WATCH-NIGHT SERVICES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6590, 1 January 1883, Page 5

WATCH-NIGHT SERVICES.

ST. PAUL'S. A "New Yeak's Eve Service," was held last night at half past eleven o'clock, the Rev. C. M. Nelson reading the prayers. His Lordship the Bishop oi Auckland delivered a short address from the pulpit appropriate to the occasion. The service of the Holy Communion, he said, was also a thanksgiving service, and it was right and proper to give God thanks for His mercies vouchsafed during the year just closing. It was needful at such a time to mark the progress made in Christian life and well-doing, and form a resolution to make a fresh start antl creator progress: during the year to come. Those who had neglected their duty towards God should resolve to make amends, and those who had failed in their duty towards their neighbour should ask Geti s grace to fultii the duties which they had hitherto neglected. The To 13eutn ("We Praise Thee, O God") was suug at the conclusion of the Bishop's address. The service of the Holy Communion was then read and the sacrament of the Lord's sSupper administered. ST. MATTHEWS. Entering this church at half-past eleven we were much struck with its bright and cheerful appearnuce, the floral decorations all freshly renovated having an efiect as charming as unexpected at the nimiiight hour. Service commenced with the hymn "For Thy mercy am? Thy grace," which was succeeded by the Litany followed l>y the hymn "The year is gone beyond recall." The incumbent then delivered a short address on two verses which had been read as the evening's second lesson (Isaiah xxxviii. IS-10). "The grave cannot praise Thee, death cannot celebrate Thee, they that go down into the pit cannot hope for Thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise Thcc as Ido this day.'' He spoke of standing by the grave of dead years which, with their failures, were unable to render any meed of praise to God, and urged his hearers to make the new year a "living" one, of which the "praise of this day" should be the earnest. The hymn "Lays and momenta quickly flying" was then sung, after which there was a pause for meditation and private prayer. At midnight the choir burst out into the grand old hymn "Now thank we all our God." The Holy Communion wis then celebrated. The hymn " Draw nigh and take the Body of the Lord" was sung after the Nicene Creed. The congregation was very large, the communicants numbering 60. At the usual evening service there was a largo and attentive congregation. The incumbent preached a sermon on "Toleration," which seemed to rivet the attention of his auditors. PITT-STREET WESLEY AN. The midnight service at the Pitt-street Weslejan Church was conducted by the Kev. A. Reid. There was a large attendance. The Rev. Mr. Reid opened the service at 11 o'clock, by giving out the hymn — O God ! onr hc]pin ages pa £ t, ; Oar hope for yoara to conie. After the singing of this hymn, the last chapter of Revelations was read, und Mr. Harris engaged in prayer. Another hymn was sung, and Mr. SousJrer delivered an address. In the course of his remarks, Mr. Souster said that it was natural at the close of the year to think of what had passed, and what sort of a year it had been. During the year, with the exception of the Egyptian difficulty, the peace of Englaud had been established throughout the earth, and her relationship with other great powers as well as with small tribes had been amicable. In science, electricity had been applied to the transmission of sound, and houses, streets, and ships were lighted with electricity. We had seen in this colony the comet which had beautified the sky; wc had also witnessed the transit of Venus. These would have great effect upon the scientifie~knowledge of the future. England was still the land of the Bible aud the paradise of the free, and they still rejoiced that England was the home of true Christianity, aud the mother of true Christian liberty. Auckland was advancing politically, commercially, and socially, and the colony had enjoyed a season of prosperity such as had not perhaps been enjoyed by the colony at any previous time; and for these things they should thank and praise God. The new year was ushcrod ia in the customary maimer. " BAPTIST.

Mr. T. Spurgeon held service in the Wel-lesley-street school-room at quarter past eleven p.m. The room was packed. Mr. Spurgeon delivered n short address, in which he remiuded those present of God's mercy during the past year, and made an earnest appeal to the unconverted. Several short prayers were offered up, aud hymns were sung. A minute or two before twelve o'clock, silent prayer was engaged in till the clock struck the hour, when Mr. Spurgeon rose and prayed for a short space. The silence and the striking of the clock reminded one of the article on "The New Year " written by Charles Dickens, which terminates as follows :—" We have scarcely written tho last word of the previous sen. tence, when the first stroke of twelve peals from the neighbouring churches. There certainly—we must confess it now—is something awful in. the souud. Strictly speaking, it may uot be more impressive now than at any other time ; for the hours steal as swiftly on at other periods, and their flight is little heeded. But we measure man's life by years, and it is a solemn knell that warns us we have passed another of the landmarks which staud between us and the grave. Disguise it as we may, the reflection will force itself upon our minds that when the next bell announces the an ival of a new year we may be insensible alike of the timely warning we have so often neglected, and of all the warm feelings that glow within us now." THE CATHOLIC CHURCHES. There were uo special services at tho Catholic churches of the city or suburbs last night. The lists of Christmas dues and subscriptions, which were both satisfactory and liberal, were announced. The only feature in St. Patrick's Cathedral was that at tho 11 o'clock mass, the Rev. Father Lenihan, who possesses a well modulated and cultivated teuor voice, sang Zingarella's Laudate with excellent effect. V.M/J.A. ROOMS. A wateh-niglit service was held at halfpast ten, in the hali ot the., Young Men's Rooms. The room was comfortably tilled. Suitable hymns were sung, aud addresses given by Messrs. liemtis, Braekenrig, t'helps, "and Mrs. Phelps. The last few moments of the old year, and the first few minutes of the new year, were spent in silent prayer. The doxology was sung, and after a few words of loving greeting from the chairman, tho gathering dissolved. A tract, entitled "A New Year's Gift," written by the B.ev. J. S. Hill, of Gisborne, was given away at the door.