PARISHIONERS MEETING AT 8. ANDREW'S CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2043, 11 August 1885, Page 3

PARISHIONERS MEETING AT 8. ANDREW'S CAMBRIDGE.

V mi i tiv. ( f the p-ii ishioueis called by the fiicuuilieiit was hold at the school loom on Wednesday evening. Theie was ;i \ory g.iod attendance, including a Lit go numbei of ladies. Tlio Yen. Aiehdeacon took the chair. The Ch.uiuiin c\i»l.unod that he had called them togethei foi the puiptse () f c<»ii«.irlei m^ \Mtli hnii how they might be->t pmmotc tlii 1 glow tli of spnitual life in then midst, and to as-ist geneially "> inoie eMiuently canjing on the woik of the church. Soveial matceis would bo In ought under theii notice, and ho hoped they would all take an active interest in thoir discuiMon. Mi WelN, in pmposing thefh-t 1 evolution, snd that the ciusc of the present ■ip.itliv in chinch inatteis .nose fiom the people falling to appioeiate its piactical .md immediate benefits. Ho asked them to discuss the in ittei to-night in the sune biiMiie-^-hke uiinuci tli.it they would if they were going to form a benefit society. He w jiild bneHy inumeiate iwir of tlu tompoi.il benefits of luligion. Religion was the moial, national police ■i>m, saving the nation millions which would otheiwise be neoessaiy to ■-cciui) individual lights and hbeitios. ft v\as a- passpoit tin- mgh the woe Id valued by employeis of all degiees as of commercial value. Its possessor w.is esteoinod above all otheis, as in-t,iticod in such live-. a-> (leneial (Guidon, Loid Napiei, (Jnmmoduic (inndenniigh, and Hei Majesty (^ueen Victoi i.i. it made, good citizens, kind ieliti\cs, con-idoiate and chaiitable ncighbouis. It sent ti .lined bands and individuals by thousands to check vice and legeneiate the fallen ; to re-instate them in tbm lost citizen pnvileges. It was abihn m the hour of tumble; it ensmed useful lncs and happy death*. For what tho n ilion o.\ed it he quoted from Sii (Jeoigo Grey's speech in tho House on the Kith ult. on the Bible Reading in Schools Bill . "Now I believe that the Bible is beyond all doubt the foundation upon which the Butish ompno rests. Upon that rest our laws; upon that lest our customs' and civilisation ; upon that tests the confidence which so many nations place in us. It is on the, mheient goodness of the laws and in stitutiona which have been devised fioin the Scripturos that the confidence in our rule leposes." Again, the same speakei says, " I believe it is to that cause that we mu>t attiibute the influence we hive thioughout thowoild, and I b heve that the moment we abandon th.it belief in something spnitualand gieit, and simply look at nature and thutiuthsof natuie (of winch, aftei all, we know so little) as our solu guides, that momi nt commences the degiadation of the individual in usefulness to his fellow men, and as it spieads thioughout the nation, so does the nation ful in its usefulness among the people of tho woild." The question then .nose, Have we realised these benefits, to any appicuable extent? Have we not ratliei heated religion as tho'igh it weie a fiaudulent myth, or at best a .second uy mattei, e\ei leady to e\cuso om selves alike fiom its obligations and the enjoyment of its piivileci'sY Now, were we leady to make a fiesh st.ut and try to do bettei by having at least . i good intention for all we do, the \alue of which he quoted Addison to -hovv, "A good intention joined to a good action gives it its pioper foice and efficacy ; joined to an evil action extenuates its malignity, and in some cases takes it wholly away ; and joined to an inditfeient action tin us it to a vntue, and makes it meiitoi ions as fai as human actions can be so." * * " * It is, therefore, of unspeakable advantage to possess our minds with an habitu il good intention, and to aim all our thoughts, woida and actions at some land ible end, whether it be the gloiy of our Maker, the good of mankind, or the benefit of oui own souls." In conclusion Mr Wells said : Let \is ha\e ,it least good intentions in oui e\eiyday actions, and give leligioa om eunost sni)[ioit. I'iay t<j (!od daily to keep oui intentions good. Attend public woiship as fiuqueutly as possible, concentiahnqnui "thoughts on the, seivice whilst theie; take tho holy sacian ent as mvigoiatmg spuitual fond; and suiely the better knowledge of (!od thus gained will bung love ofdud which will w oik in as chanty " which sulfeieth long and is kind ; envieth not; vaunteth not itself; is not easily pr >yoked, and thmketh no ov il, but beaieth all things and lejoiceth in tho tiutli. ' He then moved the following motion :— "That this meeting fully realises the necessity foi moie earnest effoits in tho cause of leligion, and collectively iind individually now pledge tlicnMihos to tiyto in. ike a fiesh st.ut, nnd to use then bes>t eftoit. i)i luitheiing the chuich woik." Mr Dyer, in rising to second the motion, made a fe.w reinaiks on the subject of chuich woik and ichgion as applied to our eveiyday life. He hoped that oveiy member present would do his best to cultivate amongst the people of the church new spiritual life, and piactically set to woik and fill tho chinch and Sunday-school. Tho motion was then put and cauied unannnoiisly. Me-sis Dickinson and Williams made a feu lem.uks (in tho hiibject of visiting and hunting up absent inembei.s. They thought that some system might be devised by which those things might bo better done than in the past. An inteic-ting discussion ensued on theso and other minor topics, tho vanonn speakers promising their peisonal assistance and attention. Votos of thanks weio given to Mr W. Htewart and the teaching staff of the Sun-day-school, to Mis (Jlntty and tho choir, to tho Incumbent for calling tho meeting, and a dosiie oxprosned that Mich meetings should bo held periodically. The Aichdeacon thanked the meeting for their attendance, and for the lively intciest taken in the seveial nuitteis that had boon brought before them, and for their promises of assistance, Thoir miggostions should have Uh attention, and m the matter of visiting, he would do his best to secure some more methodical, and organised system of paioctnal visitation. The meeting concluded by singing tho Doxology, Nfc\ ER leavo that till to-inonow whioh you can do tu-day.— Btnj. FianUiu,