ST. MICHAEL'S.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12378, 18 December 1905, Page 9

ST. MICHAEL'S.

Archdeacon Averil'l preached at St. Michael's last evening on the anniversary, Taking ac hie text, Isaiah li., 1, "Hearken to mc., ye that follow after nghteoueooee, yo that 6oek tho Lord; look unto tho well whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged," ho eaid it would hardly befit them to allow the (anniversary of tho foundation of tho Canterbury Province to pass unnoticed, or to forget the work of tiho founders, of the province, which wan originally intended to be.a Church of England settlement. We must not overlook the noble ideals which inspired thoso pioneers. All honour was due to tho Old Country for furnishing such pioneers prepared to face the perils of colonisation to create a settlement based on religion and character. Tho land wMch trained such men and women, and inspired in them such ideals of colonisation, deserved admiration. It ill became them to disregard the. real lesson taught by tho formation of the Canterbury settlement. If more colonies had been settled on the basis of tho Canterbury Association, things would be different from what they were now in many colonies. It was wrong to look upon tho colonies as the proper place to dump the refuse and criminals of tiho Old Land. The colonies needed the bast; they needed men of character and n;en of grit. In 1850 England did nob care about tho colonies, and_ did not know what a mighty Empire owed allegiance to the Queen. Tho Canterbury Association emphasised tho imponance of the foundations of a new colony being laid in tho best way. Those old pioneers had not much to help them. There were aio traditions, no history, no ideals already founded hm» for them. They were thrown back entirely upon themselves, and i'he future of the colony depended upon them entirely. Because tho principles and character were not wanting in thoso pioneers wo were entitled to look back with pardonable pride. The preacher asked whether it was good that the rising generation should not know the meaning of Anniversary Day—not merely its surface meaning, but tho deeper meaning behind rt. Had we no gratitude? What would the world bo without dreamers, without idealists ? We should be stultifying the- laws of our own being. If the ideals of the Canterbury Association wore only dreams, by all means let us 1-avG more such dreams and more such dwamers. If the ideal of forming an exclusive Church of England settlement was not possible under the circumstances of realisation it deserved none the less to bo revered. People saw that union of tho churches was expedient, but it hud not yet como to know that it vr&a right. We could see the faults of sectarianism and had dreams now of one m-.ited church, with one voice and one authority. Tho dream of the Canterbury Association was an inspired dream. Behind the Canterbury Association was .tho long history* of the Anglican Church. If tho dream of the Association proved unattainable it must bo reverenced, and reverenced b?causo it had helped to maintain that type and character which was tho glory of the Anglican Church. We were ever ready to see mistakes in others, but how many of us would bo prepared to do to-day what tho Pilgrims did half « century ago. Their dream was one of loyalty to thf> Church. Had we outgrown them or had we sunk below their principles? Wβ should honour «nd try to carry out the true and deep convictions of the Pilgrims.