REV. DR. SOMERVILLE.

Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2602, 20 August 1878, Page 3

REV. DR. SOMERVILLE.

FAREWELL SERVICE. The> Rev. Dr. Somerville, pursuant to previous announcement, gave his farewell address to-day, at the Theatre Royal, at one o'clock. The number to greet him, and hear his last address in Auckland, was about 700 persons. The following rev. gentlemen met him upon the platform:— Thos. Buddie, Webb, Norrie, McKinney, Robertson, Whewell, Kirk, Carrick, Bond, Dutton, andMacnicol; also, Messrs Buddie, Larkins, Macffarlane, and Brackenrig. The old select choir was present, including about sixteen ladies and ten gentlemen. Precisely at the hour the rev. gentleman gave out in his clear, ringing voice, the 92nd hymn from Sankey's collection. Rev A. W. Webb engaged in prayer. The Doctor then rose from his seat, and, amid breathless silence, announced as his text those words of Paul, " The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus : for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain ; but when he was in Rome he sought me out very diligently and found. The Lord grant that he may find mercy in that day." The speaker, in measured touching cadence, referred to his late visit to Auckland seven months ago, and told them that the welcome he then received was the key to all the welcomes he got all through New Zealand. He had gone through all the principal towns in New Zealand, and everywhere a great and glorious work was done, and left him amidst touching affections and tearful, farewells. He then" went on to speak upon the text, and with his beautiful imagery held his vast audience almost spellbound. His introduction to his subject was very fine, and he said he might call the things referred to in the text as prison scenes. Ist scene was : Paul preaching the prison; 2nd, Conversion in the prison; 3rd, Tears in the prison; 4th, Progress in the piison ; sth, Stripes washed in the prison; and lastly, Anti-

cipations ;of ©glory in the pnson The main part of the sermon was based ttnon the visit of Onesiphorus, the^ Ephesian, to Paul, the aged, in his prison at Rome He referred to the effort that this visitor made to see Paul; how he came from his own land and travelled for miles, and reached the famous city, aud then went from prison to prison till at last he found one whom his soul so longed to see. And at this juncture of the sermon, the wondrous descriptive and histrionic powers of this old veteran Christian soldier came into view. The part where Onesiphorus and Paul met in the dark cell, and fell upon each other and wept, was touching almost beyond degree, and burned with fervent eloquence. The Doctor at every turn applied his subject to his hearers, and bade them never to forget to do a kind action, even if it be done to one older and holier than himself. He then took his audience to other "scenes and pictures— where Paul shows the two rewards that he has got, one from the world, and the other from his Master and Saviour. The reward from the world was only a rusty chain ; the other, a golden chain of gold or the Celestine land. The sermon Avaߧ a series of beautiful pictures. ' At its close the farewell and parting began both to father and son. We must not forget to mention that Mr W. Somerville's playing was as charming as ever. The Dr leaves Auckland with universal good wishes.