PASTOR CHINIQUY'S VISIT TO CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1181, 22 January 1880, Page 2

PASTOR CHINIQUY'S VISIT TO CAMBRIDGE.

Pastob Chiniquy, accompanied by about 20 of the Cambridge residents, and Bros.' Knox and Gwynne, arrived at the Presbyterian manse, the residence of the Rev. Wm. Evans, at 5 p.m. on Tuesday last. He was met by a committee which had been appointed by a meeting, convened by invitation. The principal members were the Revs. Wm. Erans and F. W. Martin, Dr. Waddington, Messrs C. D. Mackintosh, John Houghton, andW. H. Randerson. The venerable pastor was conducted by the Rev. W. Evanß (whose guest he remained for the night), to a seat on the verandah, while he read the following address : — "To Pastor Chiniquy: Reverend and dear sir,— We take this opportunity of bidding you welcome to our town, and assure you Qf our gratitude in finding that you have been spared through many dangers to reach this part of your missionary tour. We recognise in you a valiant soldier of the Lord Jesus Christ, and wo feel that the warfare in which you are engaged is one demanding alike the sympathy and support of every loyal British subject, and the earnest prayer of every Christian heart. When we remember the civil and religious liberty we enjoy was dearly purchased by the blood of our forefathers; when we contrast the glorious freedom of oar fellow Christians under Protestant rule, with the degradation and ignorance prevailing in countries whero Popery holds its fullest sway ; and when we note the apathy with which many regard the advance of that determined foe to liberty and enlightenment — the Romish Power —we bless God for raising up agents for the defence of His truth. While we thus express our views with regard to what we consider the corruptions'of the Church of Rome, we disclaim anything like feelings of personal hostility and disrespect towards any and every member of that Church. Finally, we join with you in returning thanks to our Fattier in Heaven for His merciful care over you in the past, and pray that you may still enjoy His protection throughout your journey, and may find at last that through your instrumentality many have been led out of darkness into the glorious light and liberty of the children of -God. — We are, yours very sincerely, on behalf of the committee, Wm. Evans, F. W. Mabtin, C. D. Mackintosh, W. H. Randerson. — Cambridge, January 20th, 1880." Pastor Chiniquy thea came forward and said, — Dear Christian friends: I should not be true to myself or to God if I felt indifferent in my heart to your kind words, I feel them very deeply coming from men whom I know to be true. I could not but marvel at every step of the journey to-day at the evidence of your intelligence, industry, and manly and Christian virtues. Within sight of thoso glorious mountains which Almighty God has formed, you have, through His 1 power, love, and mercy, been enabled to ' make, in so short a time, the wilderness to blossom as the rose. I have travelled nearly all over the world, and I think that th-s beautiful country of yours must have, under God's blessing, a glorious future before it. You are making this country into one of the greatest in the world. Shortly after my conversion I was ruined, all my things had been sold by the sheriff, my library and my furniture. I lay down on the bare floor to sleep with only a bag for a pillow, and expecting in the morning that the sheriff would come for ma for a note of £25, which I could not pay, as a man who owed me money could not pay me. Mrs Chiniquy was weeping, but I told her it was wrong, as I had laid the matter before the Lord, and that He would make it all riprht. I said it and I believed it, but my faith was weak. But in the morning, about two hours before the sheriff came, I went t} the post-office and found a letter from New Zealand. I was surprised and hardly knew where New Zealand was ; but on opening the letter I found £25. It was only last week that I shook the hand of the gentleman who had sent it. I thank you all kindly for your cordial reception, and if our worthy friend will read the 103 rd Psalm it will express what I feel. The Rev. W. Evans then read the 103 rd Psalm, after which three cheers were given for the Queen, and three for Mr Evans. The venerable pastor and his party were then entertained at dinner by his worthy host.

HIS ADDRESS AT THE PUBLIC SALt. The building- was crowded, all the sitting room being" occupied, and many -were unable to find seats. At 8 p.m. the chair was taken by the Rev. Wm. Evans, who opened the meeting by giving out the hymn, " Come Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs," which was sung. The Chairman then engaged in prayer, and after explaining the object of the meeting, introduced Pastor Chiniquy. Amid much applause, Pastor Chiniquy cime forward and opened his address. He first pictured to his hearers a ship sailing across the ocean ; to all appearance she was a beautiful and sound vessel, and had many passengers on board. But, when in mid-ocean, it came into the head of one on board to examine her bottom, and found her planks rotten. He immediately went on deck and told the pasaengers that the ship was rotten and was unsafe. As they were passing* a rock he advised them to jump out on to the rock and be saved. Now, he continued, the crew of that vessel ought not to bo angry or feel aggrieved with that man for finding out that the vessel was unsafe, and showing the passengers how to save themselves. He was that man himself ; he was crossing the ocean of life in as fair a ship, te all appearance, as ever there was built. The Church of Rome was that ship ; she is the grandest structure, the most magnificent edifice ever made by the hands of man. It was in her that he was orossing the ocean of life till he found her planks rotten — rotten at the bottom ; and then he jumped out upon the Rock, and that Rock was Christ. Iho lecturer then went on to relate the circumstances which led to his conversion, and then referred at length to the period of history before the Reformation, mentioning many who suffered martyrdom, and noticing the massacre of St. Bartholomew, and the persecution of Piedmont. To justify hjs allusion to these dark stains in th.c history of $h.e Church of Rome, he told his hearers that the Church of Some was just the same Church, that she was ruled by the same laws, and that if they were not put into force now now it was because it was not possible. He then requested the Chairman to read a quotation from the works of St. Thomas Aquinius, which, was one of the principal books of the Romish Chupch. [The Chairman hexe read a translation of the quotation, to the effect that heretics must only be tolerated when the Church of Borne cannot help it ; but that directly she has the pow^they must be exterminated.] He then delated how at Chicago the Roman Catholic Bishop had been compelled to swear that these were the laws of the Church of Rome. The lecturer then went on to relate some of the incidents of his career^ his dangers, the attempts on his lite, ap4 hj.9 esoapes. He next propceded to show how the Roman Catholics practiced idolatry in -worshipping the wafer. He exhibited two of them, and also the iron by which they were made, 'JJe now asserted that tho present turbulence in Ireland was fomented by the priests. They wanted to establish a Romish Power there with 300,000 soldiers, when they would be a source of great trouble to England. The black cloud now rising over Europe, foreboding the terribly

scourge of continental war, he stigmatised as the work of the Pope. He wants the Protestant nations to kill each other that the Romish Church may once more have the ascendency. He then referred to ■several incidents which had happened on his journey within the last five months, and after urging Protestants to regard the Eoman Catholics with all charity and loriy and not to show any animosity or hostility towards them, he appealed to their aid on hehalf of his college for priests who had left the Church of Rome. His books were then taken round and a large number sold. The doxology wa9 then sung, and the benediction pronounced by the Chairman, after which the audience dispersed.