SPIRITUALIST CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 22722, 9 August 1937, Page 2

SPIRITUALIST CHURCH

* Faith, Hope, and Confidence in God ’ was the subject chosen by Mr D. L. Cumberbeach for his address at the Spiritualist Church last evening. The speaker, alluding to the Scriptural reading from St. John, which had preceded the address, said that the water of which Jesus had spoken to the woman of Samaria was the well spring which, if cultivated by each of us would clarify our lives and solve all those problems and perplexities which beset us. Life, said the speaker, was often so difficult to understand; there were so many “ hurdles ’ to get over, so many difficulties to surmount, until we grasped and thoroughly realised what the Master Jesus meant when He said : r “ But whosoever drinketh of the water' that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall he in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” To understand this was to understand the will of God, and if we were all Godmen and God-women, said Mr Cumberbeach, what a difference it would make, not only to ourselves but to the whole world. First, however, it was necessary to cultivate faith; not the blind faith which many considered was what was expected of them, but the faith which enabled us to take the path, the finding of which begat that confidence which gave us the strength to go on and discover God. It was no use halfbelieving a thing, said the speaker; half-truths might open the way for us to the whole truth, but in themselves they were ineffective. To elucidate a mathematical problem in which four rules were involved it was necessary to have a knowledge of those four rules; knowledge of three would not give us the solution. The woman of Samaria was puzzled because Jesus was a Jew and she a Samaritan; how, she wondered, could He guide her in the way of truth. But, said the speaker, there was nothing of the sectarian about Jesus. He came with a message from God to all mankind, and so long as He got that message delivered, got it home, He did not mind who it was, or to who,t sect they belonged, who received it. Confidence in God was what Jesus wanted us to have, and Ho taught the things which would awaken that confidence. What begat confidence in the ordinary human being? asked Mr Cumberbeach. If we did things in a certain way certain results accrued. Knowing this, we gained confidence in that action. It was possible for every man and woman to know how to solve the riddle of life; how to come nearer and still nearer, day by day, to the Great Source of Life. It was by listening to the inner voice and by following the guidance thus obtained. Many tried this, but had not the necessary patience, or power of concentration, to contact the spirit which would unfold tho hidden life. By tho exercise of hope and faith, however, this wonderful discovery could be made by any of us, and then came that confidence in God which transformed our own lives and influenced all around us. These things were true, said the speaker, and there were spirit friends around us willing and anxious to help us in our search for them. Mr R. N. ,Ridd presided, and Sister Edith delivered clairvoyantly a number of spiritual messages to those present.

The Grand National Steeplechase will start at 2.17, and a nice-sized field of 10 is likely to line up. The field is well up to the standard of recent years, and the following particulars give the weights, breeding, and ages of the acceptors :

Royal Limond. 11.0.—Brown gelding, by Limond from the King Rufus maro Royal .Exchange. Eleven years. Bred by Mr J. Donald, bought as a yearling by Mr J. M. Samson for 400 gs, and later sold to his present owner, Mr A. Syme, of Christchurch, for 35gs. Trained by D. O’Connor at Riccarton. Began racing as a two-year-old, when ho was entire, but mad© only one appearance, and has now started in all 104 times for 10 wins and £3,097 in stakes. Best wins: Grand National Steeples (last year), Great Northern Steeples, Riverton Steeples (twice), and June Hurdles (Dunedin). He has not been in the money in 11 starts since he won last year’s National, but was going well in the Homeby Steeplechase last Saturday when he ran off at the brush fence the top of the straight. Rider, D. O’Connor. Irish Comet, 10.7.—Chestnut gelding by Day Comet from the Spalpeen mare Rape of the Lock, descending from the same taproot as Lottie (Auckland Cup) and St. Amans. Fourteen years. Bred by Mr W. T. Taylor, of Ohaupo, Waikato, and raced on lease by Mr R. J. Sexton, who trains him himself at Ohaupo. Began racing as a three-year-old, without success, and did not reappear till he was 10 years old. Has started 33 times for four wins, all this season, and £1,885 in stakes. Best wins were recent Great Northern Steeples and Winter Steeples, prior to which he had won the M'Guiro Steeples at Ohinemuri and the Mangere Steeples at Ellerslie in the autumn. Rider, J. F. Fergus.

Streamline, 10.0.—Brown gelding hy Day Comet from the Treadmill mare Sailor’s Hope, the dam also of Fast Passage (New Zealand and Auckland Cups) and Waterline. Six years. Bred by Sir Charles Clifford at the Stonyhurst Sind, and now owned hy Mr, j.

H. Grigg, of Longbeach. Trained by_T. H. Gillett at Riccarton. Began racing as a three-year-old, when he failed to run into the money, and has now started in all 21 times for five wins and £775 in stakes. His wins comprise three hurdling events last season, including a brush double at Riccarton, and two minor steeplechases in the south this winter. He was also third in the last Grand National Hurdles after an interrupted preparation. He finished third to Cock o’ the North and Nocturns in the Homeby Steeplechase last Saturday, his first experience of the Riccarton country. Rider, G. Ridgway. Nocturnus, 9.12.—81ack gelding by Night Raid from the Trumpeter mare Victory Lass, who never raced. Eight years. Bred by Mr F. A. Roberts, of Kaituna, and now .held on lease, with right of purchase, by the Hon. G. R. Hunter, of Christchurch, one of the part-owners of last year’s Winter Cup winner, Wino. Trained by A. S. Ellis at Sockburn. Began racing as a three-year-old, when he won a novice event at Nelson, did not race as a four-year-old, and has now started 39 times in all for six wins and £966 in stakes. Best wins Otago Steeples, Craigmoro Steeples (South Canterbury). and Otaitai Steeples (Riverton). During the present winter he has accounted for Burglar, Polydora, Streamline, Black (Banner, etc., in his races. Finished second to Cook o’ the North in the Homeby Steeplechase, being beaten a head. Rider, F. E. Baker. Burglar, 9.10.—8ay gelding by Night Raid from the Varco mare Argento, who is closely inbred a couple of generations back to the Chrysolite branch of the famous Mermaid family. Twelve years. Bred by Mr D. W. Westenra, of Dunsandel, and now owned by his breeder’s son, Mr R. D. Westenra. Trained by A. J. Martin at Riccarton. Did not begin racing till a seven-year-old, and has now started only 15 times in all for four wins and £902 in stakes. Best wins: July Steeples and Mariri Steeples at Wellington recently and Aylesbury Steeples at the last Grand National Meeting, was fourth, close up, in Homeby Steeplechase last Saturday*

and a very reliable jumper. Rider, L. Dulieu. Forest Glow, 9.7.—8r0wn gelding by Town Boy (sou of Archiestown) from the Soult mare Lady Winsome, whose dam (Winsome) was no other than a half-sister to those wonderful jumpers St. Simon and Record Reign. Eight years. Bred by Mr A. Pretty, of Waitaugi, Waikato, and now owned by Mrs A. H. Marshall, of Marton. Trained by L. Knapp at Awapuni. Began racing as a five-year-old, and has started 30 times for three wins and £1,411 10s in stakes. Wins were in Winter Steeples (Ellerslie), M-‘Guirc Steeples (Obinemuri), and Farmers’ Steeples (Waikato Hunt), and between M'Guiro and Winter last season ho ran six seconds in six starts, including the Great Northern© Steeples._ His form this season has been most disappointing, and be has only one second out of nine starts to bis credit. He foil in the Homeby Steeplechase last Saturday. Rider, J. W. M’Dowall. Palm, 9.5.—8r0wn gelding by Warplane from the Sarto mare Cinnamon, dam also of Pango and Miss Pango. Twelve years. Bred by Mr J. Brice and now being raced after various changes of ownership by Mrs D. Levin, of Wellington. Trained by J. S. Shaw at Riccarton. Began racing as a four-year-old, and was a good performer on the flat before be took to jumping; but he lias always been unlucky in big events. In all he has started 131 times to date for 15 wins and £3,995 10s in stakes. His best season was his first, when he earned £935. His wins include the Manawatu Tamatote Handicap, the Wellington Handicap, Wingatui Steeples, and several minor hurdles and steeples, and in addition he has been second in the Grand National Hurdles, twice second in the Winter Hurdles /Wellington), second and third in the Wellington Steeplechase, and twice second to Manawatu at the last Grand National Meeting. Has started 14 times this season for a second and two thirds, and finished seventh in the Homeby Steeplechase last Saturday. Rider, T. J* Boyle.

Brigadore, 9.3.—8r0wn gelding by Polazel from the Sarto mare Mydora, dam also of Invictus. Eight years. Bred and owned by Mr E. C. Haddock, of Marton, who is now_ training the horse himself. Began racing as a three-year-old, and has started 30 times for four wins and £787 in stakes. All his successes have been over fences, comprising hack hurdles at Riccarton and Marton, the Glen Hurdles at Trentham last October, and the Awapuni Steeplechase recently. Rider, C. Thomson. Cock o’ the North, 9.o.—Chestnut fielding by Royal Mac (son of Mountain King) from the Formosan mare Dabchick. a Mermaid descendant, Eleven years. Bred by Mr A. N. Grigg, of Surrey Hills, Ashburton, and purchased last October by the Wingatui trainer F. Shaw. Did not commence racing in public till a single outing at the close of last season, when he ran second to Royston at the South Canterbury Hunt Meeting, and he has now started eight times in all for two wins and £355 in stakes. His win was a surprise victory in the Dunedin Steeplechase last month, when he heat Burglar and Possum into the minor places. In the Aylesbury Steeples at the' last Grand National Meeting he was third to Burglar and Nocturnus. Won the Homeby Steeplechase last Saturday, leading all the way and just lasting long enough to beat Nocturnus a head. gßider, W. Cooper. Shillelagh Wood, 9.o.—Chestnut mare by Woodend from the Fleetham mare Direct Hit, whose other progeny has been of no account. Eight years. Bred and raced by Mr M. Hanley, of Clifden. Trained by J. Langford at South Hillend. Did not begin racing till last season, when she won first time out, and has now started on only 10 occasions in all for four wins and £553 in stakes. Her racing has all been over country, and her wins were secured in the Orawia Steeples at Clifden (first start), the Otago Hunt Cup Steeples (beating Burglar), and the Southland Ritchie Memorial Steeples (beating Black Banner). A fortnight ago she ran second to Black Banner at Washdyke, and last Saturday won the Lawford Hack and Hunters’ Steeplechase at Riccarton. Rider, V. Langford. The favourites, are likely to he: — BURGLAR ROYAL LIMOND or NOCTURNUS IRISH COMET*