ECCLESIASTICAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7841, 10 January 1887, Page 5

ECCLESIASTICAL.

Yesterday being Epiphany Sunday services suitable to the occasion were held in St. Paul's Church. The incumbent preached morning and evening to good congregations, while the feature of the oiußical portion of the services was the Epiphany carol, " There came Three Kings," which was well rendered by the choir in the evening. A large congregation assembled in the Primitive Methodist Church, Pitt and Edwin-street, Newton, last evening to hear a sermon by the Rev. A. J. Smith, bearing upon the Mount Rennie outrage. The text selected was Numbers x»i. 32. The rev. gentleman briefly expounded the text and its surrounding circumstances. This led to the consideration of the punishment which had just been inflicted on four young men in Sydney for having violated the law of the land in the committal of the most sickening and revolting outrage ever perpetrated in New South Wales. It was necessary that they should suffer the extreme penalty of the law. Efforts had been made to remit or commute the sentence of death, but the community as a whole were content to let the law take its course, The saying of the Judge when passing sentence was thoroughly endorsed : " There are many things more precious to society than life itself, viz., the honour of our women and the safety of oar families." Mr. Smith said that he was more than ever convinced that if the youth of this colony, were to be preserved there must be more efficient discipline, and less indulgence in the home. He questioned whether the execution of those young men would prove an effectual deterrent from crime ; something more was necessary. It was the duty of the Church as well as the State to help. Good men trembled for the future of these lands. The moral condition of New South Wales was not strikingly worse than this colony, as proved by reports in the daily Press. The system of education in our State schools was next dwelt upon, and the spread of impure literature, and the congregation was affectionately urged to ponder the subjeot carefully, and seek by every constitutional means to improve the morals and to save the youth of our country. The Rev. J. D. Jory, Superintendent of the Wesleyan Rewa Mission at Fiji, preaohed at Graf ton-road Wesleyan Church, yesterday morning, and in the evening at the Pittstreet Wesleyan Church. There were good congregations on each occasion. The last of the united meetings for prayer was held on Saturday night in the Lecture Hall of the Young Men's Christian Association Rooms. The Rev. J. S. Hill presided. Addresses were delivered by Rev. T. Adams and tha Hon. G. Waldegrave, This gentleman's address was deeply interesting, as he' gave some incidents of mission work in India, China, and Russia. He having lived for some time in Russia, his remarks as to the readiness of the peasants and soldiers to receive the Gospel message weife very encouraging. There was a fair attendance, and various friends took part in the devotional exercises. £1 7s was collected towards the expenses. - The visual evangelistio service was held last evening in the City HalL Dr. Kenderdine presided. The Rev. J. S. Hill delivered an earnest address from the passage, "Is the young man Absolom safe?" There was a good attendance. Mr. A. G. Daniel's tent services at Surrey Hill Estate were largely attended yesterday. These meetings will be continued nightly. This evening will be commenced a series of addresses on propheoy, the first being " The Three Angels' Messages," from Revelation.