ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11048, 28 February 1898, Page 4

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

At the evening service at St. Panl's Cathe* dr^l yesterday Chere was a very large congregation. The prayers were read by the Yen. Archdeacon Kobinson, the lessons by the Rev. "Mr Kewley, and the Primate, Bishop Cowie (of Auckland), was the preacher, t&king as hii text the fourth verse of Psalm xxxvi, "The Lord has done great things foe us already, whereof " we rejoice." If, he said, the Jews thousands of years ago could use these words of their nation, how much more reason have we to use them of ours ? God had indeed done great things for the British people to which we be-' long, and for the English-speaking people all' over the world. How wonderful had been the growth of the British nation in all departments of life, within the memory of mea and ' women now living, and that not only in extent of empire, but also in wealth— that* was, well-being — and in civilisation. It was sad to think how little of the history even of their own people apd of. the countries from which their parents had come was taught to children in the public schools. The young should learn more of the British Empire in its earlier days and the extent of its growth, and then they would be able to some extent to apprehend what great things God had done for the British people. Much h»d been done in tho * way of extending the Empire, and those who were in England last year were helped to realise this from the presence in England of representatives from the countries constituting the Empire, and could cot but thank God and rejoice in the privilege of being members of that Empire. What were some of the privileges of this membership ? The young could not be expected, to1 realise what it was to feel that our shores were safe : from invasion.' Our shores were rendered, safe from invasion, as the result of the power of the British Empire; and what help had that power 'given in the progress and peace of the world? iXake; as an instance what had been done in India. There a population of 300 million souls was'living in peace, instead of carrying on perpetual slaughter, as had been dove before the power of Great Britain became paramount, there. It was true there were still frontier troubles there, and ~" campaigns- were going on against neighbouring tribes,, but, as hsd been said, this was merely the rising tide of civilisation breaking on the coasts of barbarism, and as a matter of fact it was almost impossible for s civilised nation to live in perfect peace with those that were 'uncivilised. When, however, all these thißgs were taken into account, one had still reason to say, " Great things have beendone for us, whereof we may rejoice." Great things, too, had been done in making use of Christian people.- He did not speak only of their own section, of Christ's Church, but of all those who had been baptised "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy"Ghost," who were therefore members of the one church. They grieved that there were so many, Christian people of theic own flesh and blood who. under-valued, the primitive doctrine and discipline of the church, but still, they -were members of,tba same ' Christian church, and surely they must bless God that this was bo, cherish a spirit of toleration and thank God that all. Christian people throughout the Empire were, speaking gene* rally, interested inthe . evangelisatipu of the world. God had dona great things';'for* the Anglican communion. How wonderful it Was that at the recent "Lambeth Conference 19* bishops had assembled, and represented not ouly all parts of the British Empire, but other English-speaking countries and heathen lands. That so far and so widespread had been preserved pore and undiminished the primitive doctrine and discipline of the church was surely cause for gratitude. Then, also, there was great cause for rejoicing in the missionary enterprise that had characterised the church here aud elsewhere, in the blessings which bad attended it, and in the fact .that noble men such as ; Bishop Pattesonv and Bishop JSelwyn had devotad their, lives to it. There was no , queition of standing still iv church life—it - must be progression or retrogression,— and therefore they must all be prepared in their several stations to make sacrifices for the advancement of the work of the church. But 1 the great hope of the church must be in the i Christian education of the children, aud it wag !■ thought by many who knew the. circumstances . of the population in the large centres of the colony that numbers of children were.being brought up without.any definite knowledge of the Goßpel of the Lord Jesus Christ. -Those who were . parents must see to this, as no blessing would be pronounced upon them by "those who follow. , The British was sometimes compared to the old Roman.Empire, and its downfall'therefore predicted; but it should be remembered that the decline of the Roman Empire did not ' begin-till religion became *'• mere outward prof eision and morality was thought little of: Not until our people ceased to care for Christianity and for morality would our position be analogous : to that of-the old Roman Empire, y and not until then would thete be need to'fear.the decline of the British Empire. Still we should not be unmindful of onr defects, but should enact just,'. laws and cultivate a spirit oi brotherly kindness, and then God's blessing • would follow us, and pur children's children , would have occasion to rejoice. - .0- .