ECCLESIASTICAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14824, 30 October 1911, Page 5

ECCLESIASTICAL.

MEMORIAL SERVICES.

Largely-attended memorial services were held in the Baptist Tabernacle yesterday, in connection with the death of Mr. W. Spedding, who for many years had been, an elder of the church. The Rev. H. Knowles Kempton preached in the morning, basing his remarks upon St. John xi., and Revelations vii. ' He made suitable reference to the worthy life and example of the deceased member. At the afternoon funeral service the Rev. A. North, secretary of the Baptist Auxiliary, of which Mr. Spedding was an ex-president, gave a very .appropriate address. The " Dead March in Saul" was played by Mr. A. J. Hall, the church choirmaster. In addition to the members of deceased's family, a large number, including the church officers, Baptist lay preachers, and no-license representatives, followed the remains to the graveside at YVaikaraka, where the service was conducted by the Rev. H. K. Kempton.

. Y.M.C.A. MEN'S MEETING. An impressive and much-appreciated address! was delivered at the Y.M.C.A. men's meeting yesterday afternoon, by the general secretary (Mr. J. McFarlane) upon the life story of Sir George Williams, the founder of the Y.M.U.A. and its world-wide brotherhood, : with its 8030 branches girdling the globe, membership ,in any one of which includes membership in all. During the meeting Mr. C. Jones sang a solo. The. Bible study class, under the leadership of the assistant-secretary, concluded its course of studies on Mark's Gospel. At the social tea which followed, several strangers were welcomed, one of whom, a new arrival from England, gave an address upon the P.S.A. movement. Next Sunday the assistant-secretary (Mr. S. Morris) will give a farewell address on "The Order of Knighthood." .

• MISSIONS TO SEAMEN. . . The Mission to Seamen, Lower Queenstreet. held their usual evensong last evening, and it was well-attended. The missioner, Mr. A. P. Cowie, preached, and Mr Lazaron played the violin. Favourite hymns were sung after the service.

CENTRAL MISSION; , At the Albert-street Hall yesterday, at 11 a.m., the service was presided over by the superintendent (Mr. 'Bissett), who spoke on "The Saints' Security," basing his address on Psalm .xci., 1. In H.M. Theatre at 6.45 a short song service was given by choir and orchestra, the big "People's Meeting" being addressed by Mr. Bissett on " The Question Every Man Must Answer" (Matt, xxii,. 42); during this .service a sacred solo, What Shall the Heaping Be?" was rendered by Mrs. J. Wood. Open-air meetings were conducted by the brass band and other workers at ten a.m. and six p.m. at Queen and "Victoria Streets while the shipping workers were responsible for a meeting on board one of the boats in the harbour. The day's service concluded with a march of mission workers to the Albert-street Hall at 9.15, where a short after-meeting was held.

SAILORS' • HOME MISSION HALL. The usual Sunday evening service was hold in the Sailors' Home Mission Hall, Albert-street, last evening. The Rev. Young gave an interesting address to a fair number of friends. Solos were sung by the Misses A. and G. Foster, and Mr. B. C. Warburton. Captain Bazely, missioner, was in attendance. .

THEOSOPHY. At the Theosophical Hall, Mrs. Hem us read a lecture oil " The Growth of a World .Religion by Mrs. A. Besant, in which the famous lectures? referred to the growing expectancy of .a coming world teacher, who,, in his wisdom would synthesise the different faiths, and warring divisions in mankind into an harmonious Unity,' and usher in a higher and nobler civilisation to bo founded on brotherhood, in place of individualism.. In her opinion, the coming world religion would be all inclusive, and in its religious aspect would have as its basis the divine immanence of God in His universe, the recognition of one great world teacher for all religions, and the path of union with God; in its philosophic aspect it would 'emphasise. the unity amidst the diversity, seeing in art and beauty a necessity for all and not ; a luxury for the few ; in science as embracing the superphysical as well as physical world, morality having its basis in Unchanging law, and in action the practical recognition of man's spiritual brotherhood. At-- the Theosophical Society's rooms, Kayner's Buildings, Mr. Jas. Wilson lectured on Theosophy from the Vedanta standpoint. The lecturer pointed out that there were many points in common between theosophy as popularly taught and Vedanta. such as reincarnation, etc., but according to the lecturer, theosophy was largely a matter of intellect, while Vedanta was more of the heart. Vedanta says that there was but one law of the universe —that of —unselfish love toward everything. The aim of all religions was to seek to discover the illusions from the realities of life. Vedanta taught that love, and not creeds and philosophies was the power to push mankind, on to God. It sought also to teach all of us to discover within us our own divine nature.