PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4461, 1 March 1876, Page 2

PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH.

The annual soiree of the Sheridan-street Primitive Church, was held last evening. Both the tea and the meeting were fully attended. At the meeting, the chair was taken by Mr. T. H. Smith.—The Rev. Mr. Harris read the financial statemeut, ■which was a very encouraging one. Towards the building fund for the new chapel, the sum of £229 12s had been raised from all sources. The disbursements had been :-— £200 for the church site in Franklin Road, £30 balance due on allotment, and £3 10s for miscellaneous expenses: total, £233 19s 7d. By the ladies tewing meetings, a sum of £65 had been raised, which was included in the above amount.—The Rev. P. H. Cornford delivered a inest earnest address, in which ho set forth that the " spirit life" of the Church was the only criterion of progress, and urged them to labour for the good of souls. The chiefest blessing of all that could be conferred upon them, was the blessing of Christianity, " Which malceth rich, and added no sorrow thereto." The speaker narrated an interesting story of the power of the Gospel and the • efficacy of prayer. At the time of the insur- ' rection in Jamaica, it was thought by some planters that the troubles arose from the assembly of the people at prayer meetings. . It was determined to stop these meetings, aud the leader of one was taken and sent to headquarters. Mar- | tial law was observed at the time, and there was no difficulty in the planters making "an example" of their victim. The man was hanged, and his head was sent back to the plantation. On the day following, the slaves, to the number of about COO, were assembled, and the head of the man who had been executed placed on a high pole in their midst. One by one the planters addressed the slaves, and, pointing to the' head, warned them not to attend the prayer meetings, which they said had caused all the trouble. Last of all, the master oE the slave who had been the leader at the prayer meetings, called him, and, pointing to the head on the pole, told him that if he had been found at the time, Ms head would have been there—that it was all his fault, and if he went on with his prayer meetings he would be hanged too. The slave on hearing this said, "Let us pray," and there knelt down before them. The GOO slaves knelt down with him, and he then prayed fervently for them and for his masters, and for himself, and that the shedding of innocent blood might be stopped. One by one all the planters walked away, mounted their horses and rode off. None of them laid hands onhim, and the prayer meetings were not afterwards interfered with.—The Chairman and the Rev. Mr. Tinsley also addressed the meetidg in an effective manner, and a number of selections of sacred music were performed by the choir. A collection -was made, which amounted to £7 3s sd, and tho meeting wa« closed with the doxology and benediction.