TE AWAMUTU.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2386, 25 October 1887, Page 2

TE AWAMUTU.

Wkslrvan CoscuflT.- A concert in aid of the Circuit Puud will be held in the hall on Tuesday, Ist November. As the whole of the Waikato has been laid under contribution for talent a good entertainment may be expected. For the information of the unregeperatc who object to long discourses such as are delivered at the dreary annual ohufch meetings of all sects, we may state that nothing of that sort will obtain at the forthcoming concert. We have heard the names of some of the lady and gentlemen singers and we can therefore vouch for the excellent quality of the singing. School Matthias. —Mr O’Sullivan has been in this district for a week or ten days, etjaipipfing the various schools. This school was examined nu Tjnpsday and .Friday. Eighty-six children wprp pieijented, and all passed. The fact that out of all fiho.se presented there was not a single failure reflects the (ugliest credit on the teacher, Colonel Smith, The following are the number in eapl) standard ; —Jfo. I, Sly No, 11, 8 (one absent) | No- lIL ft (one absent); No. IV, tl; No. V, li | No. VI, 1!; No. VII. I; P. I, 10; P. 11, 14. Coni-’uimaxiom Skkvicb at St. John’s Ciiuhck.—His Lordship, the Bishop of Auckland, conferred the rite of Confirmation on eighteen persons of both sexes on Sunday evening, The attendance, notwithstanding the wet evening, was large, the church being full. The singing was particularly good ; the anthem which was taken from the 121st Psalm, “ I will lift up mine eyes to the hills,” was exceedingly well sung, Mr J. L. Mandeno taking the solo. The Bishop took for his text the Btli verse of the Ist chapter of the Ist Epistle to the Corinthians. Ho said that confirmation in the'sense imjiliod in the text meant

strongthing and as the rite was meant to strengthen the candid.it.es by their publicly renewing the vows made for them at their baptism it was called confirmation. It was an outward and visible sign that the hand of God was always upon ns. In the Acts of the Apostles we read of the early Christians being brought to the fathers of the Church for the laying on of hands, and it has always been the custom of our branch of Christ’s Church to continue the rite, which was so strengthening to those who have gone before ns, and it would lie presumption on nor part to omit it. There was no magic in the rite of confirmation. To say that because they were confirmed and were therefore cored of sin was to make, or look upon confirmation, as a mere heathenish rile. It was not an isolated act in tlie lives of young people, it was to be looked upon as a serious matter, but not efficacious in itself and in this matter we should cherish a prayerful spirit. Many young people who arc confirmed and who go to Church and Holy Communion are surprised that they are sometimes betrayed into thoughts, words and acts that would disgrace a heathen community, but they need not be surprised. Du they when at their occupations, in the house, or in society when so tempted retire into the private chapel of their own heart and pray for God’s assistance when so tempted ? They forget that in themselves baptism, confirmation, going to Church and Holy Communion are not magical in their effects. It is the spirit in which one approaches these services that renders them efficacious. His Lordship then controverted the idea so prevalent among many people that science was opposed to religion. He quoted instances where eminent scientists such as Owen, Faraday and Maxwell were faithful followers of Jesus Christ. The word “science ” was a Latin one, and meant a correct knowledge of any subject, and the correct knowledge of material tilings was not by any means antagonistic to religious principles. The Bishop concluded an excellent sermon by addressing himself particularly to the candidates for confirmation, and giving words of good advice to them.