What the Spirit says to the Churches.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6637, 30 March 1893, Page 3

What the Spirit says to the Churches.

At the Presbyterian Church last evening, Mr J. A. D. Adams, of Duuedin, continued his remarks upon the address to the Seven Churches in Asia in the book of Revelation. He mentioned that the interpretation he g»Te on Monday of Thyatira church was bruised incense, or that she is unwearied in sacrifices, and not insincere as erroneously reported. He took the second meaning, and said that in the Thyatira church there were those who were deep, dead in earnestness. One man had, for instance, built a pile of atones heavenwards, and chained himself to remain there summer and winter. If there was the aamo abnegation now as then with the right spirit, the Lord would make a power felt in the church to-day. In that time of great offerings of sacrifices, it was not realised that the sacrifice the Lord wants is a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Aud so it was to-day ; there was the same deadly do, doing, instead of the humble, lowly life, emptied entirely of self, realising that the Lord i 8 the giver of evety good and perfect gift, without price. To Thyatira, the Lord appears, his eyes like a flame of fire. The Lord looks through lots of religious sacrifices, which please men's eyes and ears, and sees at the bottom self-right-eousness. It was time some of them read their bibles to find out how far the church of to-day was guilty of Baal worship. To those that overcome the Lord promised to give authority over the nations. If they only opened their eyes and listened to the logic of facts, they could not say the world was getting better. There were more charitable institutions now than before, but a hundred times more need for them. Society, from the top to the bottom, in England, America, and even in Dunedin was rotten to the core. If the world was getting .better the Bible wasn't true, for the Lord said it would wax worse. The Lord would come and take his overcoming ones away, and would give them authority over the nations, then he shall rule them as with a rod of iron. To Sardis, the Church of reformation and renovation, the message was " Thou hast a name that livest and are dead/ and it was at the time of Luther there were many good and true saints of God, there were many who were merely Christians by name, this being brought about by the State taking possession of the Church (as at the time of Constantine) and actually leading it into war *nd bloodshed. It was absolutely necessary that the Lord's children should be absolutely separate from the world. Church doors never yet made a Christian, and it was an awful thing for an unsaved man to be on a communion roll. There was a great cry about going down into the masses to lift them up, but you cannot lift a basket if you've got your feet in it. The best lace was to stand above it, "in the secret place of the Most High." If Christians sought their enjoyment where the world sought them they would soon be down to the world's level, and " all that is of the world is not of the Father." A Christian should show the world what it is to be, a Christian, and not to say that he was one. Had the Church of Philadelphia (brotherly love) been readied yet ? Yes, it would be seen all over the world, brethren drawing together in lova, forgetting those points upon which they differ and communing with the Lord on those upon which they could agree. Philadelphia was growing fast, and bad not reached perfection, and the promise to her was, " I will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come upon all the word to try them that dwell upon the earth." Christians should take to heart the words in Luke xxi 34-36, for that time would surely come when the dead shall rise and those that are alive shall be caught up to be for ever with the Lord. Then will take place the terrible perplexity of nations, when Antichrist would be revealed. Laodicea (the church where the people have their say) was developing side by side with Philadelphia, as could bo plainly seen in the advancement of the people's rights in the great struggle between labor and capital. Laodicea might have gorgeous churches and heavenly music and plenty of religion, but of the hearts God says, " Thou art neither cold or hot, but lukewarm, and I will spue thee out of my mouth." The Lord's words to those in Laodicea is, "Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come unto him and will sup with him and he with me." Christ's wonla were, " If a man love me he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him." And the promise was, "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me on my throne."

The Minister for Lands ha 3 received a letter from a Southern farmer announcing that, in acknowledgement of the services he thinks tho present Government have performed for New Zealand, he has christened his first-born son " Ballance Seddon McKenzie " ! The child still lives !

Presbyterian Services. — Sunday next : ! Te Karaka 11, Ormond 3, Patutahi 7, Rev. W. R. Malcolm; Gisborne 11 and 7, Matawhero 2.3o, Rev. R. M. Ryburn.— Advt. Wesleyan Church Services.— Sunday next, April 2nd : Gisborne 11 (Easter Sermon) and 7 (Farewell Sermon), Rev. S. J. Gibson ; Te Arai 3, Mr J. Frost.— Advt. Mr H. Oberlin Brown, pianoforte tuner, will arrive in Gisborne about the 15th of April. All orders for tuning left with Mr TownJey wilfreceive prompt attention. — Ad, For misery-producing power, hygienically as well as spiritually speaking, perhaps tight boots are without a rival. For comfortable foot gear, go to Hennessy's. Try the Gentlemen's Persian Kid Oxford Shoes, suitable for walking or dancing (warranted not to give corns), price 8s 6d. — Advt. Where are you going to, my pretty maid ? To the store, for some biscuits, sir, she said ; What kind do you get, my pretty niaid ? Why, Aulsebrook'a Omego, air, she said.

become a standing order in the woman's franchise catechism. The cyclone which devastated the State of Mississippi destroyed Kellytown and other villages. Eighteen people were killed, and the damage to property is estimated at half a million. The survivors of the crew of the Bhip Thekla, who killed and ate one of their number, have been liberated from gaol iv i Paris. A clerical fanatic threw a bag of earth at King Humbert of Italy while he was driving through Rome. The British warship Cockatrice, two guns, sank after a collision in the harbor of Trieste, Austria. Her crew barely escaped with their lives. Insurgents sacked Allegretta, in tho 1 province of Rio Grande, Argentine Republic. The residents resisted, aud 40 were killed. It is reported that Lord Rosebery will marry Priuceta Maud of Wales. A "young lady may have a nice taste in miscellaneous kissing ; but, according to a jury of the Queen's Bench Division, says an exchange, her lover ia not thereby justified in breaking off tho engagement. When a young person is "heard" to kiss a gentleman other than the one who has acquired the rights of osculation over her he is entitled to feel annoyed ; but his annoyaueo must not take the serious form of jilting her. This is the law, as expounded by a jury of indignant fathers ; and the unlucky defendant in the breach of promise case which occupied Mr Justice Lawrence for two days last month had to pay £125 for attaching such ridiculous importance to a few kisses. The case points ouce mor<3 the eternal moral, that a breach of promise case is almost invariably decided in favor of the fair plaintiff. The Freuch advocates of women's rights are resolved not to relinquish their efforts until all the liberal professions, except the military profession, for which they acknowledge themselves unfitted, are opened to them in practice as well as in theory, and until they have gained the right of voting at elections as well as becoming parliamentary candidates themselves. Their motto is perfect equality with men in all employments and in all professions "for equal work and equal wages." 41 What is the use of a mosquito ? " has long been asked in vain. Havanah answers the question. They convey the yellow fever germ by their bite, and their inoculation is so gentle that the sufferer has only a mild attack. [ {There was a scene in the German Reichstag last week. Heir Ahlwardt accused members of plundering the invalid soldiers' fund, the outcome of this charge being a general scrimmage, during which some members came to blows.