ECCLESIASTICAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10414, 12 April 1897, Page 3

ECCLESIASTICAL.

Last evenine the Rev. W. J. Williams, of the Put-street Methodist Church, delivered the second of a series of discourses on " Why the Working Classes do not Attend Church?' There was a good congregation. Iα the iim placo he dealt with the reasons advanced by working men themselves iu the English press, and said that a somewhat similar state of affairs existed in this colony. This was a fact which could not be regarded with indifference, as it had a very important bearing upou public morality. The first question which arose was " had the working classes any quarrel with Christ or Christianity!" The preacher went on to show that they had not, as evidenced by the failures of such movements as led by Bradlaugh, which practically collapsed at his death. He also alluded to the fact that many of the prominent Labour leadew were active Christian workers, namely Joseph Arch, Samuel Woods, Tom Manu.and Ben Tillett, who was a Congregational lay preacher. The same characteristic held good regarding New Zealand. The agnostic newspapers and agnostic papers had not paid their expenses, and there was only one agnostic movement now iu the colony. The Echo, iu Duuediu, and the Rationalist, iu Auckland, had both died for want of support. The census returns showed the miserable minority opposed to Christiauity. If the working classes did not come to church, he concluded from his investigations that they did not do so from any feeling of hostility to Christianity. In future discourses he would deal with the real reasons for the attitude of the working classes to ihe Church, as also with the reasons [liven by working men themselves in 16 essays or papers contributed to the English Methodist. The anniversary services and harvest festival of the Bereaford-street Congregational Church took place yesterday. The rostrum aud choir stalls were tastefully decorated with exhibits of grain, flowers, and fruit, in tasteful and chaste designs, and the communion table was heaped up with symbols of the Almighty's bounty. Across the organ face was a scroll with the text, " The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." Hanging baskets containing creeping plants aud flowers were dispersed throughout the church. The Rev. Geo. Burgess, F.R.A.8., couducted the morning service, and preached from Psalm exxvi, 6, "He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Mr. Burgess referred to the early history of theCongregatioml Church in High-atieetiind Albert-street, and referred in kindly aud eulogistic terms to the Rev. Thomas Hauler, one of the survving founders and fathers of Cengregatioualism in Auckland. The choir rendered the anthems" Hear My Prayer" and "0, How Amiable." In the afternoon the Rev. A. Mitchell pave an interesting address to the Sunday-school children and friends. The anthem was "Give Peace in our Time," the solo being taken by Miss Graham. In. the evening the Rev. George Burgess again officiated, the evening address being on the legend ou the scroll, "The earth is the Lord's aud the fullness thereof." The service was fully choral, as follows :—Anthems, " Kiug of Kings," Mrs. King taking the solo, " 0, Worship the Lord ;" authem aud solo, "Break Forth into Joy," the solo being taken by Miss Edmonds, anthem, "I will Feed My Flock." Mr. Buttery oibciatcd as choirmaster, aud the rendering of the various anthems reflected great eredic on tlie choitmaster aud the choir. Mr. Neill McDougall presided at the organ, The collections of the day were £21 16) ad. The congregations were large throughout the day. ThePurnell Wesleyan Sunday-school held their anniversary yesterday. The services proved a very great success. The preacher in the morning was the Rev. H. R. Dewsbury, who gave a very interesting and eloquent discourse on behalf of Sabbath-schools. In the afternoon the Rev. Mr. Burgess gave an address to the children, and in the evening the Rev. A. Mitchell gave (by request) his popular musical sermon on " Elijah," illustrating his subject by singing " The Lord God of Abraham and "It ie enough." The special singing by the children, assisted by by friends and an efficient orchestra, was very pleasing, and reflected great credit upon the conductor (Mr. H. Schotield). The congregations were large on each occasion, aud in the evening the church was crowded, many not beiug able to get in. The church was tastefully decorated. The collections were very satisfactory, showing a considerable increase upon last year. The soiree will be held on Tuesday evening. The Rev. A. H. Collins, of Ponsonby, in the course of a sermon yesterday forenoon, from Isaiah xxxi, 15, " In quietness and confidence shall be your strength," referred to the Eastern question and the serious state of things in Europe. Ho said Carlyle in a note to Cromwell's fourth speech to Parliament said that" the Bible of every nation was its own history." This remark was made by Carlyle iu reply to Cromwell's frequent 111sisteuco that" we must ever be taming trom forms and rituals to the study of God's will and ways in history." That speech of Cromwell's was perhaps the best sermon ever preached on this subject. What says the great Puritan ? " What are all our histories but God manifesting Himself, that He bath shaken aud tumbled down and trampled everything:that'He hath not planted." And, again, speaking of our history as a race, he said to the British House of Commons "We are a people with the stamp of God on us, whose appearances and providences among us were not to be outmatched by any story." Was there no need, said the preacher, that we should stand up in the face of kings and say that very thin? now? Do you not think the God of Judali should have a voice in the solution of the interminable Eastern question ? Think you He has no plans for that, and ii instead of checkmating one another, and threatening to turn the earth into a veritable shambles, our statesmen would see that God's will was done and only His will, could we not disband our armies, and save, instead of defying the world ? The lesson of lessons to be graven upon the human mind was God in history. At the Newton Congregational Church yesterday special services were held to commemotate the anniversary of the Christian Endeavour Society. Appropriate sermons were preached by the pastor the Rev. Frederic Warner. In the morning he spoke on " what is consecration ?' and at the evening service gave a feeling address on " Soul Winning." The congiegations were large. Yesterday being Palm Sunday tho services held in the various Anglican and Roman Catholic Churches had special reference to the occasion. In the afternoon Stainer's " Crucifixion" was rendered at St. Sepulchre's by the choir, Mr. V. E. Bice presiding at the organ.