CONFIRMATION SERVICE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3888, 7 February 1870, Page 5

CONFIRMATION SERVICE.

The Right Rev. Dr. Cowie, Bishop of the diocese, held his first Confirmation Service last evening, in St. Paul's Church. There was a very numerous congregation, _ almost every foot of space that could possibly be used for a seat being so used. The Venerable Archdeacon Lloyd read the prayers to the close of the Collects, and the Confirmation .Service was then commenced. There were 23 candidates, 15 young women and eight young men. The Bishop delivered, with much earnestness, an address to the congregation and to the candidates. The following is only a brief abstract of the addross : — The senior members of the Church rmidt feel greatly interested as to whether the young members should continue in the path in which, it was trusted, they were now walking. Surely, the happiness or unhappinesa of the homes of the senior member 3 should depend greatly upon the way in which the young people pei formed the promises they were now to makebcforethecougregationand their God. The candidates for confirmation were »"?kel now, more than ever before, to give up their hearts to God ; they were asked more than ever before to confess themselves— and to live according to that confession — sons and daughters of God. No doubt, all of them had" to some extent, given their hearts to God ; and no doubt they were sincere in the wish which their presence for confirmation Implied, thenceforth to be Christians, not only Phame, but in deed. Conversion to God was not an instantaneous matter in every case, if in any case : it was a matter of growth. So it must be with his young friends. They should be continually growingin grace thenceforth ; moia in earnest than, ever before ; more , And more clear and definite in advances in -Christian life. Let them not be content with mere resolutions of living thenceforth a better life. Let them examine their past conduct, ito see wherein they had been neglectful of their duty — wherein, especially, they were j liable to forget their God, and to live inconsistently with membership of the Church. As to those points, let them resolve, with the help of God's Holy Spirit, to begin anew, and to live more truly tho lives of soldiers and servants of Christ. Let them seriously consider what were those points in their characters which they would least like their parents and friends to know an God knew them — what wera the points m which they were least like the pattern of life which Christ had set up m His Gospel. Let them ponder whether they were always dutiful, always upright, always honest, always pure in conversation ; whether they did unto others as they would that others should do unto them. As to all such details of Jife, Ut them resolve, by the help oi the Holy Spirit, that there should be amendment— that they would live closer to the perfect pattern -set before them by Christ. No doubt each of them, before coming for confirmation, had made auch resolutions ; but resolutions were not enough. And it was because they were not enough that God had promised us His help. As had been read in one of the Lessons that eveuiug, we were as clay, and God wa3 the potter, God could not only form our hearts and mould our lives to the pattern set before u<j by Christ, but He would do so if we would let Him. Clay must yield to the will of the potter; but our Father in Heaven had given us wills of our own, and, if we would not be moulded after the pattern of His Son, then, in punishment, he allowed us to have our own way. God had promised to help those who asked, in sincerity and truth, for" His help. That help was given, ordinarily, through means — thiough the means of gfP.ce which He had Himself appointed— through channels by which God acted. Just an, Ul the world around us, God acted by means, so in the world of spirit, He used means. Amongst sijch nieaus stood, first, prayer— not pi ay er as connected with a paiticular place or a set form of words, but prayur which was part of the daily life— which was truly intercourse between the human spirit and the Divme Spirit. Assembling together, to join in " common prayer," as it was called, was not to be neglected ; but one could pray to God in any and every place — each could, as had been said, enter his or her own chapel— sach could, in the heart, speak to God in prayer. Next to prayer, as a means of grace, stood the study of the Holy Scriptures. In the Bible there were many things hard to be understood — things not to be understood by all ; but in the Bible there was also to be found, in words easily to be understood, everything required to enable all to lead consistent lives as Christians — everything necessary to instruct each what to say, to think, and to do, in every position in life. Thirdly, as a moans of gnce, was to be mentioned that great means to which the candidates for confirmation would now bo admitted, the Holy Communion—the only service which, in that sense, Christ ever appointed. Those »o\y to be confirmed should regard it as their duty to \vy %q h.gr» on the good work, in the progress of whioh iney Mju^ bo interested. Let them gee if they could not bnng eaoi} some one else to the knowledge of Christ — f ome younger brother, or sister, or friend ; tt9t by lecturing, or scolding, or parading of Belf^goodness., &ijfc by Christian example - by kiudness, by punefuahfcyj by evident reliance upon God's Holy %v.'iff fqv QmfyUM and comfort. Thorite of confirmation was performed m tue ca#e of each of the several candidates ; and, the form of prayer prescribed in " Tljg Order of Confirmation" feeing brgughfc %q a. clone, the serviea was concluded.