THE CATHEDRAL.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12494, 22 March 1909, Page 2

THE CATHEDRAL.

HARVEST THANKSGIVING SER-

VICES.

The annual harvest thanksgiving service was held at the Cathedral yesterday. Tlie Chinch was nicely decorated wih fruit, vegetables and flowers for tho occasion. In the morning Hymn 381 A. and M. was sung as the processional, and during the service otiier similar hymns were sung. Special Psalms, lessons, gospel and epistle were used, with appropriate prayers and thanksgiving. The sermon was preached by the Rev. J .P. Kemptiiorne from Deut. xxvi., 10: "And .now behold I have brought tho first fruit of the land wliich thou, O Lord hast given me." The preacher asked why is it people hold harvest thanksgiving services? The reply was that not only do we come to church to thank God for his bounty in harvest, but for all his gifts, and they are manifold, and in- wisdom are they all made. The ancient Egyptians used to worship the river Nile, because they saw it was the river year by year which gave them their bountiful harvest. Thus they recognised harvest was the gift of God, and gave Him tha.nks for it. Then the preacher pointed out why fruit and vegetables, etc., are exposed in the church j It was in order not only that an appeal could be made through the ear, but through the eye, to the heart of man for gratitude. And, again, just as the children among the Israelites used to ask the meaning of certain rites and ceremonies, so our children would be led to ask by seeing these things. The preacher then passed on to the spiritual side of the question. The anthem was. "Lord how Manifold are Thy Works ; in Wisdom hast Thou made Them All," by Barnaby. In the evening there were special portions of scripture anfl lessons. The anthem was "Praise His Awful Name" (from .-< '-The Last Judgment.") The Bishop of Nelson preacheda nractical sermon from I. Thess; V., 18 : "In Everything give Thanks; for his is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." He pointed out that there is danger of a service becoming somewhat formal sometimes if people think they have no interest iii it;. but in services of this kind, although a town congregation had no practicalpart in the gathering in of the harvest, still they had a great many mercies, m fact, our mercies are without number, and not only has God supplied our daily needs, by the gift of eternal life,. through the Son, and to this he pointed their thoughts, and especially as it was God's will that we should in all things givo" thanks, because, as the text said, it was "His will concorning^us in Jesus Christ." There were good congregations at both services.