had, in a slnoere and humble manner, tried to re-kindle the torch of hope in some failing hands, and to help the discouraged, the lonely, and the perplexed ones he had met, with some borrowed gleam of the optimism of the Gospel of Jesus. If he had succeeded in this, his joy was full. He affectionately urged his congregation to stand firm to principle, to always strive to speak the difficult right word, to do the difficult right deed and if need be to inconvenience themselves to instruct the ignorant, to succour the needy, and to comfort the unhappy, and so prove themselves the true ministers of Christ. In the evening Mr Murray took his text from Revelation xx, Ist verse— 4 And there was no more sea.' From these words he delivered a touching discourse on separation, as it applied to the ills of life whioh partake of the nature of division and strife of sin and of sorrow. He said the words of the text were full of blessed meaning, and tell us that there shall be no more sorrow or sin, the source of sorrow, no more losses and crosses hard to bear; but all will have passed away like some ill dream, for ever faded and passed rrom the grasp of memory. In taking farewell of bis congregation, he thanked them sincerely for all aomfort and enoouragement be bad received during a happy four years' sojourn amongst them, and commended them to God, praying that lis suaoessor might reap where be lad sown, and that, by God's grace, ;hey all might meet in Heaven. a ■^

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