THE MODERATOR'S ADDRESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1155, 17 January 1874, Page 18

THE MODERATOR'S ADDRESS.

The Moderator, after thanking the Synod for the honour they had conferred upon him, said he had to congratulate them on the progress their Church had made during the time he had had the privilege of being connected with it. It was now a little more than eleven years since he first arrived in this Province. There was then but one Presbytery, and no , Synod in existence — there were now four Presbyteries and a Synod. Then they had but ten ministers, now they had between thirty and forty. The Lord had iadeed done great things for them, and had they not great cause to thank God for the past, and take courage for the future? But they should not rest satisfied with their present position. The harvest was great and increasing every year, and the labourers were still few. They ought, therefore, to pray the Lord of the harvest to thrust forth labourers into his vineyard. ' He would ask them : Had they as ministers and people done as much as they could have done to extend the boundaries of theLord'skingdominthis land? Had they used the means within their power to the utmost ? And were there no other means that they might have used, so that none within their boundaries should be ignorant of the only means given to men whereby they could be saved? Were they not, as ministers, in great danger of seeking popularity, at the < expense of faithfulness, speaking smooth things to their people instead of declaring the holy [ counsel of God ?— laying the flattering unction to the souls of their hearers, instead of : Crying aloud and sparing not? Did they not greatly need a revival 1 < During t the previous year two of their ministers had visited a number of the outlying districts. This appeared to him to be a step in the right direction, and he hoped it would be continued. It must be exceedingly refreshing to those ministers settled at a distance from the metropolis to receive a visit from some of their brethren, and it must at the same time be very gratifying to many of the people so situated that they seldom see the face of a minister to observe that they are not altogether overlooked by the Church. Might not some means be devised whereby their congregations might at one time or another hear all their ministers ? Now that railways were becoming so common it might be very soon accomplished; and he was sure that such changes would be very beneficial both to ministers and people. There was one other means of grace which they had not yet used, at least to any extent, or indeed at all as a Church. He referred to colportage. He bad been for a long time deeply impressed with the importance of this work. He had no doubt they had many men in the Church of ordinary education, great zeal, and common sense, who would gladly offer themselves for this work if any encouragement were held out to them. But while they mourned over their own shortcomings as ministers, had not their people shortcomings to mourn over also? Were they doing as much as they could do by prayer, by personal effort, and by giving of their substance to the Lord ? Where were the meetings Tor prayers,. so common in their native land? and how difficult it was to obtain able and willing teachers for their Sabbath schools. It was a great mistake for the members of theChurchtothinkthatitwas only ministers and office-bearers who were to be engaged actively in serving the Lord. He had great faith in their people, provided they were instructed in their duty and privilege of giving, as the Lord had prospered them, to the Lord's Treasury. He had had personal experience of their willingness to contribute for a good object when properly put before them. There were some to whom God had. given wealth, and to whom he had also given the grace of liberality. It was a pleasure to ask them for a subscription towards any good object, they gave so willingly, so cheerfully, and so generously — in short, they seemed to believe the truth of our Lord's saying — that "it is more blessed to give than to receive." But there were others who seemed to act as if it were the great duty of life to get rich — to lay up for themselves instead of laying up for the Lord. He knew he was touching on delicate ground when he referred to the Sustentation Fund ; but he was not speaking for himself but for all the ministers of their Church— nor for them only, but also for the interests of the Church at large. Was it not a fact that clerks in banks and merchants' offices in Dunedin, had larger salaries than the majority of the ministers ? If that state ot things continued, would itnot only have a disastrous influence on the present Ministry of the Church, but would it not also prevent young men of promise from offering themselves to the Lord's service in the work of the ministry ? It was a fact that should be made known through the length and breadth of the Church that while the annual dividend in the Free Church of Scotland had been rising for the last 30 years until it had reached £150, and was likely to soon reach £200, in thia Church the annual dividend had been decreasing instead of increasing. The ministers did not ask for riches, but they did ask, and they had a right to ask, their people to enable them at least to keep out of debt. They who preach the gospel have a right to live by the gospel. There were many in the ministry t© whom great injustice was done. Anxiouß thougbt, harassing oares, and sometimes pinching poverty, distract the minds of those who have devoted themselves to the service of the Church— to the greftt hindximo* of

their work. They do not seek the reoom. penae of their labours here— their reward ii on high— but they have aright to expect that those who receive spiritual food at their hands should set them above the hardships of poverty. The Province was at present^ enjoying a time of unexampled prosperity ; now was the time, therefore, to make another attempt to raise this great fund to what it should be. After some further remarks, the Moderator said he had to apologise for the brevity of his address. Had his health been in its usual state he in* tended to have made his address a little longer, and to have touched on other subjects, such as the education question, and misnions ; but he would now conclude by again thanking the Synod for the honour they had conferred upon him.