THE WESLEYAN JUBILEE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8424, 27 November 1890, Page 6

THE WESLEYAN JUBILEE.

The Wesleyan Jubilee services were continued yesterday, at the Pitt-street Wesleyan Church. A fellowship meeting was held in the morning, when there were several speakers. In the afternoon the Rev. A. Reid preached to a numerous congelation. He took his text from Leviticus xxv., 11 — "A jubilee .shg.ll that fiftieth year be unto you and from Luke iv., 19"To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.'' He said that they had in the jubilee year all that the heart of humanity was craving for at the present moment. Instead of pining and complaining because of their difficulties and hardships, they ought to live in glad anticipation of the time when heaven would be upon earth, and when God's tabernacle would be among men. In this year they were halting for a few days, in order to ascertain what progress they were making, and what progress they were helping the world to make towards the realisation of the heavenliness of man's condition while in this world ; and there should be a clear and intelligent survey of their position, and of the possibilities and responsibilities of the Church. In their limited sphere there might not be much that was striking or sensational, but it was none the worse for that ; if it was a story of hard work, bitter disappointment, blighted expectations, and sad misgivings as to the future, let them have the courage to look at it. Deep gratitude ought to be the uppermott feeling at the present time. Mr. Reii expressed the loyalty of the Methodists to the British Throne, and continued to say that there never had been experienced in this world a time during which the brotherhood of man was so emphasised, and so well understood and adopted, and so clearly set forth, and so heartily believed in, as during the fifty years just passed. They were all brothers. "Man to man the world o'er will brothers be, and a' that," if they would only be patient, and take the right methods. The men who attempted to regenerate society upon other methods than the basis of the Gospel would make shipwreck of faith and of everything else. The preacher went on to urge that war ought to be destroyed and rendered impossible. They looked at the paraphernalia and pomp and circumstances of glorious war, and they believed it was glorious. But it was infamous, it was devilish; and, notwithstanding all the grand characters that had been developed in connection with it, it was anti-Christian, and Christians ought to put it down. Let Pope, and patriarch, and presbyter, and bishop, and president, and all the dignitaries of the several Christian Churches —let them stand out and tell the world that wars must cease for over. He considered it a fine omen for the future of the colony that the Church of Christ had taken possession of this territory a quarter of a century before the colonists came. When the missionaries came to deal with the Maoris, they found them idolaters of a very base description, sinners above the average sinners whose evangelisation the church had heretofore attempted. However, the agents of the Church of England and the agents of the Methodist Church, who had come here as brothers, co-operated in the work of dealing with the terrible evils existing amongst the Maoris, and those evils were gradually swept away. When the colonists came schools were established, and a wise and liberal measure was passed in the prohibition of the sale of intoxicants to the natives. It was difficult to explain how such bright expectations of the natives becoming a truly Christian people should so far have been disappointed. The origin of the war which had done so much harm was to be found in the suspicion engendered in the minds of the native people that in the land transactions the Government had not always been sufficiently careful to ascertain who were the actual owners, and to guard against intertribal rivalries. Mr. Reid traced the causes of the kingite war, and defended the natives from the charge of disloyalty. All the places where the early missionaries had toiled at Waipa, Mokau, Kawhia, Aotea, and other places were left desolate, and he strongly urged that the Church should resume work there. Mr. Probert had left £1000 for home mission work, and he regarded this as a summons to go in and begin. Mr. Reid spoke at length of the progress in other branches of the Church's work. In the evening a soiree was held in the schoolroom behind the church, and this was followed by a. public meeting in the church, Mr. J. L. Wilson presiding. There was a large attendance. Mr. T. Boddlk, speaking with regard to the Rev. A. Reid's address in the afternoon, pointed out that the natives of the Waikato were not altogether neglected by the Home Mission Society, as sixteen native agents held services regularly in at least ten native settlements. he Rev. A. Reid replied to a charge which has been published, stating that " if the missionaries in the early days were not successful in making converts, they were at least eminently successful in acquiring land.' He said there was not a Wesleyan missionary who ever trod the soil of New Zealand who had acquired land from the natives during the time he was in the service of the Missionary Society. (Applause.) He characterised the statement as a mean, contemptible aspersion upon the missionaries. The Rev. W. Mokley also spoke at considerable length, and dealt with some of the features of Methodism. During the meeting about £'200 were promised in contributions to the Jubilee fund. In connection with the Jubilee services, the Rev. T. A. Joughin, of Hokianga, preached at Mount Albert on Sunday morning last >. a »d the Rev. W. Keall, of the Ihames, in the evening. The collections for the day were £14 12s 7d. . The anniversary soiree and Jubilee meeting will be held in the Wesleyan Church, Mount Albert, this evening. Tea will be laid in the schoolroom at six o'clock, and the public Jubilee meeting will be held in the church at seven o'clock, when addresses will be i given by the Revs. A. Reid. W. Morley, and C. H. Garland.