PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

Otago Witness, Volume 01, Issue 2123, 1 November 1894, Page 23

PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

Tuesday, October 30.

The Annual session of the Presbyterian Churoh of Otago and Southland was opened in frrst Church at 7.30 p.m. There was a good attendance of ministers and representative elders, and also of the general public The opening services were conducted by the retiring moderator, the Ret. Dr Dunlop, who preached from the text St. Mark x, 28. BOLL OF THE SYNOD. The Clerk (the Rev. W. Bannerman) produced the roll of the synod us follows :— Presbytery of Dunedin.— Ministers : Revi. W. Will, Professoi Watt, M.A., D.D , A. Greig, ! 1. A.. J. Kirkland. A. M. Finlayson, R. R. M. I tatberland, R. Waddell, M.A., J. Christie, D. ', torrie, A. Cameron, M.A , J. Gibb, J. If. I'Kerrow, 8.A., B. J. Perter, Profeisor Dunlop, i LA., D.D., D. Dutton, J. M. Praser, A. Dou, H. , .damson, J. Swanson Reid, I. Jolly, M.A., and W. Campbell. Elders: Messrs Robert Law, J. Loudon, James Mathieson, Alexander Chisholm, John Reid, John Ferguson, John Paterson, David Wilson, W. Hutton, A. Cameron sen., T. Scott, F. Marshall, J G. Sawell, David Thomson, Donald Thomson, David Law, William Hay, George Reid. B. B Oargill, John Findlay, D. A. M'Nicoll, and W, H. Ash. Presbytery of Ciajtii Ministers : Revs, w . Bannerman, J. M. Allan, James Chisholm, J. Skinner, M.A., J. XT. Spence, G, Hall, 8.A., A. M. Dalrymple, M.A., 8. W. Currle, M.A., W. G. M'Laren, R. Fainnaid, J. Kilpatrick, and J. A. Will. Elders : Messrs James Smaill, James Reid, Duncan Roas, James Boys, Thomas Agnew, William Brown, William Dallas, R. Tapp, William Kelly, and W. B. Harlow. Presbytery of Southland.— Ministers : Revs. A. H. Stobo, f. Alexander, R. Kwen, M.A , J. Baird, J. Blackie, G. Lindsay, T. Neave, R. ThoMton, W. White, T. Paulin, A. Macdonald, M.A., W. Anderson Kyd, J. Anderson Gardiner, BJL, and J. Gibson Smith. Elders: Mr W. Sttin, Hon. W. D. Stewart, M.L C, Messrs Jamts Shaw, K. Ramßay, J. T. Mackenas, David Scott, Andrew Christie, Peter Georgeson, T. M. Macdonald, George Dawson, and Joseph Adams. Pubsbytbuy of Oamard, —Ministers : Revs. A. B. Todd, James Clark, J. Steven, P. S. Hay, M.A., W. Nichol, W. Wright, and J. Clarke. Elders j Messrs Jamoß Strain, George Stringer, Angus Robb, G. Sutherland, W. H. Cottrell, and John Jackson. Presbytery ofDunstan.— Ministers : Revs. R. Telford, J. M'Oosh Smith, M. A.. 8.D., J. Lothian, J. Cumming, M A., J. O. Gellie, and W. Kerr Grant, M.A. Elders : Messrs George Moir, A. C. segg,s egg, John Mackay, R. Chißholm, and R. H. Presbytery op Mataura.— Ministers : Revs. S, M. Davidson. M.A., P. Ramsay, J. Johnston, 8.A., J. A. Asher, M.A., J. B. Smellie, Adam Begg, 11. A., and George Miller. Elders: Mr T. Mac Gibbon, Dr Copland, Messrs Clement White, J. A. Tornmce, Benjamin Johnston, and David Andrew. ELECTION OF BIODEKATOB. {The retiring Moderator said : Before we proceed to the next business, permit me in a tingle sentence to aay that I thank you for ; toUr indulgence during the term of my i noderatoribjp, and I only hope you may be ; « indulgent to my successor. And now I j|ave very greab pleasure indeed in proI ioiiDg chat the man of your own ihoioe, the Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland, tf the Eaikorai, do now take the ohair. — (Applause.) If you will allow me to say it, I do think he ia just one of those men who fleserva tbfs honour at your hands. It is within my knowledge— and my knowledge Is not nearly «• extensive *s the knowledge possessed by some of you — that his labours have been most strenuous and faithful both in his own congregation and in doisg the general work of the ohuroh. Wo do need such strenuous and Anergetio workers as Mr Sutherland has proved himself to be. I hope the synod will honour him by taakiug hit position quite as pleasant, $nd, if possible, more so than mine was, and I think you will honour yourselves at the same time in honouripg him.— (Applause.) The nomination was accepted with acolamasion, and the retiring moderator welcomed his Ruooeisor to the ohair, expressing the hope that be might have the happiness to congratulate the synod, at the termination of its work, on the fact that it had made the moderator's berth extremely pleasant indeed. modkimtob's address. The Moderator (the Rev. R. R, M. Sutherland) having assumed the ohair, delivered the following address :— Fathers and Brethren,— l have not desired the position of moderator. It is little to my liking, .but Bince you have put me into it I return Bincereat thanks for the honour. I will do my best to dUcharge the duties of the office in the spirit pi meekness. In looking over the synod, the first .and chief thought in all our minds is the thought of vacant places and absent ones — absent here, present in the General Assembly of the Church of the Firstborn enrolled in Heaven. The most noticeable of these absent ones was the Rev. Donald M'Naughton Stuart, D.D., of Knox Church, So much has been said, and ho well said, about the many great and good qualifies of the late Dr Stuart and bis manifold services for the Gospel and for this chnr>-h, that I shall not ati enipt to .add anything now, save to say that bis death has made a void in this synod, in our Presbyterian Church, in the social, educational, and religious life and work of Dunedin, of Otago and Southland, and I may add of New Zealand, which I do not expect to be rilled up in my day Or in the lifetime of the youngeßt member of this court. Another prominent member of aynod, whose face we shall never «cc here again, was the Rev. James MacGregor, D.0., ot Oamaru. A man of exceptional natural endowments, vast knowledge and varied learning, who did good service while he lived as an expounder and defender of the faith once delivered to the saintß, aud who has left behind him in his numerous writiegs a Heritage of great and permanent value to the Churcn of God. During the past year two of our brethren in the eldership, who were members of "last synod, have been called away from our ! midst. One was Mr Adam Johnetone, of Kaihiku, aman who knew and loved the Goßpel and the Presbyterian Church, and who for many years did valuable work as an elder, and very often a member of the church courts. He belonged to a race of Presbyterians which, I fear, is fast becoming extinct "under these southern skies— men who loved theolog/, and who were well read in it, so that they could always give a good reason for the Presbyterian faith and Christian hope which were in them. The other -*as Mr Adam Blacksvood, of Brockville— a man little known outside of his own congregation and district, but a man of Christlike character and life, who was greatly beloved, and who will bo long and sorely unseed by all who knew him. Other •officebearers and members of our church-pro-minent, ufeful, and loved fh their respective congregations and districts— have finished their ceurße and entered into their rest since last meeting of synod. Of these I shall mention only three, and I mention them only because I knew them. Two of them I knew well, being the founders apd best friends of the Kaikoraicongregatlon. I refer to the late Miss Ellen Hood, of the Halfway Bush, and to her brother, Mr David Hood. They lived to do good, and have left behind them a noble record of doing and giving for God's poor and God'i work the world over, a record y.-lilcli cannot fai.il to be for many yeava an, inspiration for good to those who knew them. They have left a legacy of .£l5O to the mission funds of our church— an example which others would do well to follow. The third was Mr John

Shaw, of Finegand, one of the oldest elders in the church, long connected with the Inchclutha and Balclutha congregations. He was an educated man, of retiring disposition, noted far and wide 4ot his ardent piety, uprightness, hospitality, and me warm interest he took in everything that Affected ths YfCU-btiiafi ot the cuuich and the

oommunlty. In proceeding to discharge further the first duty of the moderator's chair, I have come to the conclusion that I >h»li best serve my Master, please the aynod, and perhaps do the church good, by making my address as practical as possible I have therefore decided to direct your attention for a little while to the subject which above all others ought to occupy this church court— namely, " The Revival of Religion." The very name Revival is refreshing. It speaks of winter passing and spr ng returning; of coldness and death warming iuto life, brightening into hope, and bursting into beauty ; of distant and desolate bouls coming to God— to God their chiefest joy. I may be in error, but it is my opinion that the greatest need of our church, and of all other churches is a revival of true religion. Church mechanism we have in plenty— all useful in its way, but powerless to produce other than mechanical results. Human energy we have also in abundance, but powerless to produce other than human results. Spiritual results must be produced by the spirit. Are we, as Christian ministers and workers, such channels of spiritual power aa we might be ? Is our church and the work of our churcn as fruitful of spiritual results as it ought to be and as we desire it to be ? I am much mistaken if in the deeper heart of many in this synod and throughout our church there are not earnest longings for something more and something better In the sphere of spiritual life and Christian work than now obtains or has obtained for years. We need, and many here feel that we need, a revival of true religion.

It is too late in the day to apologise for revivals, or to attempt to prove their importance and desirableness lam aware that some ministers and other Christians have a distaste, and some a positive antipathy, to the word "revival" when used in reference to Christian work. There has been so muoh exaggeration, so much of mere animal excitement, and so much of transient profession in connection with some revival movements that all such movements have come Into bad repute with not a few excellent persons. All must agree in deploring the extravagances and irregularities that not infrequently accompany revival movements, and do great harm to the cause oi religion. But we must not suppose that all the evils are to be found on one side. Many are disposed to thiuk that the worst evils which can do fairly attributed to revival moveiueuts, or that can possibly grow oven occasionally out of them, are far iess in amount, far more readily corrected, and of far less injurious tendency than those which necessarily arise out of the opposite state ; and so they say, " Give us revivals with all their blemishes, and the people that will favour and second revivals, even if we must encounter in the best way we can the evils thai attend them, rather than your anti-revivalists, with their feverish jealousy of anything beyond ordinary forms and Sabbath services — eminently respectable, orderly, and inoffensive, but sapless, tasteless, powerless, and frultlecß." " A living dog iB butter than a dead lion," aud the wildest enthusiasm in religion is more rational and desirable than a dead, mechanical, respectable formalism. Adjuncts of questionable propriety, and even of unquestionaole impropriety, have been found in connection with many revival movements ; nevertheless the work in the main may be a blessed work of grace, giving abundant evidence of its genuineness in ChriHtiansquickeued and sinners converted. Making the fullest allowance for the probablo, or, if you will, the inseparable, dangers and evils of revival movements, it is worth considering whether it is not better to suffer the evil, as far as we must for the sake of the good that accrues. Instead of defining a revival of religion, it will bot,ter serve the purpose I have in view to indicate, however briefly and imperfectly, the results of such a revival

Kevlval, like judgment, must begin at the houße of God If a revival of religion were to prevail throughout our church aud ovu land, what benefits would bs likely to accrue ? Judging from the past, and accepting the testimony of those who have shared in the blessings of revival movements, there is every reason to believe that none would have greater cause to rejoice in the gracious baptism, both aa to its effect on their own individual experience, and its influence on their great work, than the ministers of the Gospel. As the apostles were the first to be endowed with power from on High, bo it has been found that in a general revival of religion the ministers of Christ have been among the first to be vißited with the heavemly benediction. To them it has brought^ 1 as it were, a Becond conversion, imparting to them a higher spiritual life, giving them a deeper insight into the meaning of Divine truth, and impressing their heaits with tho solemnity and unutterable responsibility of their office, and causing them to realise in their work unwonted liberty, success, and joy. A revival of religion makes preaching easier, and in some instances entirely changes its character Men can no longer thhk that they are publishing heaven's dUd tidings to a lost world when they say to the Scriptures: "Be ye reconciled to Darwin and Drummoud aud Driver and the rest of the critics, higher and lower." Their message is Christ's message to men, " Be ye reconciled to God." With what unction would we then deliver the Gospel message 1 Our people would no longer complain that our sermons were long or dry or unprofitable, for we would speak with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. Our words would be with power— power not of learning, not of eloquence, uut of that secret, indescribable, irresistible influence which conies from souls set on fire with love to God and love to men. And then how joyous to preach, not to listless and oritical hearers, but to anxious souls, crowdIng our churches, and hungering for the words of life. How large, too, would be the success : not simply a conversion now and then, of which we know nothing till they come to seek admiEsion into the communion of the church at tho end of the quarter or half-year, but souls converted at every service, and makiug open confession of Christ at once, taking their place in the ranks of active soldiers of the cross. As a revival pertains especially to the church, its influence there would be too manifest and too bles'ed not to be rejoiced in with exceeding joy. Not only would numbers be added to the Lord and to the church, but "much fruit" would prove true disclpltship. Rare consistency would no longer be regarded as enough. The doctrine of God our .Saviour would be adorned in all things. AH things would be done to the glory of God. That which is regarded as the highest state of piety now, and which only a few display, would be the common type then, the daily manifestation of the religion of the many. Another effect of such a visitation would be the prevalence of the spirit and gift of prayer. The promised spirit is the spirit of grace and supplications. Prayer will then be in truth and verity the vital breath, the native air of the church. She will be in reality what she is now largely in name only, " the Israel of God."

Should the Holy Gho3t come again as on the day of Pentecost, the "gift of tongues" will be one of the unmistakable signs of his coming. Many lips that are now sealed will be opened to tell out freely and joj fully the tilings which their possessors have made concerning the King The tongues of God's people will become aa the rens of ready writers. No longer will those who have taßted that the Lord ia gracious hioe the precloUH secret in their breasts, but rather they will say, "Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul." These pardoned ones will be ready to tell, with grateful, loving heart*, "how great things the Lord hath done for them, and hath had mercy on them." How great would be the inlhunceof such a revival nn the usefulness of the church ! The work of saving men would no longer be conbidered the duty of the minister and of a few others, but the duty and privilege of all. A deep sense of individual responsibility and gratitude to God would make it true as of old, " the people h,ad a mind to work." Religion never fails to have a most powerful influence on the welfaie and har>Dir>phs of homes. A revival would make the family "the church in the house." In not a few instance, .is the ua-t teaches us, whole families would he brought to a knowledge of Christ. Parent- a:.<l children, none of whom knew an> thing of m ltaion befure, would then be made heirs begotten of the grace of hfe, and be found praying and rejoicing together. How common, too, another scene-pious p* rents rejoicing over the conversion of their children, and pious children over the conveiaion of their parents, wives over husbands and hutbands over wives, the mother over the daughter, and the dlftusbAer-in-la-w ove.s the ruotler-in-Uw. vfhiut

many a home would ring with the gladsome sound, " This, my son, wai dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found."

Parents impressed with a sense of their responsibilities, and more deeply concerned for the highest welfare of their children, would more carefully bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

Another unfailing effect of all true revivals is the general establishment of family worship. These are some of the good things which ye might expect if a revival were to take place among ourselves. The history of past revivals furnishes abundant evidence of the striking and permanent good effects which a general revival of religion would produce upon society. Such a visitation would have the most marked effect in cleansing the nation from its most common and crying sins. The Sabbath would be observed. Drinking, horse racing, and gambling, with all their attendant evils, would' be greatly diminisheddisappearing in many places altogether. Men would cease to regard the making of money as the great business of life. Justice, mutual confidence, and love would come Urgely to prevail between masters and servants, employers and employed. Our politics, too, would in large measure b« regenerated— a consummation devoutly to be wished t A Godfearing people would vend only men who feired God to Parliament Righteous legislation would exalt and develop righteousness in the nation.

A general revival of religion would also contribute largely and directly to the conversion of the world. It would add many to the number «f those pray and work for the coming of the Rede.emer'B kingdom. Largely increased resources would be available for carrying on the blessed work, for whilst the liberality of the church in general would be greatly augmented, all the fresh discipleß Rathered into the told would bring their silver and their gold with them to bs devoted to the service of the Lord. Above all, individual consecration to the work of God would be the Mire result of such a general outpouring of Hit Holy Spirit. Revivals have always been signally fruitful in ministers and miisionaries, and these have invariably been of tho best sort. If all this be true, and I challenge anyone to say that it Is not, then, we oujht to seek revival as we do nothing else. The price of it is above rubies.

But how is this greatest of blessings — a blessing so much needed— to be secured ? What has been the history of revivals ? Many imagine that a revival of religion mint come as the season of spring and summer showers come— without prayer or effort on man's part. Some revivals have thus come. The churches and communities which they blessed had made no preparation for them— were not expecting them ; they could only confess that they were in desperate need of them. It is unquestionable that in some instances, in the exercise of His sovereign grace, God is found of them that aaught Him not, and manifests Himßelf to those who inquire not after Him : "The wind bloweth where it listeth." But while that is bo, there is no truth that i« more fully illustrated by the history of revivals than this, that whiht God sometimes works or seems- to work without His people, He never refuf es to wo r k with them.

That such blessed manifestations of the Divine favour and presence are to be realised through human means employed on the part of the church of Christ iB taught by God's Word as well as by the history of revivals. We are never directed in Scripture to wait for God's Spirit as though He would come uudesired and unsought, but always to a-k Him. "He giveth Hiß Holy Spirit to them that ask Him " Bzekiel was > commanded to prophecy over the dry bones which he beheld in the valley of Vi«ion and say unto them, " O, ye dry bones, hear the word of the Lord." He prophesied as he waß commanded and the moat marvellous renultß followed. He was commanded also to prophesy to the wind, and to say to the wind, "Thus saith the Lord God, come from the four winds, O breath and breathe upon these slum that they may live." He prophesied as commanded, and the dead lived and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army. In another part of the prophecifß of Ezekiel, Jehovah pledges Himself to give His Spirit and cause a great revival among His people : " I the Lord, have spoken it, and I will do it." But there v a condition annexed to the promise, and that condition is as ab»olnte as the promise itself : " Thus saith the Lord Ood, I will yet for this be inquired of by the hou^e of Israel to do it for them."

In the time of the prophet Malachi the state of religion among the Jews was moat deplorable ; nevertheless, tneymightyetbeblessed with an overflowing blessing, on condition that they returned to duty and did what had been left undone : " Bring ye all the tythes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in my house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall cot be ( room enough to receive it." The Bible abounds with similar teaching;. If man will do his part, God will not fail in His. God's conditions, His own working on the repentance and faith, and the faithful and diligent performance of duty on ' the p*rt of His people. J Revivals of religion are matters in relation to which God is pleased to leave much to her instrumentality. His people have to co-operate with Him in originating and carrying forward a revival. The right use of rieht means nn their p»rt never fails to secure His co-operation and blessing. Neeleet of duty, or the adoption of mistaken and unseriptural measures, may give away the Spirit j and make the last state worse than the first. - Taking the word of God and the lessons to be gathered from past experience in reference to the work of the Lord as our guide, it is evident that I no new and unusual means or methods are needed to produce a revival. The church has all that she requires in the way of means. What is needed is a true sense of her responsibilities, the wi«« and full use of her opportunities, and the exercise to the utmost of her influence both with God and with niftn. The m»anß which God has appointed j in the hands of the church have a natural tendency | to produce a revival. But m^ans will not produra | a revival, we all know, without the blessing of God, any nmre than grain when it is sown will produce a crop without the blpssine of God. The principal means which, with the blessing of God, are likely to produce asd promo"c a revival of religion throughout our church aud our land are (1) prayer. This occupies the first and chief place in the order of means. A true revival of religion cannot be worked up ;it can be prayed down. It is in the closet that prayer for a revival must begin It is there we must touch the spring that shall open the windows of heaven. It is there we must transact with God for the heavenly baptism. There, not in the last place, but in the firßt— not as secondary to our individual and local intere-ts. but as taking the precedence of all— with mind and heart and soul cry with incessant opportunity, "O Lord, revive Thy work" In the prayer, which is commonly called the Lord's Prayer— the model of all true prayer— the petitions which nave respect to the Divine glory and the Divine kingdom are placed before the petitions which relate to private interests. Are we praying in the cpirit when we reverse that order, or when we leave out nltogetber— as we too often do— that •which the Lord r>'aced first ? What has well been called "the selfishness of the closet" does not open the windows, of heaven ; it s^als thnni up. If we seek the Kingdom of God first, we shall eet that and all the rest; if we put that kingdom Becnnd or leave it out, we shall g-^t lew than nothing, pray we never to often and long. There i» a special ble3«ing asaocint-cl with prayer. "If two of you shall aert* e on p«rtn as touching Anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is iv H> aven." There are two remarkable occasions recorded in the Acts of the Apostles on which a rich effusion of the spirit was granted in answer to united praver — namely, the Day of Pentecost, when the Holy Ghost came down like a rushing, mighty win 3 . and the other mentioned in the fourth ohaptc-r' when the plare was shaken whore the little company was pi ay me "and they were all filled with the Holy Gbost." The nineteen Christian ctntunes are studded with similar scenes as the midnight sky with utars. If there is private individual prayer for the revival of religion, Christians will feel impelled to meet together to plead for the same blessing. Our ordinary prayer meeting prayer?, if not less for ourselves, need to be more for others— for the larger church and for the multitudes that ou every hand are going down into the pit. We ueeA to plead far moio than we are vront to do

that God's people everywhere may be more holy, active, devoted, and useful, tnat everywhere God's Spirit may come in His mighty power, and that the hand of the Lord in every place may do valiantly. Ido not say that others are not prayed for, but it needs to be done more distinctly, more emphatically, more constantly. It is also important that there should be special pravcv meetings fer the same purpose. These will bit at once evidence of the . couviction of th* church of her need of reviving aud of hei earnestness in seeking it. Often, often have they brought the heavenly influences down. Let members of each congregation meet at such timea and in such places and as often as they deem fit, to pray especially for this one object. If the members of other churches associate with them the blessing will come the sooner. But prayer, private or social, will be of little avail without the spirit of prayer and faith. We will never pray for a revival unless we clearly see our need of it, and[ believe both in its desirableness and attamablencao. Our unbelief will be fatal to our success. General, bpjieving, fervent, persevering prayer will as certainly bring us a revival, as it has done in every age and every country in which it has been tried. It is as fw. tain as the word of Christ can make it, that God will beßtovr his Spirit upon an individual who asks for Him in faith— and what is a church but a collection of individuals? What is true and certain to the one cannot be false or contingont in reference to the many. How can we remain sceptical or indifferent about revivals with the Book of God in our hands ? I« it not promised— " 1 will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon th« dry ground"? " 0 thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ? " " According to thy faith be it unto thee." " Whatsoever ye Shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." " But he that wavereth ia like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind and toMced ; let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." "Ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence, give Him no rest till He establish and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth." "Ye have not because ye ask not, or ye ask amiHs."

2. The second principal means by which revivals are originated and promoted is preaching. "The Sword of the Spirit Is the Word of God. Preaching is God'B great instrument for building up tho church and for converting the world. It is the testimony of those who have had the boat opportunities of judging that tho pieaching which Uod has usually blessed to the awakening and converting of multitudes of men has been preaching of the Word, not about the Word— preaching Christ, not about Christ— preaching to the hearers, not before or at them— plain, practical, fearless, faithful, earnest, and urgent preaching that dwelt almost exclusively on the great verities of Revelation— the character and claims of God— the immortality of the soul, its undone condition, its exceeding guiltiness, its perishing need of the salvation offered in the Gospel; the danger of delay; the Divine glory of the Redeemer, and the exclusive efficacy of His blood ; the shortness and uncertainty of life ; the tremendous realitios of the judgment and of eternity ; the necessity and nature of regeneration ; and the utter dependence of the sinner on the sovereign influence of the Holy Ghost. I have not fouud a trace of a single revival of religion that was originated or promoted by preaching on "The Mistakes of Mose3"; the errors of Holy Sciipture; the ignorance of Jesus and of His Apostles; the possibility of salvation after death, and the other great discoveries of our modern times. "The sword of the spirit Jb the Word of Nod." The Word of God uever fails to fructify when it is steeped in prayer and preaohed in faith and love God has promised to bless nothing but His own truth. Kxtra services in some form seem to be indispensable to a revival as far as it is brought about by human instrumentality. And though it may pos:>ibly be alleged that the ordinary means of grace are quite sufficient if properly used, yet, after all, experience of the results of such special services is the best guide. They have been found highly meful wherever they have been entered into with faith and prayer and earnest desire for the salvation of men. Nor is it difficult to understand how a succe Bion of services through a period of several days should be more effective than the same number of services with an interval of seven days between each of them. One principal reason why sinners are not converted is that the impression which the truth makes upon them in the house of God yields almost instantly to the cares and levities of the wurld ; but if before tbia itnpiession can have time to escape it be followed by another exhibition of truth and another, there is reason to hope that it may prove permanent, and that the result may be a genuine conversion to God ; and this affect is likely in many cases to be secured by a succession ef services. Most of us find it to be actually so from year to year in our work. 3. The neglect of a proper Scriptural discipline in th« church will constitute an effectual ob.-tacle to a revival of religion, ho matter how earnestly we may desire It and use other means to securs and protect it. The church is the temple of God, a habitation for the Spirit ; if it be denied by the addition or retention of unholy members the Divine Spirit will be grieved and retire, and leave to the finger of desolation to write upon its forsaken walls "The glory has departed." The tolerance of unworthy members will not only hinder a revival, but tne exercice of Scriptural discipline will directly or indirectly contribute towards securing it. This view receives some sanction from that awful act of discipline performed by the Apostle Peter in reference to Ananias and i-apphira, as recorded in the sth chapter of the Acts of the Apoatles. It was an appulling use of apostolic power for the excision of unworthy members, but how marked and salutary its f fleets 1 The whole body of the faithful as well as others were awed by it—" Great fear came upon all the Church, and upon as many as head these things." It kept false professors out of the church,—" Of the reßt durst no man join himself to them"— and yet it contributed greatly to the increase of true believers—" Believeis were the more added to the Lord, Multitudes both of men and women." (Acts v, 11—14 ) Such are the principal means in connection with the diligent and believing use in which God has in the past been pleased to give revivals of religion. It is sad that there should be any need for a revival of religion— that religion ihould not always and universally be so warm and flourishing as to require no revival — but since there is such necessity for it, we should be thankful that we have so many and such cheering encouragements, both in the Word of God and in the history of the church to expect, pray, and labour that tne Church of Christ, in all her congregations and branches, may be revived and extended mightily.

The Word of God abounds with intimations — direct or indirect — with statements or inferences, with promises and prophecies of a day of burning universal revival. I shall not attempt to set out in "detail materials so ample. To do so would be to transcribe a very large part both of the Old Te«tament and of the New. I must content myself with simply hinting at a few Scriptures v.hich show that the religion of Jesus of Nazareth is destined to become world-wide. In the seed of Abraham— viz , Christ— all tho families of the eaith shall be blessed. "Ih've sworn by Myself -the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness and shall not return — that unto Me evury knee shall bow and every tongue swear"; "The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea " ; " All nations shall be githerrd utito the name of the Lord. ... All rli-bh i4iali come and worship before

the Lord." " In that day they shall no more teach every man his neighbour, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know Me, from tho least to the greatest of them, Baith the Lord." The stone "cut out without hands" becomes a great mountain and "fills" the whole earth. To Him who hung upon the cross is given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people and nations and languages should serve Him. When we pass from the Old Testament to the new. we are gladdened with the same glorious prospects under new forms of language and imagery. The heavenly leaven ia to leaven the whole lump : the uplifted Christ is to draw all men unto Him. Sucb, in briefest form, is the stupendous programme of Chribtianity. In what way is this programme to be carried out? Is the Goapel to be made I uuivereal by the slow process by which it is ad- | vancing at present? The answer of Scripture is— No. It does eueak of a gradual advancement. It

speaks of leaven, and of thespringingblade, and ear, and full corn ; and it speaks of the water of the Gospal river, reaching first to the ankles, then to the knee*, and then to the neck, and ultimately becoming such a flood of waters as to overspread the earth. But whilst we are taught that the procress of the Gospel is gradual, the Scriptures leave no room to doubt that within this gradual progress there are iuddeo and remarkable expansions of religion— in other words, revivals— which shall embrace a large body of people, it may b« tribes and nations, at the same moment The promises and prophecies of God's Word give amplest warrant for the expectation that as In times past, so in time to come, but much mora abundantly and mightily, the Kingdom of Christ on earth ia to be built up mainly by revivals of religion, by copious shows of Divine grace, in particular localities and regions, and among large bodies of people, greatly elevating the standard of piety, rousing the church to new and unwonted activity, and bringing sinners In l»rg« and increasing numbers to bow at the feet of Jesus.

From the beginning God has saved His Church from extinction, and carried forward His great work of redemption among men by successive ! revivals. You cannot read the Old Testament and T-a££ th 4 The Church « God *» »« Nw» t^T 4 ' toTm ww * 8 born la the «watest revival nlfffP^I 1 known until th « n . and from the & K.JT *! eoo<it UQtil thl * h °" r revivals have been tho»»w^| on and B ] ory of thft Christian Church. Wivu^t them sL would have been as weak as Samson siio™, o f hia locks • by means of them she has come down through* the nineteen Christian centuries conqueringand to conquer. Her periods of largest growtS and mightiest power have been revival periods. What ehu needs to day to make her " fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners," is a mighty baptism of the Holy Ghost. The one great end of our own church at this moment is the outpouring of the Spirit upon her in every part. The one great need of this synod, and the most blessed consummation possible to its deliberations, is such a baptism of the Holy Ghost aa came upon the 120 in Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after the death of Jesus. Most memorable in the annals of the church would this synod be if thus baptised with the Holy Ghost. Its members should return to their respective congregations and districts so freighted with the heavenly gift as to kindle everywhere among .their people a burning desire and an intense zeal for the revival of God's work among them. Are we to have this heavenly baptism ? If not, why not? We want no other means, no other agenciea, no other truth, no other Gospel, no other Christ. We only want the Spirit of God, and He giveth His Holy Spirit to them that ask Him. DEPDTIES FIIOM THE NORTHERN CHURCH. Dr Dunlop drew attention to the presence of the Revs. A. Gordon (moderator) and R. Erwin, two of the three deputies from the assembly of the Presbyterian Churoh of New Zealand. The Moderator welcomed the deputies Co the synod. GENERAL. The report of change* during the year m read by the clerk. A number of standing committees were »ppointed, and a committee wai set np for tie selection of the oommittees not yet constituted, as well as a committee to draw up minutes recording the deaths of the late Dr Stuart, Dr MacGregor, and Mr Adam Johnston. An invitation to the members of the synod from the committee of the Dunedin Athenaeum to use the reading room during the session was accepted with thanks. The synod agreed to sit from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from ? p.m. to 10.30 p.m.