MISSION OF HELP.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10116, 11 October 1910, Page 5

MISSION OF HELP.

'- : THE CONCLUDING DAY. The steady growth of interest in the Anglican Mission in Masfcerton was well maintained to the end, day being the last day. There was a celebration of the Holy Communion at 7.30 a.m. and Morning Prayer and Intercession at 10 o'clock, When the volume of Intercessions was very largely swelled by a large number of petitions for prayer which had been sent in.

At" 8 p.m. a full choral service of praise was rendered, the hymns, Psalms, and lessons all telling the one message of joyful praise. The Miasioner—the Rev. H. R. W. Farrer—:"took for his text S. John, 17 chap., 22 verse, "Your joy no man taketh'from you." Be said that only one note could make itself heard, and that was the note of joy. He said it was the one note that ran through all true religion. The Master's life was full of quiet joy—"for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross." S. Paul's life was full of joy. In prison, chained to a soldier, he could write to the Church at Philiupi, "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice." And when called forth to die—to him execution was only the .soul going forth in joy to the glory of the Father. S. Peter's life was full of joy. "Rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ s sufferings" he wrote; and he, too, died, cruicified head downwards, rejoicing in the joy unspeakable. S. John's whole life and work was tinged with joyful love, and, in old age, when too old to walk, he was carried into the Christian Church to worship. He had one message, "Little children, love one ano-ther."-H he v issioner then pointed out five reasons why religion should .be full of joy. (1) Ihe joy of being forgiven; the wonderful joy of the soul—redeemed, re-,tored, forgiven through the .blood of Jesus and.made fit for Heaven. \2) The joy of union with Christ in the realisation of His friendship and companionship'. Life then is no longer dull or drab in colour, but always bright with the sunshine of joy that came from Heaven. (3) The joy of service, of forgetting self and throwing oneself into the service of God and man. (4) ! The joy of growth. The Missioner pictured the apple tree bursting into bloom, then followed by the unlovely time when the fruit was setting, but which in time gave way to the luscious fruit which was more beautiful even than the bloom. And so joy is increased as it finds faith growing and conquering temper, pride, passion, and the fear cf death. (5) The joy of strength. "The joy of the Lord is their strength." And this joy is realised in the power not only to overcome weaknesses but to supply in their place the opposite virtues.

At the close of the address the hymn"Come, Labour on," was.sung, after wtich the Missioner distributed a large number of cards to those who had renewed their baptismal vows. The General Thanksgiving was then said by all, and a solemn—"Te Deum" was sung to Almighty God, thanking Him for the great blessings poured out during the Mission. After the Missioner had pronounced the blessing, the Vicar said that he could not find words to express what he felt. He looked back to the time when they had been preparing for the Mission, praying that the Saviour would be present to forgive and strengthen. Their prayers had been abundantly answered. Christ had stood in their midst, and had blessed them beyond all expectations. He, the Vicar, thanked God for the Mission, for sending the Missioner to to Masterton. He knew that they all would remember the Missioner in prayer, as he continued his work in New Zealand that God would bless his message to others as He had bessed it to us. The service closed with the singing of the hymn "God be with you till we meet again."