PRESBYTERIAN MEETING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 928, 18 November 1881, Page 2

PRESBYTERIAN MEETING.

The Presbyterian Church on Wednesday exerting last was crowded by a very attentive audience, which assembled to listen to the members of the Presbytery visiting Masterton. The meeting having been opened with prayer by the Rev Mr Stuart, the chair, man, the Rev James McKee, explained that the present.meeting had been arranged by the managers of the congregation, who had invited the reverend gentlemen, as "big guns "of the church, to speak on particular subjects. The Jrtev Mr Ogg, of Wellington, who was first called upon, then delivered an able addresj on "The Study of Christian. History." He stated that professing christians were less famiiiar with the records of the Church than with pagan history. After the first century of the christian era they had only a superficial knowledge of religious development. It was held by some that the history of the Church was a history of superstitions, of bad priests, and usurping popes; and why, was it asked, should such memorials be revived | Suoh a view was neither just nor intelligent* Thfl history of the Church was the history of humanity, and, from its study, they could learn how superstitions were propagated, how religious power was acquired. There was not a single page in the History of Religion but parried with it a lesson. The •hypocrisy of monies and a usurping papacy were only one side of the picture It showed on the other the influence of persuasion in propagating religion during the firat three eentyrea of tho christian era; that, subsequently, during the ages of barbarism, the Church had covered the world with seminaries, and, in modern day', had extended its mission over a wider field than that invadod by the greatest conqueror. Qhuroli history as a study fixed wavering religious opinions; it taught that the religious difficulties of our own days had appeared in differeut forms, and under various names, but still substantially the same, in former times; it taught also thftt false opinions did not always spring from bad motives; and that, in the providonce of God, spiritual truth was propagated though bound up with error. , The Rev Mr Donll, of Rangitikei, who was next culM 'jpM, said the subject chusen ior Jiim by the committee was so large that, with 'he time at his disposal, he could only deal with one phase of it. His address would be expository rather than polemical. He admitted the nigh statu of civilization which existed prior to the. Christian era, but inquired what 1 accomplished for the amelioration of the human race. In the first place, it recognized slaveiy as an institution, and he contrasted with it the benign ghristiftn teaching, which proclaimed the equality of every man, and, aa an illustration of the power of religion, showed how, in the dangerous parts of London and JrariS the authorities had been able 10 withdraw police detached to watch such quarters after christian missions had been established amongst them. In 'he second place ho referred to the g lOS ® immorality of the Roman Empire, and to the dissolute theatrical exhibitions which were sanctioned by the State, in the midst of the high civilisation whio then obtained, lust and cruelty flourißßO side by side. He followed up this cy tracing the influence of religion o;i the morals of nations, and in conclusion pointed out that in ministering to the religions wants of tlio poople the mission of the Church was pre-eminent. The Rev Mr Treadwell of Wanganui, expressed 'ho pleasure hfi felt.lll aglllll addressing a Masterton audience, but being fatigued by travel and opptest by a cold, doubted his own ability U> " justice to tlio subject which had been placed in his hands. I'reo thought lie took to be a sytumyn of scepticism, t ivaa an immense subject to deal win, because it was perpetually changing its character. No sooner did they pin 'J pne forii] than it re-appeared iil another. He claimed, however, that they did s ay it sometimes. He did nut known the origin of the term free-thought, but defined it to mean not being under the slavery nf any prejudice or prepossession, and that the opponents of it were consequently under such slavery. The first position he would take was that if sceplicism ia freet'iought it is very often obscure thought, 0e instanced this by reading slowly an extract from a Gjeniwn author, with which after mystifying his amliouce, ho expressed himself as unable to comprehend it. His second position was that freothought often contradicted the pretension that lay in its title. It had been held by its professors that as tlio liver secreted bile, so the brain secreted thought. If the braiii d|(J this thought could no loflger bo free, and the freethinkers out the ground from under their own feot. His third position was that no thought was free which was not true. He would not say, however, that no truths were uttered by freethinkers. He referred to Holyoake and Bradlaugh as leaders of scepticism, but even they did not agree, one putting atheism in the foreground, and the other placing it in the background. They both agreed, however that the duties of the present life were of greater importance than the duties of a future life j that the foundation of the future.life lay in the present one, and required more immediate attention. This the speaker combatted .this by dwelling on the uncertainty of the present life. The certainty which freethinkers built upon was an uncertainty. His fourth position was that, if any thought deserved to be called freethought, and came without prejudice, it was christian thought, They were called by freethinkers thp slaves of crepus, but he denied this. Ho admitted that he was a Calvinist, not because of Calvin's creed, but. because he found Calvinism in the Bible, and it ivas 9 part of God's revelation, Nothing wgs worthier in man than to accept the word of, God, It was the highest act of human.reason, The Chairman, before calling upon the last speaker, expressed bis regret at the unavoidable absence of Rev John Dukes, and the pleasure with whioh the visits of his Weßleyan and Episcopalian brethren to their meetings afforded him, The Rev Mr Paterson, who was very warmly weloomed, expressed the pleasure with whioh he always came to Masterton, .the hospitality with which he was always received at the Manse, and the kindly feeling with which the Presbyterian peoplo always received him. His task that evening was the practical application of the excellent and weighty addresses to which they had bejn listening. Every man, lie said, should be a christian worker. Ho pitied the man who had no good honest work to do. A christian worker should do all bin work in a christian spirit. He should also undertake some special department of work, However humble lua labor might be it would be good work if it were done conscientiously and unselfishly. He referred briefly lo several departments of christian work, and concluded by admonishing them that their Christianity should be a life as well as a oresd. On the motion of the Ohair, a vote of thankß was carried to the Choir, who had materially assisted in carrying out the programme, the name of the lady who played the harmonium, when mentioned, being received with special favor. Mr D. McGregor moved a vote of thanks to th# Ministers who had addresed them. He thought, however, that if the Wellington Presbytery took such a

pleasure in coming to Masterton they would come a little, oftener. The voto having been carried by acclamation, Mr Treadwell paid a graceful compliment, in moving a vote of thanks to the Ohair, to the unvarying kindness and hospitality with whioh his brethren and himself were received by Mm McKee and the Chairman. The meeting was then closed with a benediction.