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New Zealand Mail, Issue 867, 12 October 1888, Page 2

At the Catholic Apostolic Church, Webbstreet, Sunday night, Mr Wells, evangelist, delivered a sermon on “The Lord’s pleading with, the Church in the lastdaysi” There was a large congregation, by whom the preacher’s remarks were listened to with keen interest. Last night Mr Webb lectured in the Exchange Hall, his subject being “ The Restoration of Unity .and Order in the Christian Church.” The Volunteers in the Christchurch district had an opportunity given them at an early hour on Saturday week to prove their readiness for actual work should an enemy land on the coast. An alarm was given in Christchurch at 4.15 by bugle-calls, lirebells, steam whistles, and other loud noises. Although the men had known for months previously that a night alarm was on the tapis, the result of this “call to arms ” was that half an hour after the alarm was; given there were -only two captains on parade, three lieutenants, and about one hundred men. The Heathcote Rifles, whose duty, it was to hold the local bridge did not turn out at all. Another point noticed, says the Christchurch Telegraph, was that out of four of the most important companies there was not a single commissioned officer in attendance. Three companies were left to be commanded and cheered on to death or victory by a solitary sergeant each. At Kaiapoi 22 men arrived at the post within ten minutes. At Rangiora 29 men turned out. At Lyttelton within fifteen minutes there was a good muster. concludes ae article alarm by saying : “Unless our defenders and their officers are prepared to rush to battle with more promptitude than they did on Saturday morning we fear the prospect (in case of an invasion! is very gloomy.” As it is possible a similar night alarm will be given in Wellington, we trubt that our local Volunteers will exert themselves and show their comrades down South that we at least are ready to defend our hearths and homes against a foreign in vader.