DR. SOMERVILLE IN DUNEDIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 1382, 25 May 1878, Page 5

DR. SOMERVILLE IN DUNEDIN.

The services held by the Bey, Dr, Somerville in Dunedin, were closed on the 21st inst. As will be seea by the following^ reports, these meetings have awakened a spirit of enquiry which will, it is believed, add largely to the congregations of the various Protestant churches. The usual prayer and evangelistic meetings were held during the week, and on Sunday there was a THANKSGIVING SERVICE. The theatre was full, and the service was heartily rendered. The meeting commenced by the whole of the congregation singing the " Praise God, from whom all blessings flow." Psalm 136 was read, hymn " Hallelujah ! 'tis done," was sung, and several thanksgiving announcements were made, the assembly meanwhile being engaged in silent prayer. Dr Somerville then gave an excellent address on the 16th verse of 21 chap, of Numbers, •' That is the well whereof the Lord epako unto Moses, ' Gather the people together and I wUI give them water. " The Eev. Doctor narrated the circumstances under which these words were uttered. The people of Israel were just about to enter the Land of Ganaan and were destitute of water, when the Lord gave Moses this command, " Gather the people and I will give them water." They were all to bo there — not one absent : and when thus ' brought togother, Moses and the elders of Israel were to touch the surface of the sandy plain with their rods, and the the people cried, with the voice of music, "Spring up, O well ;" and while yet they sang, the waters gushed forth a mighty stream, and . .the people's thirat was quenched. These mci'- ' dents -might bef applied in our day to the _ ministers, office bearers, and the whole Church gathered together. The minister, like Moses, must point to the one place where life and blessing are to be found, for there is only one such place, and that is Christ. The officers of the Church must also point with the rods of ' faith to the same place, and the whole congregation must come together to get the spiritual waters which flow in such abundance. One thing to be especially noticed was that the people returned thanks before the blessing came to them. They relied upon God's promise, so jjhouldj Christians at all times. There was abundant cause for thanksgiving, and for praising God for the abundance of the promises which He has given. It was not merely for benefits received that Christians should be thankful, but for those in anticipation, for they were as sure as those already received. He was, he said, expecting a great blessing for Dunedin, and we should give thanks for the promise of it. At the conclusion of the address Dr Somerville invited remarks from any person present, and the Eev Mr Mackie gave a short address on the mercies of God. Mr D. Wright and others gave testimony as to the blessing reoeived since this mission commenced. At the request of Dr Somerville, a number of people stood up to give silent testimony to the good they had received. The meeting closed with the singing of the Doxology, and prayer by the Eev Dr Boseby. „ „ AFTERNOON SERVICE. The Queen* Theatre was again crowded at the services held at 3 p.m. on Sunday. The proceedings were introduced as usual by prayer and praise, after which Dr Somerville delivered an address, taking for his text the Song of Solomon, chap. 6, v. 2: "My beloved is gone down into his garden to the beds of spices, to feed in the gardens and to gather lillies." After referring to the Garden of Eden and man's original state of happiness, he compared the Churoh as Christ's garden, into whose enclosure all kindreds And tongues and peoples were "gathered. The garden was walled in by the presence of God. There were two things about this garden to which he wished to call particular attention. In the first place, everything it contained was planted by the proprietor. The weeds would be removed, and only the valuable plants retained. Christ says: "Every plant which My heavenly Father hath^ not planted shall be rooted up." Cain's offering was not accepted. because it was given grudgingly, and . Abel's was preferred because it was offered in all sincerity. No mere ritualism or work of our own would avail. We Hunt have the righteousness which was received by faith, and our redemption must be worked out, not by our own effort, but by the saving mediation of Christ. The second peculiarity of the garden of Christ was its variety. The plants and flowers which were gathered into it came from all lands. The lecturer eloquently descanted on the various islands and continents from whence the children of Christ' would be gathered. He next alluded to the features or the garden, naming the prophets and priests of Scripture as its occupants. In conclusion, he referred to Christ as the crowning excellence _of the garden. The lecture, which was rich in florid illustration, was listened to with rapt attention. The collection towards the expenses of the mission yesterday amounted to £58. FIERY FURNACE. The lecture by the Eev. Dr Somerville under the title of "The Fiery Furnace," took place in the Princess Theatre on the 20th. The house - was crowded in every part, and a large number of people also occupied the stage. Mr James Fulton, E.M., took the chair. A hymn having been sung, the Eev. Dr Eoseby engaged in prayer, and the Eev. J. Eyley read a portion of Scripture bearing upon irhe subject of tha lecture, Daniel iii., from 14th verse. The rev. lecturer began by saying that the chapter containing the incident of which his lecture was the subject reminded him of a pfece of music. Its whole structure was rythmicaL There was a refrain running through it consisting of the three names, "Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego." These names occurred fifteen times in the chapter, aa if the Spirit of God would never weary of reciting the names of those steadfast in time of trial. The principle illustrated by the incident of his lecture was the trials and triumph of Faith. And tho first thing that he would notice as preparing these young men for their trial was their entire faith in the Divine origin of their religion. They had none of that scepticism that renders a man utterly useless to his fellow men. He then went on to refer to what might be called the internal evidences of Christ'anity. He argued that any religion which could be accepted as coming from God, arid therefore was the true religion, must set forth in full view the works and perfections of God, his justice, holiness, and power ; this the Christian religion did. Then such a religion must maintain the authority of God by upholding his law. This was a distinctive principle of Christianity. Other religions Bhowed their falsity by suiting the laws of God to man's infirmities and ains, by taking the will for the deed in men's actions. Again, a true religion must give a proper and true account of man. This the Christian religion did; it stated what every man must adinifc to be the deepest truth, that man's heart was deceitful and desperately wicked. A true religion must also meet the deep necessity of man, by offering him tranquility of soul, and imußt off er 3 cure from sin and a way of return ,

of man to God. Then it must unite members of the human family to one another. Everywhere false religious had raised bitter feuds, but Christianity's grand characteristic was that of uniting men : " That you have love to one another." The external evidence of the truth of the Christian religion was even better than the internal evidence. No man could deny that 1840 years ago there arose a new religion associated with Jesus of Nazaretb. That was a fact that could not be denied. But the important fact round which all Christianity gathered was the resurrection of Christ. Can that be established as a fact? The first evidence of that fact was that Christ after His death appeared to no less than 500 persons, but the second evidence was fuller and more forcible than this. It was that the fact was established by persons particularly qualified to know and give evidence upon such a subject— the disciples ; and the evidence of those disciples had three strong confirmations. In the first place, the disciples testified regarding the Resurrection in Jerusalem within forty day« of iis occurrence. They thus testified of it in the city where the ovent occurred, and at the time it happened. In the second place, they went abroad to every country specially to assert the fact that Christ was risen, and suffered all kinds of tortures and punishments in upholding the fact. The third and strongest confirmation of the truth of the fact upon which the Christian religion was based, was the wonderful manner in which that religion spread. 280 years after the death of Christ the whole Roman Empire had declared for Christianity. That was a historical fact, and there was no more extraordinary one in history than that these disciples of Christ, without weapons and without learning, should have so spread and disseminated the truths of His religion. These were the facts of Christ's religion, and once allow those facts, he argued, and the doctrines were also bound to be allowed and accepted. Before leaving this portion of his subject he could assure his hearers that the evidences of Christianity were incontrovertibly true, and he warned them that to those who refused to accept them they would be found terribly true. As he had said, the first praparativeof these young men for their trial S was a faith in the divine origin of their religion. Their second preparative was their very peculiar ability to withstand fleshly appetites. The lecturer then created some amusement by referring to his total abstinence experiences. He had been 151^ days under the burning sun of India, and had delivered 351 addresses, and all upon nothing stronger than ice-water. Since he set out upon his present trip, he had |dalivered 577 addresses, and had travelled 17,220 miles, and all upon water. He then went on to the third and fourth preparatives for the trial, which had rendered the names of these three men immortal. The last two preparatives were the good companionship subsisting between the young men, and their habit of social prayer. At this stage of the lecture an interval took place, during which a hymn was sung by the choir. The second part of the lecture consisted mainly of a description of the incidents of (the trial First, however, a criticism was entered into of the inducements under which these young men may be supposed to have lain, to comply with the request made to them by King Nebuchadnezzar. They would have to resist the despotic authority of the chief monarch of the world ; they would lie under the charge of inciting revolt ; and, lastly, they knew the punishment would be a most horrible death. They had to remember also that they were in a position of power through which they could protect their countrymen in captivity, and the^ were young men with a life of ga.y and brilliant prospects before them. The thing they were asked to do was merely to bow down before an image, and it would not have occupied more than ten minutes of time. But to their eternal honour the young men came through the trial, and so handed down a lesson to the young men the lecturer addressed. It was only by trial that the reality and intensity of a man's Christian life could be known. The question for a young man was, How much will your Christianity Btand? The circumstances attending the execution portion of the incident were then described with great exactness and minuteness ; the crowds of people ; the three men tied hand and foot and borne upon the shoulders of three giants of the army ; the furnace of naphtha probably, heated to yet seven times its first heat ; the three giants struck down by the sword of fire while in the act of throwing in their victims. The moment of the triumph was the moment when the young men were flung in. The affliction is not the triumph ; the time of triumph is the time of entering upon the trial. Then the lecturer came to the deliverance of the three young men. King Nebuchadnezzar saw one besides the three walking unharmed in the fire like unto the Son of God. This was Jesus — the Lord Jesus. It would have spoiled the triumph had He come a moment sooner than he did. He witnessed and allowed everything without a sign to the afflicted, but saved them from harm in the hour of danger. So He had gone into the iurnace of wrath and curse for all men. The three young men came forth unharmed, and so would those who put their trust in Him from every trial. Then the king sent out a decree regarding the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and thus their fidelity had the effect of making God's name resound to the uttermost parts of the Babylonian empire. It was 2300 years since the incident occurred, yet the fidelity of these young men was shaking the world now. From his own experience he knew that the recital of this act of fidelity in the Asiatic city of Babylon two thousand years ago had power now to shake the Asiatic cities of India. He concluded with a warm appeal to youug men to be faithful in their day and generation to Jesus Christ. They must love the Word of God. Nothing on earth could stand against the Word of God. It would assert its glorious power. He could assure them the more they studied the Word of God, the more divine they would find it.— (Loud applause). A hymn having been sung, the Rev. Dr Somerville again came forward, andjproceeded to make ay appeal for funds in aid of a new building desired by the Young Men's Cnnstian Association. He did not see why L2OOO should not be raised in the building, and asked for LIOO subscriptions to begin with. Cards were distributed, and the promises at onc6 began to come in. In the case of the first two for LIOO read out, the names were not given, but the third was acknowledged from the President, amid loud applause. Dr Somerville called upon the choir, L3OO being now in hand, to sing, " Praise God from Whom all blessings flow." Tbis having been done, another start was made, and the Doctor used his persuasive powers to such an extent that LSOO was soon announced, tne two LlOO's having been promised by Messrs Donald Borrie and W. M. Forsyth respectively. No fifties could be procured, but three twenty-fives came in, and then a descent was made to tens. When some L 620 waß reached, the choir were again called upon for "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow." Immediately thereafter another L 25 came, and tens and fives followed till LBOO was reached, when once more " Praise God from Whom all blessings flow " was called for. Then fives, with one or two tens, and one L2O followed, till at the announcement of LIOOO the Pocfcor asked once more that the choir ehoqld

sing, "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow." One LlO, a number of fives, and some sums of L 2 10s brought the total sum promised by card up to LlO7O. — During the interval, while the plate collections were being counted, Mr Gr. Hepburn proposed> and the Rev. Dr Somerville seconded—" A hearty vote of thanks to Mr Eultoa, no less for presiding at the uaeeting than for his services to the Young Men's Christian Association as President."— Mr Fulton made a suitable acknowledgment.— The collections by plate were found to be L 63 some odd shillings. This raised the grand total to L 1133, and loud applause greeted the announcement of this extremely liberal sum. The choir again sang the lines of praise, and the Rev. James Clark pronounced the benediction. At the close of the Fiery Furnace lecture a collection was made on behalf of the Yottng Men's Christian Association Building Fund, and L 1133 was promised. Five gentlemen subscribed LlOO each, and the sums next in amount were four for L 25, and one L2O. The collection in Christchurch during the rev. Doctor's stay ther6 for a somewhat similar object was under L9OO. ladies' meeting. A meeting of ladies took place at the close of the noonday prayer meeting on Monday to consider the advisability and practicability of forming a Ladies' Association, and other institutions 3mong the ladies of Dunedin, as suggested by the Rev. Dr Somerville in his address last week. Dr Somerville presided at the meeting, j and recapitulated the various schemes which might be organised, and directions in which usef ul work might be done by the ladies of the city. These consisted of a flower mission, a society to exercise supervision over friendless young women arriving in the city, the formation of classes for the instruction of "larrikins," to check the custom of bar drinking by young men, etc. At the close of the address a Provisional Committee of ladies was formed, to arrange for the establishment of the suggested Association, ftnd to report to a future meeting. The names of the ladies forming the Provisional Committee are as follows : — Mrs Bathgate (convener), Mrs Davies, Mrs , Byng, Mrs D. Purdie, Mrs Price, Mrs Boot, Mrs Inglis, Mrs Mackie, Mrs J. F ulton, Mrs Coombs, Miss Lambton, Miss Little, Miss Ramsay, Miss Mary M'Glashan, and Miss M'Dougall.