THE CLOSE OF THE MISSION IN WAIKATO. S. Andrew's, Cambridge.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2086, 19 November 1885, Page 2

THE CLOSE OF THE MISSION IN WAIKATO. S. Andrew's, Cambridge.

Tiif concluding mi*nion *ervico at S. Andrew*, Cambridge, was held on Monday ov enin>? .it 8 o'clock. Heforo the *crvice began tho church was crowded throughout. The order was different from the other icrvice\ thin final one partaking of the nature of a thanksgiving, The sermon ».n .in earnest one, but was shorter tli.tti usual. The singing (>f c hymns and psalms nnd T« Deum was hnarty and congregational. Those who could heartily .iccept the Apostles' Creed wero asked to stand and recite it, .uid those who desired to lead ;» new hfe to renew theii baptmmal vows bv annvvering tho questions of tho baptinni.tl service m tho words therein prescribed. The commandments were aUo reeiti d and tho " Kyrie Kleison " repeated after each. After the ninsioner had the blf-^sin^ bo announced that he would attend in the \e-4iy to shako hands with and Rue the memorial card of the mission to those who felt they had received help. llefore tho congregation moved f i oin their plac-s tho Archdeacon addressed them and «aid he thought they ought not to separate without somo \eil>al expression of thanks to the missioner. On tho opening day of the mission they had welcomed him and prayt d for a blessing upon his work here. On the closing day they would wish to return thanks and bid him (lod speed in his woik elsewhere. The presence of so large a number th.it evening was itself a strong testimony that tho woik of the pre teller was highly estimated, The number attending the sen ices hid increased as the mission went on. It was a veiy common experience of life that we only valued our blessings at their truo \.ilne when we h.wl lost them or were about to lose them, and he thought that most of those present were only now beginning to re.ih-e what. i high privilege had been piowdod in tho mission. Much sacrifice h.id been made m ouler that the members of the church in Vuckland and Chiiskhtirch might enjr>y this privilege. It needed much self-sacn-hco on the p.irt of the missions themselves, and their paiishioncrs and their bishop, to enable thorn to undertake thii work, and it ought to bo acknowledged. They owed, n\->, a debt of gratitude to their own hi- hop for the labour they had bestowed in planning and arranging for the mission to be held. He thanked m tho name of the congregation the missionei and all those who had helped to bring these great blessings amongst them, and he thanked (Jod for them. The mission had greatly helped and cheered himself, and lie knew from the testimony of numbers that they aNo had been helped. Before asking them to sing the l)ov.olugy ho would give an opportunity to othei members of the congu-gutiion m case any of them desiied to t-aj a wt>rd in suppoit of the expression of thanks. Jn conclusion he bade the inissiouer (Jod-spcod in tho continu ition of Ins great and holy work, and prayed th.it as rich a blessing might re«t upon his labours eKewhere as here. Mr Wells, churchwarden, said he accepted Mi Willis' invitation to eipress the obligation tliat he felt under to the misMoner for the great benotit which he had secured fiom attending the illusion service. Tn i.ijintf this ho only oppressed the feelings of very many of the people, who had expressed the samo to him through the mission. Kloqunnt though tho discourses had h.-en, it was more from their practical nature that the, t'lf.it benefits had been conferred on them all. The masteily mannei in which the inissioiicr had grappled with tho subject of unbelief, and doubts and difficulties that ash Ail Christians daily, pointing out how the Christian might successfully combat them, making clear the lines on which they might tread the old pathx of their fathers, would, he hoped, remain for ever before them. With (lod's blessing he would try to lead the life pointed out bj the niisMoner. "I'raiso Ood from whom all blessings How" w.ii then sung by the large congregation, which could not have numbered much under 400, and the Archdeacon gave the hnal blos-nrig in the form provided in the evening service. Before leaving the chinch a large number of the ( ongregation waited upon Mr liodington in the ve»try to bid him goodbye and leceivo from him niemoiial cards of the minimi.