Evening Service

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2126, 23 February 1886, Page 2

Evening Service-

-There was an overflowing congregation in the evening, additional scats hiving to be procured. His Lordship the Bishop of Dunedin preached a \ery impressive sermon, taking his text the 104 Psalm, verse 24. "0 Lord, how manifold are thy works, in wisdom hastthou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches." This was the ejaculaof a pious soul after a profound meditation of God's works. With what delight did he contemplate those manifold works, how supreme was his joy. Hw view of what we call nature was such as to exalt him to the highest emotions. When we come together, as we have done to-day, to offer our tribute of thanksgiving for the harvest, we thereby testify by pur presence that we reoognise that all things are not merely the result of our own labour, although by the diligence of our labour we have contributed towards their production. We recognise, in spite of our labour, that we are not the final cause, but only her intermediary agency. God does not bring things forth by the mere fiat of His will, but by the instrumentality of His creatures. They are still the works of God, though in our day we are pi one to separate the process. We should take up the theme of the Psalmist, and give praise mingled with wonder. The invisible thing* of God are precious by the things visible which reflect His power. If we read aright they reveal the omnipotence, and all that is laying in Jebovab. Lat usjjot lp"k. at them \yitl\ the inej-e indifference of th« an/taini, Wtjen some awful catastrophe, nueh an occurred in

of our iu^ignifiamce, and of thu majesty of the power of God. What do the heavens display but His power, or the \a>>t distance between the plauuts aud the inntiiueiuble by stem of ststrs. Our imagination fails us when wo load the calculations in figures of the astronomers. Yet all is pet feet order. Though the stars ;\ro innnmciablc, they are all known to Him, for He g.i\o them their nllotcd place. We can dinco\pr «vi kncj of Mis wwli.m everywhere. V Lit is wisdom? Do we not sp<« it i.i tho perfect adaptation ofevoryon- : Mis creatinc-* in his place in the uoild, and in tho wonderful liijuh.niis.n of our own bodies. There is no impeifcrtion nnyivheie. Without going into the details of this or that tike .my organ and the same tiuth will be levealed that the Creator foiesnw md pro\ided for tlie necessities of each. There ii> wisdom and (fondness evnri übeio. There i.s perfoction e\eiywlx'ip, in tho imtnonsity of the universe iind the m.iynitude of the stars "'id in the miuutu-t tl»in^> of creAtinn. Thins 9 the eyo cauuot behold, unle»n put under the microscope, exhibit tho same beauty of perfection and cv idenuJ of his power. What a wealth of ci pati vv powei jis there on the seaso.i.slioi c, in the colours of birds and fi*hc*, in the rainbow and wayside flower, where all is perfection and beauty bec.uise God himself is good and perfect. If the contemplation of the material croation is wonderful, how much more should thu spiritual world call forth emotions of gratitude and praise. No eye can see the thinga He ha-s prepared for those who lo\e him, aud that should stimulate us to hope and stir up our ambitions to rise to those things thnt are prepared for ud. The sons of Adam inherit the things of earth ; the sons of God will inherit the things <-f bliss. The Church bred and spint fed, not the scorncr, shall partake of the eternal blUb of Heaven.