GORE ANGLICAN CHURCH.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 1417, 29 November 1904, Page 2

GORE ANGLICAN CHURCH.

ADDHKSS IJV THE I'KIIIATE. The Alobt Uev. the I'rimute (Dr A vV . ill) conducted a special adult confirmation service ut Holy Trinity Cbur-h Lore, last evening, administering tbe rite to twelve candidates-seven taa'.m mid live females. There was a | aree congregation present, the V icai . „£ Ue\. A. Winghcld) and the Kev A Ncld (IWdin) also taking p mt in the service. The i'rimatc chose the texts for hi* discourse from the lifth chapter of St Matthew: "V u are the salt of the earth. . . Let yom . iishl HO hV before men that they seeing y our g ood works will glorify your luthcr which ik ill heaven. ' These word,, the preacher said, formed purl of the Ser moil on the Mount, and were addrgs*. cd, not to the pagans and the heat'.en wo hi at urge, but to Christ's immediate followers. Ho was addreMi.iu himseii to the Christian Church in iu infantile stage, and impressed tho „ who belonged to it with the vas'l measure of their obligation*. They were exhorted to be us' the s avin ' salt, preserving u nd purifying all was gt, o d );1 , Jlo (,„„,.,, % ifd ™ only that, but they hud lo bc UH * igl.t ►liming forth in the darkness of Imrbaris.u and unbelief. l| iu , was brought home very „ ett| .) y to those who hud been adniitced to full membership with the Church that night. J hey „,.,-„ tl) |J llot (o J|i<lu their light under a bushel, but to fc et it forth fearlessly before 'the worid witnessing for the Kingdom of God! And ,( they did not (.reserve within t lemselyes the sanctifying graces of the Father, then the virtue of the salt would eseaiie from them and their in-Ihi-nre for good would claw t„ fc e exerted in the world. Having „nco " recognised that they had to remember it every duy and all day. Their responsibilities must bo recognised continuously. If they regarded confirmation merely as a right and proper tinug to do, the first impression* of its solemnity would pass awuy u ud they would become as the salt that had. lost iU savor ; as a light that had ceased to burn. 'The older they grew the purer light-they should disseminate übout Ihem-it should be ever increasing in intensity until all men eame to s,e that the Christian religion was u vuluufcfe and a glorious thing and would magnify God, v.bo had produced the light. If they would be lightgncis they must lim obtain Ine light.. To obtain it they must acpiuo Knowledge of God's law, of '•od Himself, tns purposes and liis sacraments. Could they contribute in some small degree ol the unification ot Christ s Church they would accomplish no more glorious a work. Part ol their duty was to know Christ-, l hey must also get moral and spiritual light by pondering over Uod's Hold, and esjioeially by partaking of His holy sacraments. 'j|,ey Wl . rv j ltf |„. Leureis, but eoiild not cany a l-ght unless they obtained it from God Himself. ihey must also hold aloft ■u warning light, showing others Iho dangers lying ahead of them. 'The greatest dangers, today were careless-n-ss and indiu'erencc. i'erhaps the Church of the Living God had not been so faithful as slie shoTild bo to |ilucu lights here and there warning humanity of the dungurs of Iho social life, but at all events a duty J was imposed upon every Christian to do his utmost and to do it continuously to manifest the attributes of God. The cull came to those especially who had been admitted to the mil"st irivileges of the Church that they should let their light so shine before men that they seeing their good works would glorify their Father which is in heaven.