PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume VX, Issue 7103, 28 January 1901, Page 2

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

At the Presbyterian Church the Eev. A. M. Eeattie (Patea) preached. The pulpit surroundings were deeply draped, as also was the organ, from which was suspended a large wreath. The memorial sermon was taken from the 23rd chapter of Numbers, and the latter part of the 10th verse : " Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like His." The rev. gentleman said it would be seen at a glance that in choosing his text he had done so in full sympathy with all others round in the solemn circumstances under which they were gathered. God in His mysterious Providence had removed one who for so many years had been at the head of the Empire, and one who by her goodness and precept had endeared herself to the hearts and minds of the people. After elaborating on the text and applying it, the preacher said by the strange dispensation of Providence he was, as a minister of religion, first stationed near one of the Queen's castles in Scotland, where . the late lamented Sovereign used to reside once a year, and he used to frequently see the Queen, and other members of the Boyal Family. He spoke of Her Majesty going out personally, visiting the poor on the estate and providing for them, and this in itself was an instance of her goodness of heart. . During her visits to the part of Scotland where the preacher was located, our late Sovereign was a frequent attendant at the Established Church. By the death of Queen Victoria the British Empire had suffered a great loss, and we. should endeavour to live good and noble lives as our late Queen had done, and thus die the death of the righteous, so that our last end •will be like His. There was a large congregation present. After the Benediction was pronounced, the Dead March in Saul was played by the organist, Mr S. Moore. At the evening service there was again a large attendance. The text was taken from the concluding portion of the 18th verse of the first chapter of Joshua : "Be strong and of a good courage." Solemn reference was again made to the death of the Queen, and the rev. speaker dwelt on the various forms of strength and courage, pointing out the value of moral and spiritual power. At the conclusion of the service, the impressive "Dead March " was played on the largo pipe-organ.