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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 646, 10 March 1879, Page 2

The Rev. E. Williams, incumbent of our Holy Trinity Church, to his credit be it mentioned, is one among the very few ministers of religion who has endeavored to comply with the spirit of the Education Act. Religious instruction may not be given m the public schools during school hours ; and Mr. Williams sought to do that which might make amends. He opened his Church doors five mornings m each week, from eight to nine o'clock, to which he invited all children whose parents were willing they should attend, that they might receive those great teachings which touched upon their spiritual welfare. For a time many children went, but week by week the attendance fell away, until the members dwindled down to just two or three ; and, so last night the reverend gentleman with evident pain, confessed that he would have to cease opening the Church doors for a purpose he thought would have been appreciated. Whether the fault lies with parents, or with the children, we cannot say, but spiritual food has been offered, and there have been too few to partake of it. Probably, parents think the afternoon's Sunday Bchool teaching should suffice. But if we offer a suggestion to our clergymen, it is that they would occasionally deliver a Sunday service address, specially intended for children's ears and young understandings. Children have many faults almost inherent to them. They are apt to be selfish. They are given to speaking untruths. They are cruel to animals, and spiteful towards each other. They are greedy ; and there is a propensity among boys and girls to pilfer and covet what is not their own. Could not ministers give their attention to these matters. Children are generally very impressionable and a short address, with an earnest and persuasive delivery, might be followed with good results. Grown-up people are not so impressionable. They go to church, most of them, because it is a decent and proper observance ; but they return as they go, no better and no worse for the service. There is the doctrine repeated and re-iterated which they have listened to so many Sundays, till at last it has palled upon the ear, and has long since lost all effect. Less of doctrine, and more about the realities of every-day life, might be tried. The sin and the misery of running into debt might be dwelt upon ; the love of luxuries, display, and dress, might be rehearsed ; the giving of short weight and measure denounced ; the forging of trade lies ; the Bin of scandal and evil-

speaking ; the loveliness of doing unto others as others would be done by. These are subjects which, the clergy seldom or never preach, and which might be made matters of interest and profitable instruction. Of doctrine, the ordinary run of people know as much as their clergyman ; but they are not told of their daily commission of sins, which have, after long excess, brought the civilised world to universal bankruptcy, and have caused so much wide-spread poverty and distress. If the ministers of religion would only endeavor to make themselves acquainted with what is passing around them, and make such things subjects for their discourse, they would have more hearers, followed by better results.