ECCLESIASTICAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9492, 23 April 1894, Page 6

ECCLESIASTICAL.

ST. MARY'S CATHEDRAL-/iV ME MORI AM SERVICE. At St. Mary's Cathedral morning service yesterday, special interest was manifested arising out of the fact that It was an In Memoriam service in connection with the recent death of the Venerable Archdeacon Maunsell, who for many years was; incumbent of the parish. There was a large congregation. The usual service was conducted by the Rev. G. Mac Murray, the present incumbent of St. Mary's, and the lessons were read by the Ven. Archdeacon Dudley, of St. Sepulchre's, who also preached the in memoriam sermon. The ven. preacher took for his text 11. Timothy, iv. 7 : "I have foughb a good fight, I have finished my course ; I have kept the faith." Archdeacon Dudley, in his opening remarks, referred to Easter as the gladdest season of the year. It told of victory, life, and rest. There was nothing harsh about it, its note was completeness, but all that was the result of past warfare and sufferings, causing many to feel as if they must faint by the way, and bo the great Apostle must have frequently felt, and ,he could not have persevered but that he was sustained by Divine grace and was able, to say " I know in whom I have believed," and so, although he had an intense desire to "depart and be with Christ which is far better," yet he was content to live for the furtherance of his brethren. After . a retrospecb of the chief characteristic of St. Paul, Archdeacon Dudley referred to the removal from amongst them by death, of the Ven. Archdeacon Maunsell. He said his knowledge of their departed brother extended over thirty years, bub that was nob nearly so long as others of his contemporaries who were still alive. He had known him, however, long enough to be inspired with ajwarra affection for him. Dr. Maunsell - was a veteran missionary when he first became acquainted with him, and the devotion of his ability and scholarship to the translation of the Holy Scriptures inbo bhe Maori language, and the accuracy of these translations, must have caused him great struggles and difficulties, for he had to create an orthography for an unwritten language. This was, however, only one phase of his marked personality. He learned to speak the Maori language in such a way as to secure the attention of the natives, and his remarkable command of the idioms and meanings of the language enabled him to, on all occasions, speak to them as one of themselves. Then again, his directness had a great effect on thorn, and although he must have deeply regretted the decadence of a noblo raco, he was encouraged by the earnestness and sincerity of many converts. Old parishioners of St. Mary's knew that he came here to minister to them in 1863, and how earnestly he threw himself into the work of the parish in promoting its varions organisations. They also know of his work in the Diocesan and General Synods where his earnestness and great experience were fully recognised, and his racy humour was often the means of overcoming many difficulties and effecting great good. No doubt Archdeacon Maunsell experienced great difficulties after his long missionary life amongst the Maoris in again entering on the English service of the Church. Archdeacon Dudley then referred to Dr. Maunsell's fearless outspoken manner. They know what he had been to them in days past, nob only in the pulpit but in their homes, and whose heart had nob, ho asked, gone out to their venerable friend as they heard the cheerful words which he always had for those he mot. What reflections, ho askod, were they to draw from the life and death of their deceased and venerable friend ? The first was the consecration of all his gifts to the service of his Divine Master. The second was his great perseverance, such as was displayed in his translation of the Scriptures, for he never would accept a doubtful word or phrase but would go amongst the Maoris, live amongst them as one of themselves until he acquired the actual moaning and idiom required to convey the correct moaning of the text. He taught them a lesson of thoroughness and of devotednesH. Although, they might nob have his great ability or , his call ho asked them to each strive to perform the duties which lay within their reach.'Another, lesson was taught by his steadfastness. 'He bote all his trials to the end, and he only withdrew from particular posts of duty when he felt he was unable to fill them, but he kept up his sympathy with the church and tho missionary movement, for to the end he was an earnest supporter of the Melanesian funds, contributing regularly to their support, and frequently increasing those contributions when special demands required special efforts. They might say with St. Paul of their venerable deceased friend, " He has fought tho good fight, ho has finished his course, he has kept the faith." After the last hymn had been sung, the congregation remained standing, while Mr. Leslie Hunt, organist, played the " Dead March in Saul" in a finished and highly impressive manner.

There was a large congregation at each service at All Saints' Church yesterday, when the Rev. \V. E. Gillam, .M.A., of the Diocese of Christchurch, officiated in the absence of the Rev. W. Calder, the incumbent, who is on a visit to Hamilton. Mr. Gillam is an earnest and cultured preacher, and his addresses were listened bo with marked attention. Tho Rev. F. Warner, of Manly (Sydney, New South Wales) held a special service at the Congregational Church, Newton, last evening, for young men and young women. There was a good congregation. He took as the basis of his remarks, Timothy, iv. 12, " Leb no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity," from which he delivered an admirable address, in which he pointed oub the golden opportunities of youth which lay before them. At St. Benedict's yesterday, the Very Rev. Father Downey celebrated the High Mass and preached. The music of the Mass was Haydn's First, and the soloists Misses Lorrigan, Brannigan, O'Neill, and Messrs. Fuller, Thomson, and Parish. The Rev. Dr. Egan conducted and Herr Tutschka assisted with the violin the organ accompanimenb played by Miss A. McIlhone. Mr. John Fuller gave a sweet and expressive rendering of Moorab's " Sanota Maria" at the offertory. At Vespers the Rev. Gregory preached, and the Very Rev. Father Downey officiated. The choir performed some excellent music, including Mikard'a "Grand Magnificat," the soloists being Misses Lorrigan, Brannigan, Messrs. Casier and Parish. Gounod's sublime " O Salubaris," for tenor with accompanying chorus was beautifully sung for the first time with Mr. Casier as soloist, and Mr. Thomson sang "Ecce Dous," by Clifton at the offertory. Two earnest evangelistic addresses were given last evening at the City Hall service, the first by Mr. Picton, lecturer of the Christian Evidence Society, from the text, " Behold I make all things new," and the second by the Rev. Frederick Warner, from Manly, near Sydney, who spoke from the text, What think ye of Christ There was a large attendance. The evangelistic choir, conducted by Dr. Renderdine, sang a number of hymns before the service.