PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, KIHIKIHI, Opening Service.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2061, 22 September 1885, Page 3

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, KIHIKIHI, Opening Service.

Thk new Piesbyton.in Church v\,is forni.illy opened on Sund ij> K-.t, tin* Ilev. Mi JJunn i»f I'iiki'lvohc, conducting divine -.ei vife. .Mi-» I'illis pioaided .it tin." Ininionmm. Thero w.is .1 l.u/e tongi edition, people coming fioin all the sun minding distiicts. Hoi vices in tin* other chinches were postponed fur the decision. TllO set\ico w,w otMMicd \\ ith pr.iyei and "inking tho tint hymn, "Hoh, Holy, Holy, Loid find Aliiiujht",. ' The text was Ukcn fnnn t'uc t'ith IN 11111, "(lor! 1, in tliu maKt .if |i»i ; >-!io shall nut be ni'ivoJ. (Jod .slull help ln*i, iind tli.it light e.uly. ' The preacher ■vild tli.it tins r>.ilm li id .» p^ctili ir interest fni all I'iotcstnnt Chinches, as it li.id bjm .1 f.uouutc of Martin Luther, tin 1 giv.it ief<ii iiifi. It \v»* the custom of him and hi-< fni'tuN wlirn in tioiiljlennd « licit dinners pi c-.-( d homily .iroiind them to mii<{ this I'd.ilm. In explaining the text, the preicli'T H.ud thut tho chmcli of (Jod wm alluded to in tho word-* ' (Jod I*l mi tho wuM of her." Sonus deudiiiinatioiH claimed to bn the ti no church, but the proper definition of the true church w.w given by Chry-ostom, who Mid thp true ch".ich consisted of true beliven throughout the world. This was the truo definition of tho Church of God, it consist of all denominations, with true believers there u no distinction of creed or denonnnatioii ; Christ's followers are Hcitteu-d throughout the world and are rnembm of many aectn. In these day~> of blasphemy, in these d.iyH of unbelief many chrutiaus tremble for the xufety of the church, but though the world may frown, though Hcolfcrsi may sneer and though kings may persecute, tho church fthall flourish, for while G»d li\es tho church whall prosper. Tfie Key. Mr Whitmoic said that in London he enme in contact with twenty Irctnrers on inhdclity ; there aie now only fonr left who write for infidol papers, three of whom are writing ngaiiittt each other, tho fourth \h divided between Cluistianity and infidelity; tho other sixteen have renounced infidelity, and are now earnest labourer* in God's vineyard. And ho it will bo as years roll by, the Church of < iod will gather strength, and infidelity nnd unbelief Minll fiulr and die until tho wholo world shall acknowledge the only true and living God. All good that has ever been done on the earth can he traced to tho Jimfluence of the Christian religion. When the whole world w,\s 111 darknens the Church of God held aloft the torch of knowledge. Mnx Mullor s.iys that the humanity of the present day h.is bpen brought about the Christian f.vitli, for where we sco a m.in humane and kind w« may know that he is influenced more or lees by the spirit of Christianity. The fieedom of the slaves was brought about by tho influence of the faith of Christ. Look at tho position woman holds in countries where there is a free Bible nnd compare it with tho position sho holds m those co'iutues where thero is no freedom of religion. In the former sho in tho equal of man, and is honoured as she deierves, and ih looked up to and loved as God intended she should, while in tho latter she is degraded to a position of slavery and, instead of being the companion :ind tho equal, is the sUve of m.iii. A little reflection will convince us that all good and all enlightentnont can be traced directly to the influence

of Clni>tninLy. The piraclioi concluded •v uiii^t eloquent 'fiiiiiiu by making an cunest apptwl to tliu c<)ii>;ieK.itiiiu to be constant m (J')iu^ (i oil's nnik, and not to fi i^f "f woary, .vi snch an ex.uniilo- would lini 1 a b.id dh'it on othoi--, who would ttien f,'io«v wciiy of tl.ang good. -(Own L'oiiL^puudont )