THE REV. FRASER HURST.

Evening Star, Issue 6151, 28 November 1882, Page 4

THE REV. FRASER HURST.

TO THE EDITOR. Sm, —This young gentleman, who is at present officiating in Caversham, was a settled minister twenty miles out of Belfast. His voice is clear, but monotonous, and his pronunciation is nearly faultless, little of the Irish brogue observable. In prayer he holds his head ex-eet, somewhat inclining backward ; his hands stretched, and fingers clasped, resembling a triangle. He has no gesticulation, and his phraseology is evangelical. The congregation is plain, but respectable. He expatiated on a threefold text taken from the New and Old Testaments. 1. " Every man shall bear his own burden" —the burden of weakness, frailty, sin, and imperfection. The idea of personal responsibility to God is also implied. It cannot lie transferred. God deals personally with us for our übc or abuse of bestowed talents—such as time, health, wealth, overture of salvation, and that, too, irrespective of parentage, sect, however independent in themselves. We should appropriate Christ's righteousness, drink in his spirit, submit to his precepts, snd conform to his Gospel. 2. "Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ," as diametrically opposed to the spirit of selfishness. There is a necessity for sympathy ; for Christians are stones of the same edi£ee ; members of the same body, branches of the same tree. Hence there is a obae unjon and sympathy sub&isting between theni all, " Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." Selfishness was denounced,, and the golden rule enforced, and so society would become revolutionised. This portion of his text breathes the pure spirit of Christ. 3. '' Cast thy burden on the Lord, He shall sustain thee." In Scripture, every and precious coimnand is followed with a gracious promise on the paifc of a Father able and willing to bear our burdens, as is abundantly evident in the free gift of Christ, who comprises all other minor gifts. Faith's view of the crucified Jesus causes the burden of sin to fall oft' tho shoulders of the sinner. He quoted Bonar's hymn—" I lay my sins on Jesus," etc. Hence flow light and hope, comfort and refreshment, rcbt and consolation, peace and security. Let us all cast our cares upon God, who, indeed, cares for us, The rev. gentleman's

sermon descended, like the dew of Hermon, upon the infidel wilderness of Caversham. Mr Hurst is a plain, practical, sensible, zealous, unostentatious, ami pious preacher. He might become a useful fellow-worker with Mr Ronaldson in this blighted corner of the Christian vineyard. I have no sympathy with such as pour contempt upon the religion of their fathers and mothers. Their wealth will not profit them in the day of wrath. While "the memory of the just is blessed, the memorial of the wicked shall rot."—l am, etc., J. G. S. Grant. Dunedin, November 27.